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【straw boss】
"straw boss" という言葉を知らなかった。Steinbeck の略歴表を読んでいて、出っくわしたのだ。
1920 （Steinbeck が18歳くらいのとき）
[Steinbeck] works as a ●straw boss● on a ranch south of Salinas.
この言葉については、OED では次のように定義している。
＝＝＝ OED の解説の引用 ＝＝＝
★straw boss★ n. orig. U.S. a subordinate or assistant foreman.
■1894 W. H. Carwardine Pullman Strike ix. 117
These employees..had been so ground between the upper millstone of
‘low wages’ and the nether millstone of ‘high rents’, the continued
oppression of the ‘●straw bosses●’, [etc.].
■1915 S. Lewis Trail of Hawk ii. xiii. 132
He had laughed away the ●straw boss● who tried to make him go ask for
a left-handed monkey-wrench.
■1945 ‘N. Shute’ Most Secret viii. 172
Them Frenchies won't work right without they have a ●straw-boss●.
■1976 L. St. Clair Fortune in Death x. 98
Dimestores, cafeterias, moving to a new job..every time some greasy
●straw boss● ran his hand up my skirt.
＝＝＝＝ OED Online より ＝＝＝＝
この言葉の由来については、次のような解説がネット上にあった。本当かどうかは知らないけど。
This term alludes to the person's position as a ●straw man●, that is,
a front or cover for the real boss and of only nominal importance. [Late 1800s]
Source:
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