Odd expression

[Dennis R. Preston]

Well, yes and no. "Kusotare" (literally "shit-leaker") is but one of
a number of such suffixed -tare expressions (e.g., "nose-leaker" for
"snot-nose"), so it would be difficult to pinpoint "bakatare" as
derived (exclusively) from "kusotare. On the other hand, modern
(especially younger) speakers, seem to have little or no independent
semantic sense of "-tare" (i.e., it is opaque) and treat such items
as "bakatare" as unanalyzed lexical units.

dInIs


>>-"tare" is a very interesting suffix. The literal meaning is
>>"leaking" or "oozing," but it collocates with only a few lexical
>>items, and is principally used by children to mock a child (as a
>>"snot-nose" or "pants-wetter"). "Bakatare" is, therefore, a "leaking
>>fool," literally, but, since the suffix is used in childish, mocking
>>collocations, one may think of it as a suffix which simply adds
>>derision. My first reaction would be to translate "Bakatare papa-san"
>>as "Silly old fart."
>>
>>dInIs (Puresuton-sensei)
>
>I see (thanks)!
>
>Possibly "bakatare" is originally a combination of "baka[yarou]" and
>"kusotare"? The latter -- more or less "shit-leaker" I guess -- seems to be
>used much like "baka[yarou]" as a term of abuse (like "asshole") without
>much specialized content, right?
>
>-- Doug Wilson

--
Dennis R. Preston
Professor of Linguistics
Department of Linguistics & Germanic, Slavic,
      Asian & African Languages
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI 48824-1027
e-mail: preston at msu.edu
phone: (517) 353-9290