aye-ayeとは 意味・読み方・使い方

別の表記

• ayeaye

語源

From French aye-aye, from Malagasy aiay (also ahay, haihay or hay-hay in dialect), supposedly imitative of the animal's cry. However, this is doubted by Simons and Myers (2001) who note that the animal does not emit such a sound. They suggest a derivation from Malagasy heh heh (“I don't know”), used by the Malagasy people to avoid naming the animal, which they fear.

発音

• IPA: /ˈaɪˌaɪ/
• 韻: -aɪaɪ
• ハイフネーション: aye‧aye

名詞

aye-aye (plural aye-ayes)

1. The lemur Daubentonia madagascariensis, a solitary nocturnal quadruped found in Madagascar and remarkable for its long fingers, sharp nails, and rodent-like incisor teeth.
   • 1849, “Order II.—Quadrumana, [from the Latin, quatuor, four, and manus, hand; four-handed.]”, in D[avid] M[eredith] Reese, editor, Elements of Zoology; or, Natural History of Animals. From the Last Edinburgh Edition (Chambers' Educational Course; [no. 6]), 3rd American edition, New York, N.Y.: Published by A[lfred] S[mith] Barnes & Co. No. 51 John Street; Cincinnati, Oh.: H. W. Derby & Co., →OCLC, page 57:

     The other of these aberrant forms is the cheiromys, or aye-aye, which, from the peculiar form of its two lower front teeth, has been ranged with the Rodentia. In the general character, however, it is essentially a lemur; […]

   • 1858, D[avid] W[illiam] Mitchell, Guide to the Gardens of the Zoological Society of London, London: Bradbury and Evans, 11, Bouverie Street, and at the [Zoological] Society [of London]'s Gardens in the Regent's Park, →OCLC, page 41:

     Of the other members of this group, the Aye Aye (Cheiromys), the Tarsier (Tarsius), the Propithecus, the Indri (Lichanotus), and the Cheirogaleus, are desiderata of which we can only hope to become possessed by the future exertions of zoologists who may obtain access to the countries in which they live.

   • 1864, Edward P[ercival] Wright, “Moderatorships in Experimental and Natural Science[: Zoology]”, in Dublin Examination Papers: Being a Supplement to the University Calendar for the Year 1864, Dublin: Printed at the University Press, Hodges, Smith, & Co., Grafton-Street, booksellers to the University; London: Longman, Green, Longman, Roberts, & Green, →OCLC, page 228:

     Refer the following to their respective orders and families:—anteater, ayeaye, canary, cinchilla, dodo, flamingo, flying fox, giraffe, hornbill, lyre bird, mole, paradise bird, porpoise, swift, walrus.

   • 1865, J[ohn] G[eorge] Wood, “Quadrumana; or, The Monkey Tribe”, in The Illustrated Natural History, volume I (Mammalia), London: George Routledge and Sons, Broadway, Ludgate Hill; New York, 129, Grand Street, →OCLC, page 110:

     The true position of that very rare animal the Aye-aye, seems very doubtful, some naturalists placing it in the position which it occupies in this work, and others, such as [Jan] [v]an der Hoeven, considering it to form a link between the monkeys and the rodent animals. […] It is probable that the natural food of the Aye-aye, like that of the preceding animals, is of a mixed character, and that it eats fruit and insects indiscriminately. In captivity it usually fed on boiled rice, which it picked up in minute portions, like Amine in the "Arabian Nights," using, however, its slender fingers in lieu of the celebrated bodkin with which she made her mock meal.

   • 1968 May 24, Michael Mok, “The Aye-Aye, Man’s Imperiled Cousin”, in George P. Hunt, editor, Life, volume 64, number 21, Chicago, Ill.: Time, Inc., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 102, column 1:

     He does look a bit odd, what with those parachute ears and the round, mad, yellow, staring pop-eyes and the oversize forepaws hung so awkwardly close to his chest. He's named the aye-aye, which probably does not improve the image. But he's a lemur, hence a primate and a cousin to man. A resident of Madagascar, he is threatened with extinction; there are no more than 50 aye-ayes in all the world.

参照

• aye-aye on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

発音

• IPA: /ˈaɪˈaɪ/
• 韻: -aɪ

語源 1

Reduplication of aye (“yes”).

間投詞

aye aye

1. (nautical) Response to ahoy if a commissioned officer is in the boat.
2. (nautical) I acknowledge and will comply.

派生語

• aye aye, sir

関連する語

語源 2

間投詞

aye aye

1. (regional) Used as a greeting or introduction, often expressing caution, surprise, or curiosity.
   • 1779, Hugh Downman, act III, scene III, in Lucius Junius Brutus; or, The Expulsion of the Tarquins: An Historical Play, London: […] J[ohn] Wilkie, […] Fielding and Walker, […] G[eorge] Kearsley, […] P[eter] Elsmley, […] W[illiam] Davis, […], →OCLC, page 73:

     titus. Brutus, I heard the ſtrangeſt thing laſt week!-⁠-⁠- brutus. Aye, aye! What was it? Tell me.

   • 1854, F[red] A[rthur] Neale, “Evening the Fourth”, in Evenings at Antioch; with Sketches of Syrian Life, London: Eyre and Williams, […], →OCLC, page 126:

     “One night the voice of the bulbul was echoing louder than ever through the desolate old castle, and the miser’s heart trembled with anxiety and fear. […] / “‘Drat the bird!’ quoth the miser. ‘Her hateful song draws silly people forth from their homes even at this late hour, till darkness and the terror connected with this neighbourhood are fast being overcome. Drat the bird!’ / “‘Aye, aye! What’s that you say?’ growled a deep, unmelodious voice close to the startled miser’s ear. ‘Drat the bird, sir? Why, that bird is our sovereign lady the Queen of the Forest.’[”]

   • 1982, Phil Redmond, Brookside, episode 1, shooting script, Liverpool, Merseyside: Mersey Television, page 58; quoted in “just a minute”, under “just, adv.”, in OED Online‎, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Oxford University Press, archived from the original on 27 July 2025:

     Aye Aye. Just a minute pal. Where d'you think you're going?

   • 2015 May 23, Martin Toop, “Audits needed”, in Waikato Times, Hamilton, Waikato, →ISSN, →OCLC, page B6:

     At regular intervals we are told of increased funding for this and that. Is this increase made possible because cuts have been made elsewhere? Such is my lack of trust that my immediate thought is aye, aye who’s lost out?

参照

• “ay ay” under “ay, int.”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, launched 2000.