Jump on the bandwagon

ShuzoNakamura — Mon, 01 Jan 2007 03:33:00 -0500

皆がするから私もする。こんな姿勢は自主性がなさそうであまり良い印象を持てません。しかし、動きの早い最近のご時世では、こんな態度もあながち責めることはできません。今回は、そんな状況にまつわる表現をみてみましょう。

"Jump on the bandwagon" です。
これは、「時流に乗る、便乗する」ということです。

この表現は、昔、政治家の選挙キャンペーンのため、楽隊が荷馬車に乗って演奏しながらパレードしたところからきています。楽隊車に飛び乗るということは、その候補者を支持するということになります。これは、勝つ方につく、勝ち馬に乗るということではなく、ただ、皆のすること、考えることに同調するということです。

下の例で、ジムとトムは、多くの会社が採用した新しいビジネスモデルを自分達の会社も採用するのかどうか噂しています。二人は新しいモデルを評価していません。そして、二人の上司は、賢明だから時流に飛び乗るようなことはしないだろうという結論に落ち着きました。

Tom : Did you hear? ACME Corp. is adopting the ¨Right Now!¨ business model, too.
Jim : I don´t know about that. If you really think about it, it just doen´t make sense.
Tom : I know. I hope we don´t have to start using it.
Jim : Don´t worry, the boss is too smart for that. He´s not the type to jump on the bandwagon just because everyone else is doing it.

「皆のやるようにやらなきゃよかった」なんてことにならないようにしたいものですね。
" I wish I hadn't jumped on the bandwagon."

1/1/2007

（イーストウエストジャーナル連載）

jump on the bandwagon

To jump on the bandwagon means to go along and support whatever is popular at the time. It means to do what everyone else is doing. It is often used to imply that by doing this you are providing support for a certain issue or program. It is often used for political issues (¨His last speech was so powerful that a lot of people are jumping on the bandwagon.¨) or a particular program or way of doing things (¨Everyone´s jumping on the bandwagon for that new business model even though, if you think about it, it doesn´t make any sense.¨), but it can also just mean going along with the current fad (¨The new Nintendo Wii is so popular, my son just had to jump on the bandwagon and get one, too.¨). This expression is used when whatever it is is already popular and has a large following and you are following along. It also implies there is a lot of excitement about whatever the popular thing is.
A: Did you hear? ACME Corp. is adopting the ¨Right Now!¨ business model, too. B: I don´t know about that. If you really think about it, it just doen´t make sense. A: I know. I hope we don´t have to start using it. B: Don´t worry, the boss is too smart for that. He´s not the type to jump on the bandwagon just because everyone else is doing it.

This expression comes from old-fashioned political campaigns in which candidates would try to gain support by having a small parade. If a candidate was popular enough, this might include a small band. To jump on the bandwagon was to say you were showing your support for that candidate.

茶飲みトーク: Jump on the bandwagon

Jump on the bandwagon