極まれり

English translation: (here's) the ultimate

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Japanese term or phrase:極まれり
English translation:(here's) the ultimate
Entered by: Mari Hodges

02:45 Dec 4, 2007
Japanese to English translations [PRO]
Journalism
Japanese term or phrase: 極まれり
This word is used at the beginning of a news headline:
極まれり!
It's also used as in ここに極まれり.

I have never seen this construction before. How is it used?

Any help would be appreciated!
Mari Hodges
Local time: 19:25
(here's) the ultimate
Explanation:
I couldn't think of the best expression in English, but its nuance is something of extremity and ultimacy. When used in a phrase or sentence like "XX, ここに極まれり," it means "the ultimate XX" or "here's the ultimate XX." It could mean either positive or negative.

As for the title, 極まれり!, maybe you can find in the context what it's referring to and say it 'the ultimate....'.

Maybe someone can offer a better alternative :)

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Note added at 1 hr (2007-12-04 04:17:21 GMT)
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Oh, one more thing. To me this term is similar to 極上の and 究極の.
Selected response from:

Maki Ahn (X)
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Thank you both!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
2(here's) the ultimate
Maki Ahn (X)
2come to the extreme of ~,
Leochan


  

Answers


1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5
(here's) the ultimate


Explanation:
I couldn't think of the best expression in English, but its nuance is something of extremity and ultimacy. When used in a phrase or sentence like "XX, ここに極まれり," it means "the ultimate XX" or "here's the ultimate XX." It could mean either positive or negative.

As for the title, 極まれり!, maybe you can find in the context what it's referring to and say it 'the ultimate....'.

Maybe someone can offer a better alternative :)

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2007-12-04 04:17:21 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Oh, one more thing. To me this term is similar to 極上の and 究極の.

Maki Ahn (X)
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in JapaneseJapanese
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Thank you both!
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5
come to the extreme of ~,


Explanation:
普段聞き流している表現ですけど、いざ、説明するとなると難しいですね。
ただ、「極まれり!」だけで使うことはあまりないのではないでしょうか?
「○○極まれり」とか、「○○、ここに、極まれり!」などのように
表現することが多いと思います。

例えば、最近の出来事で、某首相が突然辞任しちゃった件について、
個人のブログですが、以下のように表現しています。
http://www.edita.jp/homeseeker/one/homeseeker555874.html

「無責任も来るところまで来ちゃったね」って感じでしょうか?

それから、この表現は、
大体は悪い意味で使われることが多いように思いますがどうでしょう?

これと似た表現に、「○○極まりない」という表現があります。
例えば、危険極まりない= be extremely dangerous

英語の表現は自信ないですが、

come to the extreme でしょうか?

他に何かありましたら、よろしく~。


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Note added at 1 hr (2007-12-04 04:35:19 GMT)
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大体が悪い意味、と書きましたが、そうでもないですね・・・
http://www.google.co.jp/search?hl=ja&q="極まれり"&lr=

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Note added at 5 hrs (2007-12-04 07:56:43 GMT)
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reached the extreme point of ・・・とかどうでしょう?

Leochan
Local time: 07:25
Native speaker of: Native in JapaneseJapanese
PRO pts in category: 4
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