# 小さな強がりも裸足のまま逃げていくよ



## lammn

This is translation question again.

I have problem in understanding a line in the song 熱くなれたら.
It is in the 4th stanza of the song:



> 大きなものを見つめたい
> 小さな強がりも 裸足のまま逃げていくよ


 
I am not sure the meaning of the underlining part.
Is it a metaphor for being brave?
How should I translate that line?

Full lyrics can be found here.
Any help would be much appreciated.


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## Noamoxkaltontli

Tough one 

Looking at the whole lyrics from the 2nd stanza, I would guess (sorry) that _she_ is describing what would happen if _he_ was with _her_. 
強がる can be rendered as "playing tough" in english, so with 小さな強がり _she_ is probably admitting she does (playing tough, that is) every now and then, but IF _he_ was with _her_, those little bursts of behaviour would stop. 

For the next part I count several possible interpretations
1)This playing-tough behaviour is being anthropomorphized(sp?) so it would not only stop, but it would "flee" while still barefooted.
2)_She_ would "get away" from this behaviour while barefooted. There are some other examples of songs and titles of songs with this imagery of barefooted females in japanese pop culture. 

Also,　裸足 can also mean superior to a professional, so maybe it has something to do with that.


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## lammn

Noamoxkaltontli said:


> Tough one


 
Indeed.  And thank you very much for your attempt. 



Noamoxkaltontli said:


> Looking at the whole lyrics from the 2nd stanza, I would guess (sorry) that _she_ is describing what would happen if _he_ was with _her_.


 
I have never thought about this point before.
Now that you say it, I read the lyrics again and I have to agree with your proposition. 



Noamoxkaltontli said:


> For the next part I count several possible interpretations
> 1)This playing-tough behaviour is being anthropomorphized(sp?) so it would not only stop, but it would "flee" while still barefooted.
> 2)_She_ would "get away" from this behaviour while barefooted. There are some other examples of songs and titles of songs with this imagery of barefooted females in japanese pop culture.


 
By basic instinct intuition, I think option 1 is the answer.
By the way, this kind of 表現 is known as "personification", or 擬人法.
But then, *what kind of 気持 is it expressing?*
自分らしく？
I can't translate it if I don't understand the mood of the protagonist. ;_;



Noamoxkaltontli said:


> Also,　裸足 can also mean superior to a professional, so maybe it has something to do with that.


Are you sure? But that does not seem to fit the lyrics...

Actually, I _don't understand_ why 裸足のままis used in the line.
Does it mean the playing-tough behaviour will get away "*quickly*", or "*naturally*"?

Hope that someone else can explain more.


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## Noamoxkaltontli

> By the way, this kind of 表現 is known as "personification", or 擬人法.


And this is why I only got a B+ in literature. 



> Does it mean the playing-tough behaviour will get away "quickly", or "naturally"?


 I got stuck there too, that's what made me think there might be an implicit から in
小さな強がり*から*も　裸足のまま逃げてゆく which will lead to the #2 interpretation up there.


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## lammn

Noamoxkaltontli said:


> And this is why I only got a B+ in literature.


Maybe different countries use different terminology.
Who knows? 




Noamoxkaltontli said:


> I got stuck there too, that's what made me think there might be an implicit から in 小さな強がり*から*も　裸足のまま逃げてゆく which will lead to the #2 interpretation up there.


I don't get your point.
I still think that option 1 is the answer.
To make sure that we are on the same boat, I have to explain more on what I have just said:



lammn said:


> Actually, I _don't understand_ why 裸足のままis used in the line.
> Does it mean the playing-tough behaviour will get away "*quickly*", or "*naturally*"?


 
The phrasal verb "get away", when used as an intransitive verb, can mean "escape".
I am not using it as a transitive verb.

What I meant is that "the playing-tough behaviour" (which is personified) will escape in a 裸足のまま way.
But then the main reason why I started this thread is that I don't understand what is meant by a 裸足のまま way.


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## Noamoxkaltontli

Yeah, I get that, sorry.
I guess I just felt like pointing out why #2 might also be plausible.

On the hadashi thing, I cried uncle and I asked a native (sort of), and this is what I got:
SHE:
小さな強がりなんか逃げていくってことじゃない??
ME:
それは分かりました。でもどうして裸足なの?
SHE:
知らない、なんか裸足で走ると速い感じがするから
「タタタタター」って逃げていく感じがするんじゃない?
知らないよ。本当は歌詞書いた人にきいてみんとわかりません。
わたしは想像で言った。

So I guess it was #1 after all and running barefooted has the connotation of running "far away". To me TATATATATATATA makes me think of running "fast", though.


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## lammn

わざわざネイティブに聞いてくれてありがとう！ 



Noamoxkaltontli said:


> So I guess it was #1 after all and running barefooted has the connotation of running "far away".


It will _hurt_ the feet to run barefooted far away. 
I bet you are not a hiker. 



Noamoxkaltontli said:


> SHE:
> 知らない、なんか裸足で走ると速い感じがするから
> 「タタタタター」って逃げていく感じがするんじゃない?
> 
> To me TATATATATATATA makes me think of running "fast", though.


 
It seems that we can come up to some sort of agreement now.
Thank you very much!


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## Flaminius

I also agree with Noam's option number 1.  I have never heard of the phrase in question 裸足のまま but to my mind it is a lyrical innovation on a traditional idiom; 裸足で逃げだす, to flee in fright.  I don't know the supposed reason for being barefoot—whether the escaper does not have time to wear footwear or it slips off from his feet because of panic— but 裸足 here is almost a metaphor of fear.



			
				Noamoxkaltontli said:
			
		

> Also,　裸足 can also mean superior to a professional, so maybe it has something to do with that.


You must be talking about 玄人はだし, which is short for 玄人も裸足で逃げだす.  I don't believe 裸足 alone can mean this.


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## lammn

Flaminius said:


> I also agree with Noam's option number 1. I have never heard of the phrase in question 裸足のまま but to my mind it is a lyrical innovation on a traditional idiom; 裸足で逃げだす, to flee in fright.


 
Thank you Flam! 
You know, idiom is difficult for non-native speakers.


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## Flaminius

Well, somehow I thought this idiom was from Chinese.  

Any which way, good thing that all your questions are now solved.


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## masatom

Hello.
I am a native Japanese but I am unable to understand the meaning at all.

I think lyrics is often difficult to understand. Because they make it intentionally difficult to understand.
They want to make it look like more mysterious, more profound.
They use metaphor, too. 
So I think it is no use to try to understand the meaning.

I think most Japanese can not understand the meaning of this sentence.

So I'm very proud of you to find the meaning out. 
Actually I'm learning the meaning of this sentence from you.

Thank you.


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## lammn

Hello masatom,

First of all, thanks for your compliments! 

I am of the opinion that lyrics writer write lyrics in the hope that the message expressed by the lyrics is to be _understandable_ by the listeners/readers. Yeah, sometimes lyrics look difficult to understand. But on the other hand, if it is written too plainly, it will lose all its poetic feel. To me, to explore the underlying/hidden meaning of lyrics is a kind of joy that is not expressable by words. I don't think language is a barrier. Rather, if you can stand from the viewpoint of the lyric writer, then you will be able to go across the border of time and space, and understand what the lyrics writers wish to tell.

I will keep making effort to explore their meanings, no matter how.


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## masatom

Thank you lammn and I respect you.
And I am re-thinking about the phrase.

So one comment.
裸足のまま逃げていく = 靴も　はかずに　逃げていく
=running away without wearing shoes.
=running away without dare to taking time wearing shoes.
=running away in urgent hurry

Thank　you.


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## lammn

masatom said:


> Thank you lammn and I respect you.


 
Why, thank you! 



masatom said:


> 裸足のまま逃げていく = 靴も　はかずに　逃げていく
> =running away without wearing shoes.
> =running away without dare to taking time wearing shoes.
> =running away in urgent hurry


 
I knew that from the previous posts already, thanks.

Actually, I think that the metaphorical meaning of 裸足のまま is "quickly" rather than "fear".
This morning I was reading the lyrics of another song, which happens to have the word 裸足 in 5th stanza:


> 貴方の影を追いかけて
> 裸足で駆け抜けて stop me


 
It is very obvious that 裸足で means "quickly" or "hurry" in this song too.

（日本語能力試験の受験生なのに、そこまで歌詞を研究しているなんて、時間の無駄ですよね。^^;; )


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## masatom

Hi. lammn.
日本語能力試験、がんばってください。

I　am sorry my sentences is always too long, but
I would like to say the other song's 裸足で駆け抜けて is different.

We Japanese usually took off our shoes indoors.
And at midnight when we sleep and suddenly a fire break out, we must evacuate ASAP. There is no time to wear shoes or wear clothes. 
In that situation is called 靴も履かずに逃げる　　裸足で逃げる or 裸で逃げる

But in case of another song, 裸足で　means, 
without shoes
=without protection
=without guard
=without guard of pride
=without regard for appearance (なりふりかまわず）

I think I don't agree with you that point. 
But I don't know which is more close to the answer.
Only the lyric writer knows the answer.

Thanks.


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## lammn

masatom said:


> 日本語能力試験、がんばってください。


はい、きっとがんばります。ありがとうございます。



masatom said:


> But in case of another song, 裸足で　means,
> without shoes
> =without protection
> =without guard
> =without guard of pride
> =without regard for appearance (なりふりかまわず）。


 
I have never thought about this point before.
Surely this interpretation also works.
Thank you very much for bringing into the insight!


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