2

In English there are a few idioms that are variants on the phrase,

I don't really have a horse in this race, so...

which essentially means "I'm not invested in the outcome of the current debate/issue/conflict."

It's not difficult to imagine a non-idiomatic translation like 「結果はどうあれ、私には関係ない」, but that is pretty direct and lacks the softer indirectness of the original idiom.

What equivalent idioms exist in Japanese to choose from for this?

2
  • 1
    It sounds like you want to know a more colloquial way of saying 「結果はどうあれ、私には関係ない」but please could make it clear what you want to know? For example you could say "I am not interested in that debate" or "I have no interest (or stake) in that debate" but the two sentences mean completely different things and you cannot substitute "interest(ed)" with "invest(ed)".
    – Tim
    Apr 5, 2014 at 0:22
  • I agree generally, but I think that the nuance is clear here as opposed to 「…私には興味ない」 Apr 5, 2014 at 6:48

1 Answer 1

3

[対岸]{たいがん}の[火事]{かじ} Fire on the opposite shore.

This is the same expression in Japanese.

Sources: Japanese person.

4
  • Is that softer as an idiom, though? It's vivid, but seems like a written phrase as opposed to a verbal one. Apr 5, 2014 at 6:50
  • 1
    "What equivalent idioms exist in Japanese to choose from for this?" The question didn't specify verbal versions. And I have never ever heard 'I don't really have a horse in this race, so...' In English. Another one is [高]{たか}みの[見物]{けんぶつ} but I'm not quite sure how to explain this one. Like watching something from high up so it has nothing to do with me...
    – user5083
    Apr 5, 2014 at 10:00
  • 高みの見物 is pejorative, which doesn't line up either. Apr 6, 2014 at 4:57
  • I did check with a native speaker, and that is why I didn't include that one in my answer.
    – user5083
    Apr 6, 2014 at 6:19

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .