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I'm trying to learn Japanese. I'm reading (trying to anyway) a Japanese kid book and found this line:

あさ
いもほり
うでまくり
えんやらやっと
おおきな　おいも

I found by Googling that やっと means 'finally'. But what does えんやら mean?

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  • Please always post the full sentence for context.
    – Earthliŋ ♦
    Oct 7, 2015 at 17:09
  • It would also be great to see any ideas you have about the meaning.
    – Darcinon
    Oct 7, 2015 at 17:10
  • I found by Googling that やっと means 'finally'
    – raystubbs
    Oct 7, 2015 at 17:13
  • My sorry attempt at translation produced gibberish "Potato digging in the morning, rolling up sleeves, finally, large potato." I'm an absolute beginner. Sorry.
    – raystubbs
    Oct 7, 2015 at 17:21
  • So is it えんやら or えにゃら?
    – istrasci
    Oct 7, 2015 at 17:29

1 Answer 1

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It's probably えんやらやっと (spelled using a small っ in modern Japanese), and to me it sounds like one of the various words people say when physically exerting themselves, e.g. lifting something heavy. Like a big potato.

Think よいしょっと.

Edit: According to this Google result that is exactly what it is.

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  • Thanks a lot for this answer. Like I said I'm a newbie so I probably wouldn't have figured this out.
    – raystubbs
    Oct 7, 2015 at 20:48
  • Interesting, I didn't know this one. I know えんやこら, which seems related.
    – dainichi
    Oct 13, 2015 at 10:01

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