Introduction

In today’s Japanese commercial, we look at “quitting quitting” and then “quitting the quitting quitting”. (Huh?) A few weeks ago, we looked at the importance of counting the negatives. Two negatives make a positive. Three, a negative again. Here’s that lesson: https://thejapanesepage.com/double-and-triple-negatives-in-japanese/  This is similar but using the verb 辞(や)める (to quit) and 止(や)める (to stop) which is written in hiragana for ambiguity.

The CM

In the commercial, three friends are lounging about talking about whether to quit their jobs or not. The company, MyNavi, helps people find jobs or change careers. Here is a lot of information about this particular CM in Japanese: https://www.mynavi.jp/news/2022/01/post_32882.html

Before we dive into the dialogue, first watch the commercial:

The Dialogue with Vocabulary

Pay special attention to the third line. It’s a little complicated.

俺(おれ)さ、今(いま)の会社(かいしゃ)やっぱやめるわ。

俺(おれ)は、やめるのやっぱやめるわ。

私(わたし)は、やめようとしたのをやめるのをやっぱや)めたわ。

えっ？どっちだよー？

自分(じぶん)を向(む)いて歩(ある)こう。

マイナビ転職(てんしょく)

The Dialogue with English

俺(おれ)さ、今(いま)の会社(かいしゃ)やっぱやめるわ。

I'm definitely quitting my current company

俺(おれ)は、やめるのやっぱやめるわ。

I've decided not to quit after all

私(わたし)は、やめようとしたのをやめるのをやっぱやめたわ。

I, after all, quit the act of quitting the decision to quit.

えっ？どっちだよー？

What? Which is it?!

自分(じぶん)を向(む)いて歩(ある)こう。

Let’s walk facing ourselves.

マイナビ転職(てんしょく)

Mynavi Job Change

Breakdown the Third Line

私(わたし)は、やめようとしたのをやめるのをやっぱやめたわ。

I, after all, stop the act of quitting the decision to quit.

やっぱ、 the problem is the third line. Let’s go phrase-by-phrase to help with understanding. But please understand, this line isn’t normal Japanese. It’s intentionally convoluted for comic effect. Therefore, it really doesn’t have a clear meaning. Remember やめる can mean either "to quit (a job)" or "to stop (generally)". With that in mind, let’s tackle it!

私(わたし)は、

As for me, I…

私(わたし)は、やめよう

I’ll resign.

私(わたし)は、やめようとした

I tried to quit.

私(わたし)は、やめようとしたのをやめる

I stop trying to quit.

私(わたし)は、やめようとしたのをやめるのを

I, the act of quitting trying to quit

私(わたし)は、やめようとしたのをやめるのをやっぱ

I, after all, the act of quitting trying to quit

私(わたし)は、やめようとしたのをやめるのをやっぱやめたわ。

I, after all, quit the act of quitting the decision to quit.

About the Catch Phrase

Catch phrase in Japanese is キャッチコピー. The キャッチコビー for the commercial and the business is:

自分(じぶん)を向(む)いて歩(ある)こう。

This literally would be something like, “Let’s walk facing ourselves.” It’s one of those seemingly meaningful but empty phrases like “believe in yourself!” or “You have to follow your heart.”

This is probably a play on two similar phrases: