Lesson 35 Go back

ポイント
“Back” can be a 名詞 動詞 and 副詞. But it has very different meanings depending on how it’s used.

ダイアログ
Mary: What will you do for New Year, Sachiko?
Sachiko: I’ll back my hometown.

解説
Sachiko obviously means “故郷に戻る.” But she should say, “I’ll go back to my hometown.” This is because, as a verb, “back” has various meanings, but it doesn’t mean “return.” In sports, “to back” means to bet on: “I backed my hometown team (地元のチームに金を賭けた). In politics, “to back” means to support a candidate, party, policy, or government: “The
Employers Association backs the new policy (雇用主組合は新たな政策を支援する).”