29067
In a spoken story (action in late-Edo, early-Meiji period) there was a passage
describing someone's life situation (a street peddler selling dubious
medicines) using the following words:

> この人は藪医者と言いたいが、  
>  **は(っ)ちごぐらいでさか(い)やりません** 。

The meaning of the second part was unclear. At the time I was trying to
analyze what was being said, a native Japanese speaker claimed it was
破竹ぐらいで食べられません however I could no confirm any other metaphorical usage of 破竹
except for [破竹]{はちく}の[勢]{いきお}い. And this sentence did not make much sense to
me.

Now something made me revisit the notes and I started to wonder about this
comparison. Even if the second part is incomprehensible, what might be the
reason to compare someone (selling snake oil) to a quack? They sound similar,
no use for が.

Is there any preconception of 藪医者? That you could negate to describe someone's
situation? Like "rich" for example (I doubt though). As I understand the
concept of saying と言いたいが here is to express something in line with "If I
called him X, it would mean he is rich, but he was not."

Even if I have no way to get back to the original story, how to tackle with
what I have? Are there any clues in either in the meaning of 藪医者 or the phrase
wording?
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2015-10-24T04:38:17.583
28844
2015-11-08T03:18:34.567
2015-11-07T16:48:37.457
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question
meaning expressions
What is the common perception of 藪医者? Or how to tackle with amiguity here?
My guess would be that it is some kind of variation of:

> この人は藪医者と言いたいが、  
>  **筍{たけのこ}ぐらいでしかありません**  
>  _I'd like to say he is a “bamboo thicket” doctor (= quack),_  
>  _but he's barely a bamboo shoot._

[筍医者](http://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/jn/136156/meaning/m0u/ "たけのこいしゃ【筍医者】の意味 -
国語辞書 - goo辞書") is a humorous term for a person who is so utterly incompetent
they cannot even be called a fully-grown quack. I think it's safe to say that
this term [was in
existence](http://www.gakken.co.jp/kagakusouken/spread/oedo/05/kaisetsu1.html
"江戸時代の医者：お江戸の科学") during the time frame of your story.
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2015-11-07T15:49:26.820
29067
2015-11-08T03:18:34.567
2015-11-08T03:18:34.567
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answer