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One of my coworkers todays said something like:

> "Today I have too many 割り込みタスク so I cannot pay too much attention to this
> project"

Literally translating it into "interrupting tasks" sounds rather vague, so how
would a 割り込みタスク be defined?
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2011-07-29T06:15:49.183
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2011-12-29T06:06:59.510
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usage computing metaphor
What is a 割り込みタスク?
That's sound like

> "I have got too many urgent tasks for today, so I cannot pay attention to
> this project"
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2011-07-29T06:28:58.667
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I think you misheard `割り込みタスク`. `割り込みタスク` or `interrupting task` is a
technical term used in computer science:
[wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interrupt). Although it is a
technical term, its meaning does not differ much from what you can imagine if
it were an ordinary phrase. I think your coworker has some knowledge about
computers, and used it metaphorically. Other than as a technical term, the
phrase `割り込みタスク` would be too odd to be used.
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2011-07-29T07:18:16.720
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2011-07-29T07:54:30.823
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I'm not sure how common it is in general business Japanese, but `割り込みタスク`
isn't that out of place among
[lifehackers](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life_hack). It roughly means
"unexpected work created by external factors".

Here are a few articles that use the word...

  * [「バッファ時間」で割り込みタスクをやっつける](http://bizmakoto.jp/bizid/articles/0904/10/news039.html)
  * [タスクシュート方式における割り込みタスク](http://www.mindhacks.jp/2010/03/post-2184)
  * [割り込みタスクに四苦”ハック”](http://cyblog.jp/modules/weblogs/4106)

In lifehacking jargon, "interruptions" seems to be the corresponding term,
though not exactly interchangeable (to be exact, interruptions = 割り込み, tasks
created by interruptions = 割り込みタスク):

  * [Plan for Interruptions to Minimize Their Impact](http://lifehacker.com/5496953/plan-for-interruptions-to-minimize-their-impact)

The point is, when you say 割り込みタスクが多い, the tasks themselves are interruptions
to your coworker's planned work schedule, and that interruption has already
happened. I think that's a more natural interpretation/transcription than "割り込
**む** タスクが多い" (tasks keep interrupting me).
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2011-07-29T09:54:57.223
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