Question of the Day #37

"According to this poll, Donald Trump is likely to win the election."
"Are you sure they aren't cherry-picking the data?"

上記の会話で、cherry-pickの意味は？
In the dialogue above, what does "cherry-pick" mean?

答えは、コメントに書いてください。
Write your answer in the Comments.

明日、ここに答えを書きます。
I will add the answer and other remarks here tomorrow.

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解答

意味：

1. 自分（自説）に都合の良いものだけを選ぶ
2. 自分の気に入ったものだけを選ぶ
3. 入念に選ぶ、えり好みする、いいとこ取り

Answer

According to Merriam-Webster:

to pick or accept the best people or things in a group

Etymology/語源

Wiktionaryによると、

ボウルに入っているサクランボの中から一番いいものだけを自分のために選ぶ、または、ケーキ等のお菓子のサクランボを自分のために取ることからくる隠喩。

Online Etymology Dictionaryによると、初めて使われたのが、1959年のBillboard誌。

According to Wiktionary

A metaphor, from the idea of picking through a bowl of cherries and seeking the best for oneself, or the idea of picking off the cherries for oneself from a cake or dessert.

According to the Online Etymology Dictionary: 


"to select the very best selfishly," 1959 (implied in cherry-picking), American English ("Billboard"), a pejorative figurative sense"

Examples

• If you cherry-pick science so that it resonates with your belief system, you are not understanding how science works.
• Like hundreds of its multinational brethren, Apple also is able to cherry-pick its costs.
• They argue that Cheney cannot be allowed to cherry-pick the evidence ashe did with intelligence relating to the Iraq War.
• The new schools were accused of cherry-picking the best students in the area.
• "Politicians try to cherry-pick judges who agree with them and attack those who do not" (Jeffrey Rosen).