sono / kono joke.

[PaulTB]

I thought this was funny and an interesting insight into the usage of sono vs kono. :cool:

【取って】 　
〜会社にて．．．〜

コージー：アヒルー、フロッピーディスクある？
アヒル：あるよ．そこの戸棚の中．
コージー：．．．（戸棚までの距離：アヒルから50cm、オレから 3m）．．．
アヒル：．．．なに？？？
コージー：こたつに入ってるときの奥さんみたい．．．

　もちろん自分で戸棚から出したよ．社員を甘やかすの はやめよう！

If you don't get the joke hard luck ... ja nakute .... ask me. :p

[fixelbrumpf]

I thought this was funny and an interesting insight into the usage of sono vs kono. :cool:

【取って】 　
〜会社にて．．．〜

コージー：アヒルー、フロッピーディスクある？
アヒル：あるよ．そこの戸棚の中．
コージー：．．．（戸棚までの距離：アヒルから50cm、オレから 3m）．．．
アヒル：．．．なに？？？
コージー：こたつに入ってるときの奥さんみたい．．．

　もちろん自分で戸棚から出したよ．社員を甘やかすの はやめよう！

If you don't get the joke hard luck ... ja nakute .... ask me. :p

I think I'm close. I've underlined the parts I don't understand. o_O

[PaulTB]

I think I'm close. I've underlined the parts I don't understand. o_O

こたつ is a easy dictionary check, although you've doubtless seen them if you watch much anime.

炬燵(P); 火燵(iK) 【こたつ】 (n) (uk) table with heater; (orig) charcoal brazier in a floor well

(Not the original meaning ;-)

甘やかす is also in the dictionary,
甘やかす 【あまやかす】 (v5s) to pamper; to spoil; (P)
but I have to admit that I'm not 100% certain of my interpretation of the last line, but I console myself that it's just a tag-on comment.

The vital bits are 1. The relative distances, 2. The use of 'sono' and 3. The likening of アヒル to a 'こたつに入ってるときの奥さん'. but I guess you've got most of that.

[fixelbrumpf]

Hmm, I take it the punchline is that Koojii wants Ahiru to get the diskettes for him, because he implied that it's Koojii's cupboard (sono) and Kooji is used to have his wife bring him stuff from his cupboard, because it's his? Right, right? >___________<

[PaulTB]

Hmm, I take it the punchline is that Koojii wants Ahiru to get the diskettes for him, because he implied that it's Koojii's cupboard (sono) and Kooji is used to have his wife bring him stuff from his cupboard, because it's his? Right, right? >___________<
惜しい! *

Ahiru calls it 'sono' cupboard even though it is nearer ahiru (0.5m) than ko-ji- (3m). Implicitly Ahiru is implying that ko-ji- should get the disk himself.

The こたつに入ってるときの奥さんみたい bit means she's like a wife under a kotatsu - presumably implying they wouldn't want to go anywhere because they're so comfortable where they are. (This sort of thing is often seen in anime - for instance in a digi-carat I watched a few minutes ago).

The last line is (I think)
もちろん自分で戸棚から出したよ．社員を甘やかすの はやめよう
Naturally I got it from the cupboard myself. Don't spoil the workers!

* This is, I believe, used for "almost got it" when people get quiz answers wrong and such ;-)

[Elizabeth]

Ano can be found in less tasteful jokes I imagine. :D

[Elizabeth]

This is, I believe, used for "almost got it" when people get quiz answers wrong and such ;-)
Even a Japanese friend I showed it to didn't get the humorous parts until I filled him in. Perhaps it shows such a normal Japanese mindset and lifestyle....
ボクには、どこがおもしろいのか、わかりませんねぇ。 :D

[PaulTB]

Even a Japanese friend I showed it to didn't get the humorous parts until I filled him in. Perhaps it shows such a normal Japanese mindset and lifestyle....
Maybe my sense of humour is more Japanese than the Japanese. :giggle:

[Elizabeth]

One halfway explanation from another Japanese who didn't get it....;).

５０センチと言うのは微妙な距離ですね。「この」を使 うにはちょっと離れているような。。「その」を使うに は近すぎるような。。文法に一応のルールがあっても、その場その場で変わってくる場合もあり ますね。アヒルにとっては「その」と言う気分だったん でしょうね。

[PaulTB]

アヒルにとっては「その」と言う気分だったんでしょう ね。
I don't know, looks rather like it's written by somebody who did 'get it'.

Am I really the only one who thought it was very funny? :(

[Elizabeth]

Yeah, after I explained it. Anyway, for what it's worth, I also thought it was funny. :)