tommy's avatar
tommy

Sept. 27, 2020

1
There are two chickens in the garden

I'd like to introduce a famous funny sentence in Japan. It seems that you might call it "word puzzle" in English as well.
The sentence is filled with hiragana and pronounced in Japanese as "ni ha ni ha ni ha ni ha to ri ga i ru".
It is common that people interpret it as "There are two chickens in the garden: にわ (garden) には、にわ (two) にわとり (chicken) がいる".
But, you can figure it out in several ways since it doesn't be allocated any kanji (have no kanji), moreover, "わ (wa)" and "は (ha or wa)" have a same pronounce in a particular situation.
You can also read it as follows:
"There are two chickens at Niwa: にわ (Niwa) には、にわ (two) にわとり (chicken) がいる"
"There are two ancient clay figures and Mr. Ree in the garden: にわ (garden) には、にはにわ (two ancient clay figures) と (and) り (Mr. Ree) がいる"
"There are an ancient clay figure, Mr. Niwa, and Mr. Ree in the garden: にわ (garden) に、はにわ (ancient clay figure) にわ (Mr.Niwa) と (and) り (Mr. Ree) がいる"
"An ancient clay figure, some ring, and Mr. Ree are essential in the episode 2: にわ (episode 2) に、はにわ (ancient clay figure) に (and) わ (ring) と (and) り (Mr. Ree) がいる"
A couple of years ago, some TV show examined how many ways do make sense.
It concluded that there are ninety two ways.


日本語の奇妙な文章について紹介したいと思う。英語で「言葉遊び」と呼べるかもしれない。
その文章は、平仮名で表記されていて日本語で「にはにはにはには(わ)とりがいる」と発音する。
「庭には、二羽鶏がいる」と解釈するのが一般的だ。
しかし、漢字が充てられておらず「わ」と「は」が同じ発音になることから複数の解釈が存在する。
以下のようにも読み解くことが可能だ。
「丹羽に、二羽鶏がいる。」
「庭には、2埴輪と李がいる。」
「庭には埴輪、ニワと李がいる。」
「二話には、埴輪に輪と李がいる。」
何年か前に、TV番組で意味を成す読み方が何通りあるか調査がなされた。
その結果、92通りの読み方が存在するとのことだった。

Corrections

I'd like to introduce a famous funny sentence that is famous in Japan.

It seems that you mightay call it a "word puzzle" in English as well.

You could also say "also" instead of "as well".

The sentence is filled within hiragana and pronounced in Japanese as "ni ha ni ha ni ha ni ha to ri ga i ru".

It i's common that peoplely interpret ited as "There are two chickens in the garden: にわ (garden) には、にわ (two) にわとり (chicken) がいる".

It is = It's
The sentence was grammatically correct, but this seems to flow more.

But, you can figure it oucomprehend it in several ways, since it doesn't be allocated any kanjihave any kanji allocated to it, (have no kanji), m. Moreover, "わ (wa)" and "は (ha or wa)" have a same pronounceiation in a particular situation.

You can also read it as the followsing:

"There areis an ancient clay figure, Mr. Niwa, and Mr. Ree in the garden: にわ (garden) に、はにわ (ancient clay figure) にわ (Mr.Niwa) と (and) り (Mr. Ree) がいる"

"An ancient clay figure, somea ring, and Mr. Ree are essential in the episode 2: にわ (episode 2) に、はにわ (ancient clay figure) に (and) わ (ring) と (and) り (Mr. Ree) がいる"

A couple of years ago, somea TV show examined how many ways it couldo make sense.

Feedback

Great Job! I thought that this was really fascinating!

tommy's avatar
tommy

Sept. 28, 2020

1

But, you can figure it oucomprehend it in several ways, since it doesn't be allocated any kanjihave any kanji allocated to it, (have no kanji), m. Moreover, "わ (wa)" and "は (ha or wa)" have a same pronounceiation in a particular situation.

Thank you for correcting me. Could you let me know the difference among "understand", "figure out", "comprehend", and "interpret"? Which word is suitable for this sentence?

oceandrive76's avatar
oceandrive76

Sept. 29, 2020

1

I'm kind of going based on how it sounds but...

"figure out" seems to imply that you don't have all the details, but you understand most of it, but it was kind of hard.

I'm pretty sure that "comprehend" and "interpret" can be used almost interchangeably.

"Understand" is when you comprehend something. It's no interchangeable all the time, but it's kind of when you get something completely.

I'm not an expert so if a dictionary or someone else counters one of these points, they are most likely correct.

I hoped this helped!!!

There are two chickens in the garden.

I'd like to introduce a famous funny sentence infrom Japan.

Or: "I'd like to introduce a funny sentence that is famous in Japan."

It seems that you might call it a "word puzzle" in English as well.

I think "word play" is a closer translation of 「言葉遊び」, but "word puzzle" also makes sense.

The sentence is filled withwritten in hiragana and pronounced in Japanese as "ni ha ni ha ni ha ni ha to ri ga i ru".

I think this could be better expressed as:

The sentence is written in hiragana and pronounced in Japanese as "ni ha ni ha ni ha ni ha to ri ga i ru", where each "ha" can also be pronounced as "wa".

Personally I think this way is a little better. What you're writing makes sense to me in Japanese but writing it out in English is hard.

It is common that people interpret it as "There are two chickens in the garden: にわ (garden) には、にわ (two) にわとり (chicken) がいる".

But, you can figure it ouinterpret int several ways since it doesn't be allocated any kanji (have no kanji), mhave any kanji. Moreover, "わ (wa)" and "は (ha or wa)" have athe same pronounceiation in a particular situation.

You can also read it as follows:

"There are two chickens at Niwa: にわ (Niwa) には、にわ (two) にわとり (chicken) がいる"

"There are two ancient clay figures and Mr. Ree in the garden: にわ (garden) には、にはにわ (two ancient clay figures) と (and) り (Mr. Ree) がいる"

"There are aAn ancient clay figure, Mr. Niwa, and Mr. Ree are in the garden: にわ (garden) に、はにわ (ancient clay figure) にわ (Mr.Niwa) と (and) り (Mr. Ree) がいる"

English speakers are somewhat divided on whether or not a sentence like this starting with "There are/is" followed by a list should use "is" or "are." Some would say you should use "is" because "figure" (the first item in the list) is singular, while others say you should use "are" because overall the number of items is more than one. There is a split over whether or not "is" is always correct or if "are" is formal and "is" is informal.

This split is why some people corrected your sentence to: "There is an ancient clay figure, Mr. Niwa, and Mr. Ree in the garden." I hear "is" more often, and I think most people would say it is correct. But, I think either way is acceptable.

This problem can be avoided by writing: "An ancient clay figure, Mr. Niwa, and Mr. Ree are in the garden." I think this is the best option as it avoids the grammar issue and does not sound as awkward.

If you want to read more about it, here are some articles about it:
https://www.grammarly.com/blog/there-is-there-are/
https://esllibrary.com/blog/there-is-there-are

"An ancient clay figure, some ring, and Mr. Ree are essential in the second episode 2: にわ (episode 2) に、はにわ (ancient clay figure) に (and) わ (ring) と (and) り (Mr. Ree) がいる"

A couple of years ago, some TV show examined how many ways dof interpreting the sentence make sense.

It concluded that there are ninety two ways.

Feedback

That sentence is really interesting. My favorite funny sentence in English is probably "Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo." The explanation is: "...bison who are intimidated or bullied by bison are themselves intimidating or bullying bison (at least in the city of Buffalo – implicitly, Buffalo, New York):"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffalo_buffalo_Buffalo_buffalo_buffalo_buffalo_Buffalo_buffalo

tommy's avatar
tommy

Sept. 28, 2020

1

"There are aAn ancient clay figure, Mr. Niwa, and Mr. Ree are in the garden: にわ (garden) に、はにわ (ancient clay figure) にわ (Mr.Niwa) と (and) り (Mr. Ree) がいる"

Thank you for explaining in detail. This is what I wondered why.

tommy's avatar
tommy

Sept. 29, 2020

1

Buffalo sentence is too difficult for me to comprehend. But, it's also interesting!

There are two chickens in the garden


There are two chickens in the garden.

I'd like to introduce a famous funny sentence in Japan.


I'd like to introduce a famous funny sentence infrom Japan.

Or: "I'd like to introduce a funny sentence that is famous in Japan."

I'd like to introduce a famous funny sentence that is famous in Japan.

It seems that you might call it "word puzzle" in English as well.


It seems that you might call it a "word puzzle" in English as well.

I think "word play" is a closer translation of 「言葉遊び」, but "word puzzle" also makes sense.

It seems that you mightay call it a "word puzzle" in English as well.

You could also say "also" instead of "as well".

The sentence is filled with hiragana and pronounced in Japanese as "ni ha ni ha ni ha ni ha to ri ga i ru".


The sentence is filled withwritten in hiragana and pronounced in Japanese as "ni ha ni ha ni ha ni ha to ri ga i ru".

I think this could be better expressed as: The sentence is written in hiragana and pronounced in Japanese as "ni ha ni ha ni ha ni ha to ri ga i ru", where each "ha" can also be pronounced as "wa". Personally I think this way is a little better. What you're writing makes sense to me in Japanese but writing it out in English is hard.

The sentence is filled within hiragana and pronounced in Japanese as "ni ha ni ha ni ha ni ha to ri ga i ru".

It is common that people interpret it as "There are two chickens in the garden: にわ (garden) には、にわ (two) にわとり (chicken) がいる".


This sentence has been marked as perfect!

It i's common that peoplely interpret ited as "There are two chickens in the garden: にわ (garden) には、にわ (two) にわとり (chicken) がいる".

It is = It's The sentence was grammatically correct, but this seems to flow more.

But, you can figure it out in several ways since it doesn't be allocated any kanji (have no kanji), moreover, "わ (wa)" and "は (ha or wa)" have a same pronounce in a particular situation.


But, you can figure it ouinterpret int several ways since it doesn't be allocated any kanji (have no kanji), mhave any kanji. Moreover, "わ (wa)" and "は (ha or wa)" have athe same pronounceiation in a particular situation.

But, you can figure it oucomprehend it in several ways, since it doesn't be allocated any kanjihave any kanji allocated to it, (have no kanji), m. Moreover, "わ (wa)" and "は (ha or wa)" have a same pronounceiation in a particular situation.

You can also read it as follows:


This sentence has been marked as perfect!

You can also read it as the followsing:

"There are two chickens at Niwa: にわ (Niwa) には、にわ (two) にわとり (chicken) がいる"


This sentence has been marked as perfect!

"There are two ancient clay figures and Mr. Ree in the garden: にわ (garden) には、にはにわ (two ancient clay figures) と (and) り (Mr. Ree) がいる"


This sentence has been marked as perfect!

"There are an ancient clay figure, Mr. Niwa, and Mr. Ree in the garden: にわ (garden) に、はにわ (ancient clay figure) にわ (Mr.Niwa) と (and) り (Mr. Ree) がいる"


"There are aAn ancient clay figure, Mr. Niwa, and Mr. Ree are in the garden: にわ (garden) に、はにわ (ancient clay figure) にわ (Mr.Niwa) と (and) り (Mr. Ree) がいる"

English speakers are somewhat divided on whether or not a sentence like this starting with "There are/is" followed by a list should use "is" or "are." Some would say you should use "is" because "figure" (the first item in the list) is singular, while others say you should use "are" because overall the number of items is more than one. There is a split over whether or not "is" is always correct or if "are" is formal and "is" is informal. This split is why some people corrected your sentence to: "There is an ancient clay figure, Mr. Niwa, and Mr. Ree in the garden." I hear "is" more often, and I think most people would say it is correct. But, I think either way is acceptable. This problem can be avoided by writing: "An ancient clay figure, Mr. Niwa, and Mr. Ree are in the garden." I think this is the best option as it avoids the grammar issue and does not sound as awkward. If you want to read more about it, here are some articles about it: https://www.grammarly.com/blog/there-is-there-are/ https://esllibrary.com/blog/there-is-there-are

"There areis an ancient clay figure, Mr. Niwa, and Mr. Ree in the garden: にわ (garden) に、はにわ (ancient clay figure) にわ (Mr.Niwa) と (and) り (Mr. Ree) がいる"

"An ancient clay figure, some ring, and Mr. Ree are essential in the episode 2: にわ (episode 2) に、はにわ (ancient clay figure) に (and) わ (ring) と (and) り (Mr. Ree) がいる"


"An ancient clay figure, some ring, and Mr. Ree are essential in the second episode 2: にわ (episode 2) に、はにわ (ancient clay figure) に (and) わ (ring) と (and) り (Mr. Ree) がいる"

"An ancient clay figure, somea ring, and Mr. Ree are essential in the episode 2: にわ (episode 2) に、はにわ (ancient clay figure) に (and) わ (ring) と (and) り (Mr. Ree) がいる"

A couple of years ago, some TV show examined how many ways do make sense.


A couple of years ago, some TV show examined how many ways dof interpreting the sentence make sense.

A couple of years ago, somea TV show examined how many ways it couldo make sense.

It concluded that there are ninety two ways.


This sentence has been marked as perfect!

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