The Japanese are a people known for their seriousness. It is difficult to imagine them as the authors of jokes. However, they are always ready to laugh at their national traits. Today I want to introduce you to one anecdote, analyze the grammar used in it and reflect on what features of the mysterious Japanese soul are reflected in it.
Are Japanese jokes funny?
無人島に男ふたりと女ひとりが流れ着いた。さあどうする？
フランス人の場合：女は片方の男と結婚し、もう一人と不倫する。
アメリカ人の場合：女は片方の男と結婚し、離婚してから次の男と再婚する。
ロシア人の場合：女は好きではない方の男と結婚し、そのことを一生嘆く。
日本人の場合：男ふたりは、どちらが女と結婚したらいいか本社に問い合わせる。
フランス人の場合：女は片方の男と結婚し、もう一人と不倫する。
アメリカ人の場合：女は片方の男と結婚し、離婚してから次の男と再婚する。
ロシア人の場合：女は好きではない方の男と結婚し、そのことを一生嘆く。
日本人の場合：男ふたりは、どちらが女と結婚したらいいか本社に問い合わせる。
Two men and one woman are thrown onto a desert island. What will happen?
In the case of the French: a woman will marry one man and will cheat on him with the other.
In the case of the Americans: a woman will marry one man, divorce him, and marry the other.
In the case of Russians: a woman will marry the man she does not love and grieve about it all her life.
In the case of the Japanese: both men will send a request to the company's head office as to who should marry the woman.
In the case of the French: a woman will marry one man and will cheat on him with the other.
In the case of the Americans: a woman will marry one man, divorce him, and marry the other.
In the case of Russians: a woman will marry the man she does not love and grieve about it all her life.
In the case of the Japanese: both men will send a request to the company's head office as to who should marry the woman.
Grammar comment
In this section, I will comment on one of the meanings of the grammar 場合 (baai) used in the text of the joke: フランス人の場合 (furansujin no baai), 日本人の場合 (nihonjin no baai) – in the case of the French, in the case of the Japanese. The word baai means "case, circumstance" and, as can be seen from the examples, is attached to nouns using the postposition の (no).
In this section, I will comment on one of the meanings of the grammar 場合 (baai) used in the text of the joke: フランス人の場合 (furansujin no baai), 日本人の場合 (nihonjin no baai) – in the case of the French, in the case of the Japanese. The word baai means "case, circumstance" and, as can be seen from the examples, is attached to nouns using the postposition の (no).
Linguocultural comment
This anecdote is a mockery of the excessive "attachment" of the Japanese to the company, the inability to make decisions on their own, the desire to do everything according to the instructions.
This anecdote is a mockery of the excessive "attachment" of the Japanese to the company, the inability to make decisions on their own, the desire to do everything according to the instructions.
Do you agree with this joke? Write your thoughts in the comments!
