【No. 1157】Udsagi Goya (ウサギ小屋 - Rabbit Hutch)
Feb 17, 2018 21:34
Japanese houses are sometimes described as ウサギ小屋 (usagi goya), the literal meaning of which is "rabbit hutch."
The reason is very simple -- it's because houses where Japanese live are basically narrow.
An informal report, issued by EC (European Communities) in 1979, said that Japanese houses are "cage a lapins" (narrow collective housing).
The literal translation of "cage a lapins" is ”usagi goya” (rabbit hutch), and this term has become popular as an ironic sense.
Indeed, in big cities such as Tokyo, the land is expensive and houses are very narrow.
However, I heard that the average site area of Japanese houses is similar to those of European countries.
(Of course it's narrow compared with houses of the US.)
The reason is very simple -- it's because houses where Japanese live are basically narrow.
An informal report, issued by EC (European Communities) in 1979, said that Japanese houses are "cage a lapins" (narrow collective housing).
The literal translation of "cage a lapins" is ”usagi goya” (rabbit hutch), and this term has become popular as an ironic sense.
Indeed, in big cities such as Tokyo, the land is expensive and houses are very narrow.
However, I heard that the average site area of Japanese houses is similar to those of European countries.
(Of course it's narrow compared with houses of the US.)
ウサギ小屋
日本の家は、「ウサギ小屋」と形容されることがあります。
理由はとても単純で、日本人の住む家は基本的に狭いからです。
1979年、ECが出した非公式報告書では、"cage a lapins" (都市型の集合住宅) と表現されました。
この直訳の「ウサギ小屋」が、日本では自嘲の意味を込めた流行語となったというわけです。
確かに、東京などの都市では土地が高く、狭い家が多いです。
しかし、日本全体の平均値を見ると、ヨーロッパ諸国の家の広さとさほど変わりないようです。
（もちろんアメリカと比べると、狭いです。）
日本の家は、「ウサギ小屋」と形容されることがあります。
理由はとても単純で、日本人の住む家は基本的に狭いからです。
1979年、ECが出した非公式報告書では、"cage a lapins" (都市型の集合住宅) と表現されました。
この直訳の「ウサギ小屋」が、日本では自嘲の意味を込めた流行語となったというわけです。
確かに、東京などの都市では土地が高く、狭い家が多いです。
しかし、日本全体の平均値を見ると、ヨーロッパ諸国の家の広さとさほど変わりないようです。
（もちろんアメリカと比べると、狭いです。）
Corrections (1)
No. 1 Chanteru
- The literal translation of "cage a lapins" is ”usagi goya” (rabbit hutch), and this term has become popular as an ironic sense.
- The literal translation of "cage a lapins" is ”usagi goya” (rabbit hutch), and this term has become popular in an ironic sense.
- (Of course it's narrow compared with houses of the US.)
- (Of course it's narrow compared to houses in the US.)
Overall, your post is very easy to comprehend. I found the topic interesting as well. :)
The corrections I made are just suggestions to make the writing a little more natural, but your original writing style is fine as well.
On another note, your use of the term "hutch" is okay, but in my experience, the term "hut" is used more frequently. They seem to be synonymous, so perhaps you can use them interchangeably in this context. I'm speaking as someone who uses American English though. Maybe "hutch" is more commonly used in British English. :)
Toru
Thank you so much for the correction and explanation!
I learned something new :)
Thank you so much for the correction and explanation!
I learned something new :)