ここんとこ (ここん所) and other "every now and then" adverbs


I have been in the market for some good synonyms for `ときどき`, and I encountered
one today that I wanted to share, and also ask for some opinions, since I can
not find a correct definition online. The specific use I encountered is:

> 俺実は **ここんとこ** ずっと同じ夢を見るの subtitle: "Lately I keep having the same dream"

Context: <http://www.crunchyroll.com/a-dark-rabbit-has-seven-
lives/episode-1-900-seconds-of-after-school-part-one-580756> (4 minute 6
second mark)

The entry in the Jim Breen dictionary is:

> 此処ん所; ここん所 【とこ】 (n) this place; here

And I think this is wrong, I think it is of the same general variety as
`ときどき`, `ときに`, and `たまに`. However, I think it probably has a bit of a
different nuance as well. I think that the use here, as well as uses I find in
Googling for it, are showing that `ここんとこ` is good for showing that a phenomena
has started happening and is currently still happening on and off. I should
qualify that observation by noting that I just totally made that up myself. I
also see some uses that might be referring to something physical, simply as a
replacement for `このところ`, but I'm not entirely sure. Oh, and `ここんところ` seems to
substitute without any real difference in meaning.

Obviously I want to ask if anyone can give a definition with confidence. I
would also like to know how this word would fit into your arsenal of words to
express occasional occurrences, which is something I'm always wanting more
precise words for. If I had to express the idea in my example I might have
said `最近ときどき`, which sounds kind of clumsy now.

Thanks in advance! I'm new here, and I'll be taking a stop by meta soon to ask
some more questions about how to use Japanese SE effectively.




It is a contracted form of `ここの所`. `所` typically means place, but has other
uses such as heading a relative clause or, as in this case, refering to a time
instead of a place. `ここ` is also referring to recent times rather than nearby
places. The translation is 'these days', 'recently'. You are right that the
dictionary you cited is wrong. It is misinterpreting `所`. The reason it cannot
mean 'here' is because that would make the expression redundant. `ここ` already
means place, and adding an extra construct would not be motivated unless it
changes the meaning.

Interestingly, `そこの所` or `そこん所` also departs from meaning a place. In this
case, it means 'what was just mentioned'.




It is a contracted form of `ここの所`. `所` typically means place, but has other
uses such as heading a relative clause or, as in this case, refering to a time
instead of a place. `ここ` is also referring to recent times rather than nearby
places. The translation is 'these days', 'recently'. You are right that the
dictionary you cited is wrong. It is misinterpreting `所`. The reason it cannot
mean 'here' is because that would make the expression redundant. `ここ` already
means place, and adding an extra construct would not be motivated unless it
changes the meaning.

Interestingly, `そこの所` or `そこん所` also departs from meaning a place. In this
case, it means 'what was just mentioned'.

