What are the origins of 掘った芋いじるな (hotta imo ijiru na)?


The gag expression 掘った芋いじるな (hotta imo ijiruna) sounds to japanese ears
uncannily like "What time is it now?" I'm guessing this is Showa era humour,
since English probably sounded more foreign then than now.

Does anyone know the origin of this saying, and anything about how popular it
was (or wasn't)?

For bonus points: do you know of any other gag expressions like this? I only
know one other: アメリカではバス降りたい時は何と言いますか？ 。。。揚げ豆腐(あげどうふ) = I get off.




To my surprise, after some research I found a strong link between the "hotta
imo" phrase and **John Manjiro** , Japan's first "exchange student" to
America.

John Manjiro was a Japanese fisherman who, along with his four brothers, was
ship wrecked on a pacific island and rescued by a passing American whaling
ship. After being carried to Honolulu (Dec 17, 1850), Manjiro stayed aboard
his rescuer's ship and later learnt English, navigation and whaling skills
(ref: <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nakahama_Manjir%C5%8D>). He later returned
to Japan and became the English translator & advisor to the Shogun on foreign
matters.

Manjiro apparently wrote a book called 「英語練習帳」which used the "hotta imo iji-ru
na" approach to transliterating English into Japanese (ref: 「日本語「らしさ」の言語学」
"Nihongo rashisa no gogengaku", Kodansha p254)**

Coincidentally, I found some other "sound alike" sayings I'd like to share:

  * 問題ない ​【mondai nai】no problem >> monday night 
  * カッパ亭 ​【kappa tei】 Kappa Pavilion (sushi chain) >> cuppa tea
  * 上げ豆腐 ​【agedoufu】deep fried tofu >> I get off
  * どう致しまして ​【douitashimashite】you're welcome >> don't touch my moustache!
  * 犬寝る ​【ken neru】dogs sleep >> kennel
  * 前代未聞 【zendai mimon】never heard of before >> Then Die, Me moan! 
  * 斉藤寝具【saitou shingu】Saito Bedding >> sightseeing
  * 危ない ​【abunai】dangerous >> have an eye!
  * 坊や​【bouya】boy >> boy

** I found this reference to the book:
<http://kotobakai.seesaa.net/article/8173641.html>




To my surprise, after some research I found a strong link between the "hotta
imo" phrase and **John Manjiro** , Japan's first "exchange student" to
America.

John Manjiro was a Japanese fisherman who, along with his four brothers, was
ship wrecked on a pacific island and rescued by a passing American whaling
ship. After being carried to Honolulu (Dec 17, 1850), Manjiro stayed aboard
his rescuer's ship and later learnt English, navigation and whaling skills
(ref: <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nakahama_Manjir%C5%8D>). He later returned
to Japan and became the English translator & advisor to the Shogun on foreign
matters.

Manjiro apparently wrote a book called 「英語練習帳」which used the "hotta imo iji-ru
na" approach to transliterating English into Japanese (ref: 「日本語「らしさ」の言語学」
"Nihongo rashisa no gogengaku", Kodansha p254)**

Coincidentally, I found some other "sound alike" sayings I'd like to share:

  * 問題ない ​【mondai nai】no problem >> monday night 
  * カッパ亭 ​【kappa tei】 Kappa Pavilion (sushi chain) >> cuppa tea
  * 上げ豆腐 ​【agedoufu】deep fried tofu >> I get off
  * どう致しまして ​【douitashimashite】you're welcome >> don't touch my moustache!
  * 犬寝る ​【ken neru】dogs sleep >> kennel
  * 前代未聞 【zendai mimon】never heard of before >> Then Die, Me moan! 
  * 斉藤寝具【saitou shingu】Saito Bedding >> sightseeing
  * 危ない ​【abunai】dangerous >> have an eye!
  * 坊や​【bouya】boy >> boy

** I found this reference to the book:
<http://kotobakai.seesaa.net/article/8173641.html>

