Wireless With Strings Attached

Wireless With Strings Attached

Once upon a time, there was a man and his wife who had a hard time with wireless remote controllers at home. They lived in an apartment that had a living room, a bed room, a study, a kitchen and a bathroom.

On the other hand, they had too many wireless remotes for most of their appliances. For example, they had seven ceiling lights but each one came with a remote control. Also, a TV, a heater, three air conditioners, two audio amps, a door lock, two LED candle lights, a refrigerator, a washing machine, a microwave and a coffee maker machine.

As they were getting old, they began to feel very tired of the remotes. The man often said to his wife, “Did you move the remote for the amp somewhere?” His wife often said, “Where is the remote for the ceiling light in the kitchen?” They had to search some remotes almost everyday. It was frustrating for both of them.

One day, the man stated, “We must attach a string to every remote and its appliance!” His wife agreed. So, he bought a long string at a local hardware shop and cut it into many short strings. Then, he drilled a small hole on each remote and its appliance and connected them. His wife was very happy to see the result and said, “Now, we will no longer search our wireless remotes!” After that, they lived their life with strings happily, ever after!

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紐付きワイヤレス

ある時、自宅でワイヤレスリモコンで難儀している夫婦がいた。彼等の住んでいたアパートには、リビング、ベッドルーム、書斎、キッチン、バスルームとトイレがそれぞれひと部屋ずつ有った。

その一方で、彼らは、殆どの電気製品用の余りにも沢山のリモコンに囲まれていた。例えば、彼等には７台の天井用の照明が有ったが、その一つ一つにリモコンが付属していた。それ以外にも、テレビや、暖房、三台のエアコン、二つのステレオアンプ、ドアロック、二個のLEDキャンドル、冷蔵庫、洗濯機、電子レンジ、それからコーヒーメーカーもそうだった。

歳を重ねるにつれて、彼等はそれらのリモコンに疲れを感じ始めていた。夫はしょっ中、妻にこう言ったものだった。「アンプのリモコン、どっかに持ってった？」妻も度々こう言った。「キッチンの照明のリモコンどこ？」彼等は、毎日の様に何らかのリモコンを探さなければならない事に、もうウンザリしていた。

ある日、夫はこう宣言した。「リモコンと機械を、全部紐で繋がないとダメだ！」妻も賛成した。そして、彼は地元のホームセンターで長めの紐を買ってきて、それを切って、いくつもの短めの紐にした。そして、彼はそれぞれのリモコンと電気製品にドリルで穴を開けて、それらを紐で繋いだ。それを見た妻は、喜んで言った。「これでもう、ワイヤレスリモコンを探さなくてすむわ！」それ以来、彼等は紐のある生活を幸せに過ごしましたとさ、メデタシ、メデタシ！

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Wireless

Once upon a time, there was a man and his wife who had a hard time with wireless remote controllers at home. They lived in an apartment that had a living room, a bed room, a study, a kitchen and a bathroom.

ワイヤレス

ある時、自宅でワイヤレスリモコンで難儀している夫婦がいた。彼等の住んでいたアパートには、リビング、ベッドルーム、書斎、キッチン、バスルームとトイレがそれぞれひと部屋ずつ有った。

ワイヤレス : wireless

ある時（あるとき）：Once upon a time

自宅（じたく）：your home (noun)

ワイヤレスリモコン：a wireless remote controller

難儀（なんぎ）：a hardship (noun)

難儀する：to have a hard time (verb)

難儀している : You are having a hard time.
ワイヤレスリモコンで難儀している : You are having a hard time with wireless remote controllers.
自宅で難儀している : You are having a hard time with something at home.
夫婦（ふうふ）：a married couple, a man and his wife

難儀している夫婦 : a man and his wife who are having a hard time (noun clause)
居る (いる)： There is a person, There are people.
居た (いた) : There was a person, There were people. (This last part is in the past tense and it makes the whole sentence in the past tense even if sub clauses of the sentence are in the present tense. We don't have strict rules about matching the main clause and sub clauses with past tense.)

彼等（かれら）：they / their / them

住む（すむ）：to live your daily life (in a house, apartment, in a city, country, etc.)

暮らす（くらす）：to live (in a house, apartment, in a city, country, etc. Also, happily, sadly, simply, gorgeously, etc.)

アパート：an apartment

彼等の住んでいるアパート：the apartment which they live in (noun clause)

彼等の住んでいたアパート：the apartment which they lived in (noun clause)

リビング：a living room

ベッドルーム：a bedroom

書斎（しょさい）：a study room

キッチン：a kitchen

バスルーム：a bathroom

トイレ：your bathroom, a restroom in public place, a toilet unit

部屋（へや）：a room(s)

ひと部屋：a room (“ひと” means “one”)

それぞれ : each one, one's own, it's own
それぞれひと部屋ずつ：one room for each kind

有る（ある）：There is a thing, There are things.

有った（あった）：There was a thing, There were things.

On the other hand, they had too many wireless remotes for most of their appliances. For example, they had seven ceiling lights but each one came with a remote control. 

その一方で、彼らは、殆どの電気製品用の余りにも沢山のリモコンに囲まれていた。例えば、彼等には７台の天井用の照明が有ったが、その一つ一つにリモコンが付属していた。

その一方で(そのいっぽうで）：On the other hand

彼等/彼ら（かれら）：they / their / them

殆ど（ほとんど）：most of them
電気（でんき ）：electricity
製品（せいひん）：a product

電気製品：an appliance

殆どの電気製品 : most of the appliances
電気製品用（でんきせいひんよう）：for appliances

余りにも（あまりにも）：unreasonably, unacceptably, uncomfortably, unusually. This is an adverb which is used with an adjective, so the adjective with it will have the meaning of "too much," "too little," "too large," "too small," "too long," "too short," "too heavy," "too light," etc. 

沢山（たくさん）：many

余りにも沢山 : too many
リモコン：a remote controller

沢山のリモコン : many remote controllers
囲む（かこむ）：to surround, to besiege

囲まれている：You are surrounded by somethings or some people

リモコンに囲まれている : You are surrounded by remote controllers.
リモコンに囲まれていた : You were surrounded by remote controllers. ("ていた" in this expression is not the progress. This expression express a status, situation or condition of a certain past time.)
例え（たとえ）：a metaphor, a parable

例える：to use a metaphor

例えば：for example(s)

7台（ななだい）：seven equipments, seven units, seven appliances, seven cars, etc.

天井（てんじょう）：the ceiling

天井用（てんじょうよう：for the ceiling

照明（しょうめい）：a light

天井用の照明：a ceiling light(s) 

有った（あった）：There was a thing. There were things. You had it.

彼等には７台の照明が有った。: They had seven lights. (literally "At them, there were seven lights." The first word "彼等には" is not the subject of the sentence.)
一つ一つ（ひとつひとつ）：each by each, one by one

その一つ一つ : each one of them
付属する（ふぞくする）：to be attached, to be included as an accessory, to come with a product.)

付属していた。: It came with the product. ("ていた" in this expression is not the progress. This expression express a status, situation or condition of a certain past time.)

Also, a TV, a heater, three air conditioners, two audio amps, a door lock, two LED candle lights, a refrigerator, a washing machine, a microwave and a coffee maker machine.

それ以外にも、テレビや、暖房、三台のエアコン、二つのステレオアンプ、ドアロック、二個のLEDキャンドル、冷蔵庫、洗濯機、電子レンジ、それからコーヒーメーカーもそうだった。

以外（以外）：other

それ以外にも：also, additionally (literally "also other than that")

テレビ：a TV set

暖房（だんぼう）：a heater

テレビや、暖房 : a tv and/or a heater, etc./and so on (The meaning of "や" is not so logical or clear. You need to pay more attention to the context.)
三台(さんだい）：three equipments, three units, etc.

エアコン：an air conditioner

三台のエアコン : three air conditioners
二つ（ふたつ）：two things

ステレオアンプ：an stereo amplifier unit

二つのステレオアンプ : two audio amps

ドアロック：a door lock system

二個（にこ）：two things 
LEDキャンドル(エルイーディーキャンドル）：an LED candle light

二個のLEDキャンドル : two LED candle lights
冷凍庫 (れいとうこ) : a freezer
冷蔵庫(れいぞうこ）: an refrigerator ( We usually assume that a “冷蔵庫” has both refrigerator and freezer compartments unless it is very cheap and small.)

冷凍冷蔵庫 (れいとうれいぞうこ) : An appliance which has a refrigerator and also  a freezer at least. You will see this expression on catalogues and manuals of those products. We often omit "冷凍" when talking about this type of products.
洗濯機（せんたくき / せんたっき）：a washing machine ("せんたっき" is used when speaking.)

電子レンジ(でんしれんじ）：a micro wave

コーヒーメーカー：a coffee maker machine

それからコーヒーメーカーも：and/also a coffee maker (There is no strict or logical rules for using "それから" or "も". We often use these expressions based on the feeling, so each person will freely put these letters at different positions in the sentences.)

そうだった。：It was so / It was like that

As they were getting old, they began to feel very tired of the remotes. The man often said to his wife, “Did you move the remote for the amp somewhere?” 

歳を重ねるにつれて、彼等はそれらのリモコンに疲れを感じ始めていた。夫はしょっ中、妻にこう言ったものだった。「アンプのリモコン、どっかに持ってった？」

歳（とし）：age

重ねる（かさねる）：to stack, to pile up, to spend days/year

歳を重ねる：to get old (verb)

つれて：as you do it, as time passes, as something happens many times, as something last longer and longer

歳を重ねるにつれて : as you get old, as you are getting old, as you have been getting old, as you had been getting old (depends on the context)

彼等（かれら）：they（as people, not as things)

それら: they/those (as things, not as people)

リモコン：a remote control(s)

疲れ（つかれ）：the feeling of tiredness

感じる（かんじる）：to feel

疲れを感じる : to feel tired (verb, basic form)
彼等は疲れを感じている。: They feel tired now. (condition or situation)

彼等は疲れを感じていた。: They felt tired at a certain time in the past. (condition or situation)

始める（はじめる）：to begin, to start (verb)

始めていた：You began doing something.
疲れを感じ始める : to begin feeling tired (verb, basic form)

疲れを感じ始めた : You began feeling tired.

疲れを感じ始めている : You are feeling tired. You have just begun feeling tired.

疲れを感じ始めていた : You were feeling tired. You had just begun feeling tired.

夫（おっと）：the husband

しょっ中（しょっちゅう）：often (casual and spoken expression)

言う (いう) : to say, to tell (verb)
しょっちゅう言う : to say something often (verb)

妻（つま）：the wife

妻に言う : to say something to your wite (verb)

言った（いった）：said

こう言った：You said this, “...”

夫は妻にいった。：The husband said to his wife.

.....ものだ / .....ものだった : It was usual that ......,  You used to do it as an activity, habit, routine, hobby, etc. 
夫は言ったものだった。The husband used to say it to his wife. (often/regularly/daily/etc.)

夫はしょっ中言ったものだった。：The husband often said it.

アンプ：an amplifier unlit 

リモコン：a remote controller

アンプのリモコン : the remote controller for an amp
どっか：somewhere ( casual and spoken expression)

持って行く（もっていく）：to move something somewhere, to carry something with you (verb)

持ってく（もってく）：to move something somewhere (verb, casual and spoken expression)

持って行った (もっていった)：You (have) moved it somewhere.

持ってった：You (have) moved it somewhere. (casual and spoken expression)

His wife often said, “Where is the remote for the ceiling light in the kitchen?” They had to search some remotes almost everyday. It was frustrating for both of them.

妻も度々こう言った。「キッチンの照明のリモコンどこ？」彼等は、毎日の様に何らかのリモコンを探さなければならない事に、もうウンザリしていた。

妻（つま）：the wife

度々（たびたび）：often (formal expression)

しょっちゅう : often (casual and spoken expression)
言う (いう) : to say (verb)
言った (いった) : You said.
妻は言った : Your wife said. The action she took was saying something.
妻が言った : Your wife said. She is the person who said it.
妻も言った : Your wife also said. You probably had said something connected it before she said it.
こう言った（こういった）：You said this, You said like this.

キッチン：a kitchen 

天井 (てんじょう) : the ceiling
照明（しょうめい）：a light

天井の照明 : a ceiling light
キッチンの照明：a light for the kitchen

リモコン：a remote controller

照明のリモコン : a remote for the light
どこ？：Where? (Casual expression)

リモコンどこ？ : Where is the remote controller? (casual and spoken expression)
彼等（かれら）：they (as people, not things)

毎日（まいにち）：everyday

様（よう）：a style, as it is

毎日の様に：almost everyday

何らか（なんらか）：some kind of, some sort of

何らかのリモコン : a remote controller for something
探す（さがす）：to search, to seek, to try to find

リモコンを探す : to search a remote controller (verb)
探さなければならない：You must/have to search it.

事（こと）the fact that ... , the situation that ... , an event, an issue, the matter

探さなければならない事：a situation that you must search something (noun clause)

もう：already

ウンザリ：the feeling of tiredness, the feeling of frustration, the feeling of being bothered by someone or something

ウンザリする：to be frustrated, to be fed-up with something (verb)

ウンザリしている。: You have been frustrated with something. (current situation)

.......事に、ウンザリしている : You have been frustrated with such a situation that .........
ウンザリしていた。: You had been frustrated with something. (past situation)

もうウンザリしていた。: You had already been frustrated enough with something.

もうウンザリ！ : That's enough! (very frustrated)

One day, the man stated, “We must attach a string to every remote and its appliance!” His wife agreed.

ある日、夫はこう宣言した。「リモコンと機械を、全部紐で繋がないとダメだ！」妻も賛成した。

ある日（あるひ）：One day

あひる : a duck (not related to this story)
夫（おっと）：the husband

宣言（せんげん）：a statement, stating (noun)

宣言する：to state (verb)

宣言した : You stated.
こう宣言した : You stated this.
リモコン：a remote controller

機械（きかい）：a machine, an unit, an equipment, an appliance

リモコンと機械 : a machine and it's remote
全部（ぜんぶ）：all, everything

リモコンと機械を、全部 : every machine and it's remote controller
紐（ひも）：a rope, a cord, a string

繋ぐ（つなぐ）：to attach, to link, to connect, to hook up (verb)

紐で繋ぐ : to attach a string something and something else (verb)
繋がないと：If you don’t connect them, ....

ダメ：bad, not good, terrible

繋がないとダメだ！：You must connect them!

妻（つま）：the wife

賛成する（さんせいする）：to agree

妻も賛成する：the wife also agrees (to her husband)

賛成した。: You agreed.

So, he bought a long string at a local hardware shop and cut it into many short strings. 

そして、彼は地元のホームセンターで長めの紐を買ってきて、それを切って、いくつもの短めの紐にした。

そして：and/ so/ then/ also/therefore (depends on the context)

彼（かれ）：he / his / him

地元（じもと）：local, your home town

ホームセンター：a hardware store, a DIY store ( usually as large as a Home Depot in the U.S.)

金物店 (かなものてん) : a hardware store (often a small shop ran by an individual)
地元のホームセンター : a local hardware store
長め（ながめ）：longer than the length that you need, long, long enough（Please, don’t think too much about the difference between “長い” and “長め.” I actually don’t care about it when speaking.)

紐（ひも）：a rope, a cord, a string

買う（かう）：to buy

長い紐 : a long string (We don't know whether it is extremely long or not.)
長めの紐：a string which is somewhat longer than you actually need

紐を買う：to buy a string (verb)

長めの紐を買う：to buy a long string (verb)

買ってくる（かってくる）：to buy something at a shop and come home because you need it at home (verb)

切る（きる）：to cut (verb)

それを切る : to cut it (verb)
切って、.....（きって、）：to cut and/so/then ..., by cutting it

いくつ？ : How many?
いくつもの：many, any number of those

いくつもの紐 : many strings
短め（みじかめ）：short, sorter, somewhat short

短い紐 : a short string (We don't know if it is extremely short or not.)
短めの紐 : a string which is somewhat short but not extremely short
それを短めの紐にする：to make the string shorter (verb)

それを切って、短めの紐にする : to cut it into short strings (verb)

彼はホームセンターで紐を買ってきた。: He bought a string at a hardware store then came home, so he would be able to use it at home.
彼は、それを切った。: He has/had cut it.
彼は、それを短めの紐にした。: He has/had made it many short strings.

Then, he drilled a small hole on each remote and its appliance and connected them.

そして、彼はそれぞれのリモコンと電気製品にドリルで穴を開けて、それらを紐で繋いだ。

そして：so/ then

彼（かれ）：he / his / him

それぞれ：each one

リモコン：a remote controller(s)

それぞれのリモコン : each remote controller
電気製品（でんきせいひん）：an appliance(s)

リモコンと電気製品 : a remote controller and its appliance (in this context)
それぞれの電気製品 : each appliance
ドリル：a drill

穴（あな）：a hole(s)

開ける（あける）：to open

穴を開ける：to make a hole(s)

リモコンに穴を開ける : to make a hole on a remote controller (verb)
電気製品に穴を開ける : to make a hole on an appliance (verb)
ドリルで穴を開ける：to drill a hole (verb)

穴を開けて、..... : to make a hole and/then/so ...........
紐（ひも）：a rope, a string

繋ぐ（つなぐ）：to connect

紐で繋ぐ : to connect two things with a string (verb)

彼は、ドリルで穴を開けた。 : He drilled a hole on something.
彼は、それらを紐で繋いだ。: He connected them with a string.

His wife was very happy to see the result and said, “Now, we will no longer search our wireless remotes!”

それを見た妻は、喜んで言った。「これでもう、ワイヤレスリモコンを探さなくてすむわ！」

見る（みる）：to see, to watch, to look (verb)

見た (みた) : You saw something.
妻（つま）：wife

それを見た妻： the wife who saw it (noun clause)

喜ぶ（よろこぶ）：to be glad, to express your feeling that you are happyabout something (verb) 

喜んで...... : to express your feeling that you are happy about something and/then/so .........
言う（いう）：to say (verb)

言った（いった）：You said.
これで：as the result, because of it

もう：finally, already, no more, no longer
これでもう：Try to combine the feelings of "これで" and "もう".
ワイヤレスリモコン：a wireless remote controller(s)

する : to do something. (verb)

しない : You will not do it.

しなくてすむ : You don't have to do it.

探す（さがす）：to search, to try to find (verb)
リモコンを探す : to search a remote controller (verb)
探さない : You will not search it.

探さなくてすむ：You don’t have to search it.

探さなくてすむわ！：We/I/You don’t have to search it! (casual and spoken expression which is often spoken by women)

探さなくてすむね。：We/I/You don’t have to search it, do we/I/you? (casual and spoken expression )

After that, they lived their life with strings happily, ever after!

それ以来、彼等は紐のある生活を幸せに過ごしましたとさ、メデタシ、メデタシ！

それ以来（それいらい）：after that, since then

彼等（かれら）：they/their/them

紐（ひも）：a rope(s), a cord(s), a string(s)

生活（せいかつ）：your life, your daily life

紐のある生活：your daily life with strings (noun clause)

幸せ（しあわせ）：happiness (noun), happy (adjective)
幸せに : happily (adverb)

過ごす（すごす）：to spend time, days, years, to live your daily life (verb)

幸せに過ごす : to live your life happily (verb)
紐のある生活を過ごす : to live your life with strings (verb)
過ごした : You spent your time, You lived your daily life.

.......とさ : It was said that ......, People say that ......., It is well known that ...... (This is a typical expression used to end a story.)
しましたとさ、: it was said that they did it, People say that they did it. It is well known that they did it

メデタシ、メデタシ！：This is a typical expression used to end a happy ending story in Japanese. Similar to the phrase “happily, ever after!” Literally, “Happy, happy!”

.....とさ、メデタシ、メデタシ！ : This is also a typical expression used to end a happy ending story.

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