One of the many reasons these are not
funny is that although many
Japanese words sound
similiar, bringing them together in a sentence provides a play of sounds but not of meanings juxtaposed enough for there to be a shift of expectation or a
groan of recognition. But Japanese
children find some of these to be
amusing enough to
torment adults with them. The key to their amusement is a sing-song
repetition.
Mushi wa mushi suru. = Ignore the bug(s).
Ika wa ikaga? = How about eating squid/cuttlefish?
Iruka wa iruka? = Is there a dolphin?
Futon ga futtonda. = The futon flew.
Sore wa sarada no sarada. = This is the salad plate.
Sake ga sakenda. = The salmon was shouting.
Hokkaidô wa dekkaidô. = Hokkaido is big.
Taiyô ni sawaritaiyô! = I want to touch the sun.
Share wa yamena share. = Stop telling jokes!
(This is often chanted menacingly when an adult pleads with the children to stop, just stop.)
Naiyô wa naiyô! = There is no meaning.
(This is the desperate cry of a weeping adult before the onslaught of children's jokes.)