The drawback of the well-known punchline...

[alexpgp]

Sometimes, a joke becomes so well known that it becomes one of those stories that's known only by its punch line, making it difficult for one not versed in this aspect of the language to understand the context of the punch line.

So it happened with me and one of the folks who has friended me on LJ, one apollo14, whose lead item (dated 2010) starts with:

1. Чукча не писатель, чукча читатель. [Chukcha is not a writer, Chukcha is a reader.]

I knew enough to recall that this was, or was close to, the punch line of one of a mass of ethnic jokes in Russia, the butt of which are an indigenous people of Siberia called the Chukcha, who, like the Beverly Hillbillies invariably (but not always) end up grasping the fat end of the stick.

Although I'm sure I've heard the story, I could not, for the life of me, recall any details. Google was of no help, since very nearly every hit was of the form "as in the old chestnut, ...." followed by the punch line. After some digging, however, I got to what appears to be an abridged version of the joke:

Поступающий был на экзаменах, ему задали вопрос, а читали ли вы то, читали ли вы другое, читали ли вы третье, после чего он сказал: «Чукча не читатель, чукча писатель».

A newly enrolled student was sitting for an examination. He was asked "Have you read so-and-so?", "Have your read this other work?", "Have you read this third item?" To which came the answer "Chukcha is not a reader, Chukcha is a writer."

Okay, so it's not exactly Letterman - or, heck, maybe it is? - but the fact is that the punch line has become, in effect, part of the culture, and knowledge of that punch line, a part of cultural literacy.

I note as well that the line is reversed in LJ friend's apollo14's lead item, an apparent reference to the fact that he she reads more than he she writes.

Off the top of my head, I can't think of any punch lines in English that have the same... "status," can you?

Cheers...

UPDATE: An alternative version of the joke:

Once upon a time. a Chukcha brought his novel to an editor. The editor read the novel and said: "You know, it is too weak. You should read the classic literature. Have you read Tolstoy? Dostoevsky? Pushkin? "
"No, however, I have not," came the reply. "Chukcha is not a reader, Chukcha is a writer."

UPDATE: LJ friend apollo14 is not a guy. Apologies all around. :^)

Comments

[ex-greymaide85.livejournal.com]

Off the top of my head, I can't think of any punch lines in English that have the same... "status," can you?

Perhaps "needs more cowbell?"

[ex-greymaide85.livejournal.com]

Or, answering any steament with "your mom!"

That punchlines has become pretty standard, even without the preceding "your momm ais so fat/stupid/ugly. . ." setup.

[vuzh.livejournal.com]

To get to the other side.

[apollo14.livejournal.com]

Well, I'm honored, really.
Except that I'm a she :).
Yes, I meant it as I don't update my journal very often, but I read my friends' blogs a couple of times a day.
But my personal coonection with this line is deeper than the joke itself. Its original version was one of the catch-phrases of my professor of English while I was a fresher. He used to say it when students were reluctant to speak on (which were the most cases) and asked him to give them essays instead. I was the only one willing to speak and we used to have nice long chats at class. I still miss him.

[alexpgp.livejournal.com]

Apologies. Had I paid closer attention, I would've figured it out on my own, probably. :^)

Listen, I have a curious question for you: are birth certificates considered "public records" in Ukraine? (In most of the United States, if memory serves, birth certificates are considered "public records," which means you don't have to have a reason to request a copy.)

Actually, I have an even stranger question, seeing as how you are familiar with the Gorlivka area: have you any feel for the condition/availability/доступность of birth and death records for Gorlivka in the period between 1920 and, say, 1935?

Cheers...

[alexpgp.livejournal.com]

You open up a whole new vista, that of trademark lines from comedy routines. "Needs more cowbell," would certainly fit into that category.

Cheers...

[apollo14.livejournal.com]

There are archives in Gorlivka - I lived not for from them - looked pretty safe, old and dull.
As for the availibility of records - they usually willingly give you copies, if you have a reason (say, ancestors' search). I'll find it out for sure in a couple of days, if you want.

[alexpgp.livejournal.com]

That would be fine. I'll take the liberty of following up with an email to the contact email on your profile.

Cheers...