“Buffalo puzzle” 「バファローパズル」に挑戦

I try to solve “Buffalo puzzle” from Mr.Station.　ステーションさんからの「バファローパズル」に挑戦

Yesterday I got this message.昨日、こんなメッセージが届きました

here’s a “fun” and muzui puzzle. From the 1960s. Very difficult at first. But, after you understand it, it’ll help your English grammar. 

This is the puzzle:Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo.

There are 8 words total. Its grammar is correct. Ganbattè

from Mr.Station 2023.10.2

I’m studying English. If you think my English is wrong or if you have a better expression, please write it in the comments section. I appreciate it.
私は英語を勉強しています。 私の英語が間違っていると思われる場合、またはもっと良い表現がある場合は、コメント欄に書いてください。ありがたいです。

I first looked up the definition of the word in the dictionary.
まず、辞書でその言葉の定義を調べました。

The meaning of buffalo is a verb and a noun. Buffalo is an animal. Another meaning of buffalo is to trouble.
動詞と名詞があります。動物のバッファロー。もう一つの意味は困らせること。

Maybe buffalo is a fish name.　Maybe that is also the city name.
魚の名前かもしれない。　　市の名前かもしれない。

So I’m trying to solve the puzzle with four meaning of buffalo now.
いま、4つの意味を使ってパズルを解こうとしています

The first word of this sentence is maybe a city name.　Other capital letter Baffalo maybe a name. Is the forth word iin this puzzle a verb?
初めの言葉は市の名前で他の大文字のBaffaloは、名前かもしれない。４番目は動詞だろうか？

I told Shane this story while playing Fortnite. この話をFortniteをプレイするときにシェーンに話した
Here is the video その動画がこちら

I’m thinking while talking. My English is poor. 話しながら考えています。私の英語は下手です。

“There are 4 “big” secrets you need.  ここには４つの秘密がある

He said “There are 4 “big” secrets you need. (After the 4 secrets, you STILL need more info). Let me know if you want the first hint. 
ここには４つの秘密がある（その４つの秘密の後、さらに情報が必要だ）もしも最初のヒントが欲しければ知らせてくださいと言ってくれている

Now I’m waiting for his first hint.　今最初のヒントを待っているところです

I’ll write more later.　続きはまた書きます

please don’t tell me the answer yet. まだ答えは教えないでください

The first hint はじめのヒント

Here’s his first tip.

Non-san, OK, good, you already looked up the definitions. OK, I give you the hints.
(1) Buffalo, with a capital B, is a city in New York, correct.
(2) a buffalo is an animal, a noun, correct.
(3) to buffalo ~= to trouble, a verb, correct.
I give you more hints. (buffalo is not a fish, forget this one).
(4) for the animal, buffalo, its singular and plural can be spelled the same way, just like (1 sheep, 2 sheep). It’s (1 buffalo, 2 buffalo).

 I don’t answer your question directly, “What’s the 4th word?”
Because I just gave you a big hint, (4), see if you can figure out which ones are a noun, and which ones are a verb, by yourself, first.
If you get stuck, then please let me know

From Mr.Station 2023.10.4

I got even more confused after reading tip 4. 　４のヒントを読んでさらに混乱しました。

That is, the Buffalo sentence includes the plural form of buffalo. つまり、複数形の buffaloが入っているということです

What word is that?　それってどの言葉だろう？

However plural buffalo is an important hint. でも複数形のbuffalo は重要なヒントです

It may not be possible to solve the problem without the singular verb “buffalos” 三人称単数のbuffalos がないと解けないかもしれないです

This sentence may contain conjunctions この文章は、接続詞があるかもしれない
It maybe also include a name. もしかしたら名前も入っているかもしれない

I don’t understand it yet, but I thought about this sentence while underlining it.　まだ理解できていないですが、下線を引きながら文章を考えました。

It might be like this. こうかもしれない

This is my first answer. I’ll ask him if this is correct. これが最初の私の答えです。あっているかどうか聞いてみます。

I will ask like this. このように聞いてみます

I think the 4th and 6th are verbs and the 3rd word is a name. Plural buffalo is second and fifth. The city names are 1st and 7th. 4番目と6番目が動詞で3番目は名前です。複数形のバッファローは2番目と5番目。市の名前は1番目と7番目だと思います。

I’ll wait for his reply and write more tomorrow. 返事を待ってから、また明日書きます

Every Buffalo, with a capital B, is the city in New York　大文字のBuffaloはニューヨークの都市です。

Unfortunately my first answer was wrong.　残念ながら私の最初の答えは間違えていました

I received some advice from Mr.Station. You should think whether you can rephrase that sentence. ステーション先生からアドバイスを受けました。その分を言い換えることができるかどうかで考えるべきだということです

Another hint: trying to figure out the meaning of each word is nice, but the sentence still has to make sense. For example, your first try, your 4th word isn’t a verb — but what does your sentence say? Example, easy puzzle: May may. Here, May = a woman’s name, and “may” = verb. So, it’s the same structure as: Jane might. You need to be able to paraphrase the sentence correctly, and translate it into Japanese

もう 1 つのヒント: それぞれの単語の意味を理解しようとするのは良いことですが、それでも文が意味をなす必要があります。 たとえば、最初の試みでは、4 番目の単語は動詞ではありません、文は何を意図していますか? 例、簡単なパズル: 5 月 5 月。 ここで、May = 女性の名前、「may」 = 動詞です。 つまり、これは「Jane might」と同じ構造です。 文章を正確に言い換え、日本語に翻訳できる必要があります。

From Mr.Staion 2023.10.5

I remove the idea that the third word is a name.　　3 番目の単語が名前であるという考えは取り除きます。

If the 6th word is a verb, the 5th word is the plural of buffalo. I think the meaning of this sentence is that two buffalo annoy buffalo in the city.
6 番目の単語が動詞の場合、5 番目の単語は buffalo の複数形になります。 この文の意味は、二頭の水牛が街中の水牛を困らせているということだと思います。

I can’t explain the first half of the sentence.
Maybe it’s like this.
Buffalo buffalo and Buffalo buffalo, they annoy Buffalo buffalo.It might be weird. hahaha This is my second answer. This quiz is very difficult.
文の前半が説明できません。こんな感じかも知れません。
バッファローバッファローとバッファローバッファロー、彼らはバッファローバッファローを悩ませます。変かもしれない。(笑） これは私の 2 番目の答えです。 このクイズはとても難しいです。

I’ll ask him. I would like to get another hint. I don’t really understand (lol)
彼に聞いてみます。 もう一つヒントを得たいと思います。 よくわかりません(笑)

Cats dogs bully scare mice　犬にいじめられた猫はネズミを怖がらせる

He gave me another big hint! 彼はまた大きなヒントをくれました！

Cats, bullied by dogs, scare mice.
 I gave you the first hint: Buffalo, with a capital B, is a city in New York.

( Cats, bullied by dogs, scare mice. ) Another way to write it, same meaning: ( Cats, which are bullied by dogs, scare mice. )
Another way, same meaning: Cats, which dogs bully, scare mice.

Study these 2 sentences. Mèccha important. They are the same meaning: (Cats, bullied by dogs, scare mice.) = (Cats dogs bully scare mice)

From Mr.Staion 2023.10.6

Nonbilly :  (Buffalo buffalo, annoyed by Buffalo buffalo ) is the first half?

Station：yatta. correct

Nonbilly：I think that the 6th word is also a verb. Is it correct?

Station：correct

Nonbilly：Cats dogs bully scare mice
→Buffalo buffalo, which Buffalo buffalo bully, scare Buffalo buffalo.
＝Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo.

Station：yatta! correct, Non-san. Congrats.Now, the real test: if you can rephrase the entire sentence, without using the word ‘buffalo’, then you completely understand it

Nonbilly：White cats, black dogs chase bully pink mice

Station：correct!　slightly wrong punctuation 　句読点が少し間違っている

Nonbilly : I should have write that White cats black dogs chase bully pink mice. I don’t need to add a punctuation.

Station：Yes, non-san, correct: White cats black dogs chase bully pink mice. 
　　　　More clear: White cats that black dogs case bully pink mice.
　　　　More clear (but already slightly different meaning):
　　　　　　　　　　White cats, which black dogs chase, bully pink mice.

We can add parentheses, not commas— this is not English, but to show the grammar
: [White cats (black dogs chase)] bully (pink mice).
(Buffalo buffalo) that (Buffalo buffalo bully) scare (Buffalo buffallo )

Nonbilly :  [Buffalo buffalo (Buffalo buffalo buffalo)]buffalo(Buffalo buffallo)

Station :  Correct. If you add the S, it’s even better

Station：Buffalo buffalos, which Buffalo buffalos buffalo, buffalo Buffalo buffalos

Nonbilly: Is the plural form buffalo is buffalo?

Station :  multiple forms for the plural https://merriam-webster.com/dictionary/buffalo

Wow I understand a lot! うわー、すごくわかりました！

Station :Now you can read this to confirm it.https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffalo_buffalo_Buffalo_buffalo_buffalo_buffalo_Buffalo_buffalo

Station : Foods Tom likes include: sushi, natto, nabè
(Buffalo buffalos), which (Buffalo buffalos) buffalo, buffalo (Buffalo buffalos). —> much easier with “which”, commas, and plural “buffalos”

Nonbilly： Why you use the word include, is it OK if I use “are” Food tom likes are sushi, natto, nabe. Food Tom likes are sushi, natto, nabe.

Station：are = 100%, no other than (sushi, natto, nabe). include = (sushi, natto, nabe, orinigi, ungai, soba…)

Nonbilly :  Wow I understand a lot!