なんとやら

L

letianchen

先輩

17 Jun 2013

560

25

• 9 Aug 2013

• #1

松田！DVD上映会だ！5箱用意しておけ！
元浜！腹が減っては何とやら買いだした！

What does nan to yara do here?

My attempt
"Matsuda! Lets have a DVD screening! Prepare 5 boxes of tissues
Motohama! If he we get hungry go buy us something!

 

Toritoribe

松葉解禁

Moderator

Fifteen-year veteran

22 Feb 2008

18,266

4,926

• 9 Aug 2013

• #2

何とやら is used to tell something in a roundabout way. In that case, it's for rephrasing the last half of a well-know proverb 腹が減っては戦[いくさ]はできぬ "An army marches on its stomach". This is a very common usage of 何とやら, e.g., うわさをすれば何とやら（＝影） or 女心と何とやら（＝秋の空）.

 

L

letianchen

先輩

17 Jun 2013

560

25

• 10 Aug 2013

• Thread starter
• #3

Toritoribe said:

何とやら is used to tell something in a roundabout way. In that case, it's for rephrasing the last half of a well-know proverb 腹が減っては戦[いくさ]はできぬ "An army marches on its stomach". This is a very common usage of 何とやら, e.g., うわさをすれば何とやら（＝影） or 女心と何とやら（＝秋の空）.

Click to expand...

What do you mean うわさをすれば何とやら（＝影）?
I looked it up and it said it meant " Speak of the devil"
what does kage(shadow) have anything to do with a rumor?

 

Toritoribe

松葉解禁

Moderator

Fifteen-year veteran

22 Feb 2008

18,266

4,926

• 10 Aug 2013

• #4

影 doesn't just refer to shadow, but the existence of the object that makes the shadow. Thus, the proverb means "If you talk about someone, they will appear". (Incidentally, the full version is うわさをすれば影が射す.)

 

L

letianchen

先輩

17 Jun 2013

560

25

• 11 Aug 2013

• Thread starter
• #5

thank ya!