Children and ticket machines?

[Bekkichan]

I'm curious about this block of text I found recently on a website I frequent... would appreciate some help in translating it if anyone knows more about this context than I do. x.x

最近やっぱり子どもの頭の柔らかい思うことがありました。最近の券売機には「旧５００円は使えません」という表示がされてますね。大人が読めば誰もがそう読むと思いますが子どもがこれを読むと「1日５００は使えません」と読めるみたいです。券売機の横で子どもが言っているのを聞いて最初は父親のお小遣いの話しかな？と思いました。そしてちょうど券売機にお金を入れるときにハッと気付きました。

I understand that the sign on the machine means only the new 500 yen coins are accepted, and that the child's confusion must've been caused by the similarity between the kanji 旧 and the combination 1日, but I guess I don't understand how ticket machines and the yen system function well enough to make sense of this entire story. I just can't get the parts to fit together.

In particular, the parts in bold are where I'm having the most trouble. What exactly does the 「1日500は使えません」 part refer to? (I notice the 円 is missing there - is that important?) And is 父親のお小遣い talking about the father's own pocket change? If so, what exactly does that have to do with the rest of the selection?

Also, let me know if some parts of the text don't show up... when I preview the post I get some weird symbols in the mix. Hope it's just my encoding screwing up. >_<

Anyway, thanks for any input!

 

[pipokun]

1. New 500yen coin was circulated 3 years ago, but there are still old coins in our daily life. Many vending machines accept both coins, but some are not. So even now you can find some notification upon the coin.

2. Maybe the daily allowance of the kid's father might be 500yen/day. So the mother just thought the kid was talking about the husband's allowance.
Generally, household income is managed by wives in Japan and many fathers ask for their monthly allowances to their partners, some call their wives as their financial minister. I think the story itself is plausible. The J economy is based upon a lot of sacrifices of poor dads...

3. The words which is not showed up here would be "hyouji" or to display and the other must be 窶堋｢ in Hiragana.

postscript
According to a recent survey on avarage monthly allowance of salaried workers or ﾆ探ﾆ停?ｰﾆ椎?ﾂーﾆ筑ﾆ停?? it is 38300yen. Ideal allowance they wish is 62000yen.

 

[Glenn]

Also, let me know if some parts of the text don't show up... when I preview the post I get some weird symbols in the mix. Hope it's just my encoding screwing up. >_<

Anyway, thanks for any input!

If you're using half-width alphanumeric characters you have make sure that you use an even amount or you'll get mojibake. The best way to avoid it, I find, is to use full-width alphanumeric characters. See also the link in my sig for a little more information. ご参考まで。

 

[GaijinPunch]

New 500yen coin was circulated 3 years ago,

Older than that, aren't they? I seem to recall the big 500 yen coin fiasco in as early as 2000. It got a bit less airtime considering everyone was into Y2K.

 

[pipokun]

that's right. about 5 yrs ago in August 2000.

 

[Mike Cash]

What is a "transloter"?

 

[Elizabeth]

There was also an incident where a television announcer misread いちにちじゅうやまみち
for 旧中山道 , although I suppose うやまみち is also valid depending on the name.
Almost amusing enough to make learning Japanese fun again....

旧中山道（きゅうなかせんどう）を「いちにちじゅうやまみち」と読みました。
。

 

[pipokun]

How about 終日禁煙?
When I was a kid, it did not make sense much.