Interesting about the footlong – seems like such as disconnect, although the “foot” is a pretty handy measuring tool regardless of whether it’s official or not.

Julia – Like your translation! And I totally hear you. I think I use it because it sometimes lets you imply something that it would be embarrassing to say.

I also think it’s totally reasonable calling the hotdog a ‘footlong’ rather than a ‘thirtycentimeterlong’.

I use this construction in Japanese fairly regularly, but I have to admit that as often as not it’s to mask the fact that I’m not entirely sure which verb form to use in what would otherwise be the second half of the sentence!

Great explanations – As my Japanese improves (mostly by ear these days than by design) I wonder about some of the little quirks I engage in. You have been pointing out many recently that I second guess myself about – awesome and thanks!

That said, I will continue to second guess because sometimes (er, often) I am just outright wrong or weird, but posts like this help me clear up a few things.

I am pretty sure the Footlong issue applies in most metric countries? I would be very surprised if in NZ the footlong I ate this morning was anything but 30cms.