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How should I translate こともある in this sentence (response to '何それ?'):

> あなたが辞書を使うなんて、はなはだ珍妙なこともあるもんです

Literal translation of はなはだ珍妙なこともある would be 'there are also really odd
things', but that makes no sense.

One suggestion seems to be that it means 'among other things' so I get:

> Because (もん), among other things (こともある), it's really odd that (なんて) you use
> a dictionary

Is this a correct translation? If so can anyone offer a suggestion as to how
we arrive at that from the literal translation? (and why do I have to keep
reaching for my advanced grammar book to read a children's story? It's really
dispiriting.)
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grammar
Meaning of こともあるもんです
The latter part is in line with: "wow, strange things happen!"

もん ([ものだ](http://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/leaf/thsrs/17282/m0u/)) is used here
emphatically to indicate emotion (hence I decided for "wow").

こともある literally stands for
[occasionally](http://ejje.weblio.jp/content/%E3%81%93%E3%81%A8%E3%82%82%E3%81%82%E3%82%8B),
but as the English verb _to happen_ already covers the occasional aspect the
meaning can be expressed just with "things happen".
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I agree that ものだ is used here to indicate emotion, but this emotion is not
"wow". Let me offer another explanation from my reference book:

> **～ものだ / ～ものではない** is used to express something that is obvious, or that
> obviously ought to be.
>
> Short expression for memorizing: 弱い者いじめをする **ものじゃないよ** = Weak people should
> not be treated badly!
>
> Examples of usage:
>
> _(father to his child)_ もう１０時半だよ。早く寝なさい。子供は１０時前に寝る **ものだ。**
>
> だれにも一つや二つは苦手なことがある **ものだ。**

So, my translation would be **"You are using dictionaries and the like, but
well, there are really weird things [in the world]."** And this "も" in "珍妙なこと
**も** ある" implies, that using a dictionary is one of these "really weird
things".

Hope it helps =)
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Literal translation of ”こともある” is "It happens / takes place sometimes /
Whatever happens happens - as reffered to by Donald RRumsfeld," e.g.,
"週中に会社を休むこともある - I happen to take a dayoff sometimes in a weekday."

In addition, you'd better to register the pattern, "....するなんて ...もんです（もんだ）" as
a common set of phrase to mean a surprise and cynicism in your collocation
list.

For example,

女の子がボクシングをするなんてたまげたもんです（もんだ） － Girls do boxing? It's a surprise.

豪華船で世界一周するなんて豪華なもんです（もんだ） ー I heard you are going to make a trip around the
world by a luxury liner. It's really gorgeous.

そのくらいでくたばるなんて、ひ弱なものですなア（もんですな）ー You are exhausted with that much exercise.
What a feeble guy you are.

一千兆円も借金があってお金をじゃぶじゃぶ流すって、安倍もいい気なもんですなア － To flush a massive cash into the
market with 1000 trillion-yen national debt behind, Abe is really taking
things too easy.
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