Author Archives: jcsaaved

Dad Joke “What do you call a fake noodle? An impasta!”

Text: “What do you call a fake noodle? An impasta!”

Context: My humor has always been laughing at things that are unfunny, such as when someone says an unfunny joke like the one above, i look over to a friend, make eye contact and laugh, this joke symbolizes that friendship bond i have with the people i care the most about

Analysis: The joke that was shared most likely comes from a younger audience or a relatively older audience that says the joke is a “dad joke.” Though the group of people is not exact, I can note that it belongs to a playful and joyful audience who enjoy jokes and laughter as a whole. As for how the informant uses the joke in their life, the joke stands as a key point to benefitting them and those around them with a sense of relief through a silly joke. The joke itself can go as far as to be an outlet for the stress endured in the real world. As it has a connection to a younger audience, it can connect the informant and those who hear it to a stage in their childhood where life wasn’t as stressful or tiring. The joke is used to be one with their inner child.

Riddle: “The less of them you have, the more one is worth. A Friend.”

Text: “The less of them you have, the more one is worth. A Friend.”

Context: This riddle came from a movie I enjoy dearly, The Batman. This riddle is very important to me because it is a significant saying that reflects many aspects of life, from people to inanimate objects. This riddle can be interpreted in different contexts but it says the overall message that more does not equal better. Some people may not have a lot but being grateful and having one thing can account for everything. For example, having one good reliable friend can make up for having lots of friends who are unreliable.

Analysis: This riddle signifies a strong feeling of valuing what you have rather than how many of a specific thing you have, in this case, friends. The meaning to the informant is important because it reflects an aspect of their life where they learn to appreciate what they have rather than what they don’t. This riddle may relate to a group of people who feel the need to have a lot of one thing instead of valuing what they already have. Having the mentality of wanting more than appreciating what one has could cause one to lose touch with reality and become inconsiderate of what they have in front of them. This riddle goes as far as to set a reminder to people that all things don’t last forever so it is important to value what you have when you have it, and also to appreciate those who stay with you through thick and thin. Despite the riddle being able to be linked to a specific culture, it aims to challenge people to think differently about what they have and how they appreciate it, whether that be enough or not enough, the riddle makes one think and evaluate if they value what they have.

Folk Speech: “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.”

Text (Proverb): “Fool me once, shame on you. fool me twice, shame on me.”

Context: Being a life-long learner means seeing the good in mistakes. I’ve gotten comfortable with the fact that progress is made through our own failure or the failure of others. This is an old Chinese proverb that I have heard many times while growing up with my immigrant parents. They would say this out of anger when people treat them poorly for not being able to speak English. This mistreatment led them to learn English so that they could stand up for themselves in society. I think this proverb speaks to the natural naivety of humans, as there are many things in life that are out of control. At the same time, it also speaks to our primal ability to take control through critical thinking, drawing from personal experience to prevent what was previously unknown.

Analysis: The proverb chosen is a very driven and direct proverb that is used to set the mindset of the sayer to never let themselves get too comfortable with people after being fooled/ let down. As for the Informant, I can see that this proverb originates in their childhood as they would hear it growing up from their parents, possibly being the cause of why they remember it so clearly. As for how the proverb was interpreted, the proverb goes further than just a note to self, it is related to the nature of humans and how one must adapt to the situations they face, making the proverb a reminder to never get too comfortable nor too unaware.

Folk Speech “Winners never quit, quitters never win”

Text : “Winners never quit, quitters never win.”

Context: It was a proverb my track and field coach would say right before giving us an unforgiving workout. It has transcended the track and now I apply it to almost every branch of life. I first heard the proverb in my track and field practice from my coach. To me, I see it as an over-explanation of the concept of winning or how to achieve excellence; though the oversimplification puts emphasis on the effect of persistence in regard to achievement.

Analysis: The proverb is a quote used to motivate people whether that be in a competitive setting or in need of motivation. The proverb making its first appearance in a track and field practice sets the proverb’s meaning to one thing and expands it to another, the interpreter’s life. With the proverb in mind, it pushes one to never give up on what they are doing as if they do, they’ll never succeed because quitting guarantees failure. The proverb seems to relate to many athletes and people who are driven by success or winning. The motivation that is also held within the proverb may also be related to many cultures where failure is not an option such as athlete culture, Hispanic culture, or work culture. I can see through the relation between the quote to the informant, that they were moved and changed by the quote, inspiring them to give challenges one more push until they either succeed or resort to keep pushing; failure is not an option to them.