I first heard this story when I asked the speaker if she had ever seen a ghost, but when she began telling her story I remembered that I had heard parts of this tale before. The speaker told her story in a very matter-of-fact tone and spoke first about her experiences with friendly and unfriendly… Continue Reading »
“Was haben Frauen und Handgranaten gemeinsam? Ziehst du den Ring ab, ist dein Haus weg!” “What do a woman and a hand grenade have in common? When you take the ring off, your house is gone!” Context: The informant went to school on a military base in Weisbaden, Germany, and spent the majority of her… Continue Reading »
In Japan, married couples who have children often begin to call each other 「お父さん」(otousan) and 「お母さん」(okaasan) which translates to “father” and “mother.” The apparent strangeness of this phenomenon is illuminated only when one tries to apply it to American society, where parents generally still call each other by their names or pet-names. An American mother,… Continue Reading »