Main Piece Once there was a boy who did not understand math. His teacher tried teaching him subtraction, but the boy would not understand. So, the teacher explained with an example. “If I have five sheep,” she asked, “and one of them leaves, how many sheep are left?” The boy answers, “no sheep will be… Continue Reading »
Context: My informant is a 54 year-old woman from Cuban descent. She grew up in Los Angeles, California and lived there until she moved to San Diego for college. Listed below is an account of one of the first jokes she remembers. She detailed that her parents used to use this joke whenever they were… Continue Reading »
Context & Background: An example of a proverb similar to ‘asking for it’. Translated from Hindi to English. Informant – collector’s father. Performance: (in person) Proverb: “Aa Bail Mujhe Maar” Transliteration: Aa: come Bail: bull Mujhe: me Maar: hit Translation: Come bull, hit me. Explanation: When someone tells you this proverb it means that you’re… Continue Reading »
Main piece: The following was transcribed from a riddle between the informant and interviewer. Informant: De qué color es el caballo blanco de Napoleon? Interviewer: el color? Uhhh haber… Informant: Hay de veras? Esta no la tienes que pensar! Ya ni laces! Interviewer: Ahh blanco verdad? Informant: Pues si. De qué otro color podría ser… Continue Reading »
Main piece: The following is transcribed from a riddle the informant gave the interviewer. Informant: A pine tree grows 10 pineapples. Interviewer: Ok. Informant: Two of the pineapples out of the 10 fall. How many pineapples are left on the tree? Interviewer: On the tree? Or are there? Informant: Are there on the tree. Interviewer:… Continue Reading »