The Story (Over Zoom):This story is about a little boy named Andy. And Andy was not very cooperative with his mother. He lived alone with his mother, and his mother became ill. She asked Andy to go to the well and get her a cool drink of water. And it was getting night time and… Continue Reading »
Informant: It’s a very short joke. Interviewer: That’s perfectly fine. Just tell it how you know it. Informant: Okay. A dog with no nose, how does he smell? — Terrible! Interviewer: You don’t wait for someone to ask how? Informant: Not usually. Usually everyone knows the punchline so we all say it together. Informant: Who’s… Continue Reading »
Informant: have you heard of Boston Crows?” ‘No?’ Okay so, in Boston New York, there has been a recent discovery of these special crows that are smarter than your average crow. They have these white speckles, making them very distinct. They’ve been recorded learning how to talk, do routines, and a lot of other things…. Continue Reading »
Main Piece: The following is transcribed from a conversation between me (LT) and my father/informant (JET). JT: So here’s the story. A man owes another man money, but the guy who owes the money doesn’t have any money. It bothers him so much he can’t sleep. So, on the day that it’s due, at like… Continue Reading »
Context: My informant grew up in Texas during the ‘70s. In elementary school during integration, he was one of the few white students transferred from a white school to a black school. He recalls a game the black students taught him called Spundalele. The first time someone “spundaleled him” he was surprised and angry because… Continue Reading »