Background: My informant, who is my grandmother, learned this nonsense rhyme from her mother, who used it as a lullaby when she was a young girl. She has since passed it on to her children and grandchildren, remembering it as a source of nostalgia and for the satisfaction of its recitation. I also remember that… Continue Reading »
Context Living with my younger brother that is seven years old, there are many nursery rhymes sung in the house. When he entered Primary school, for the first time he was learning nursery rhymes from other people besides teachers or family members, he was learning them from his peers. The following nursery rhyme is his… Continue Reading »
Main Piece Original Script Phonetic Script Pinky miguyad, “boxzarit dozdi konam” Angoshte halghe miporsid, “che chizi ra mitavonim bedozdim?” Angoshte vasat eztehar mikonad, “chizi bozorg va taloey” Angoshte eshare miporsid, “che kasi pasokhe khoda ra midehad?” Angoshte shest pasokh midahad, “man boyad zira man bozorg va ghavi hastam.” Transliteration Pinky said, “let me steal do.”… Continue Reading »
Context: The informants are brothers A, 19, and B, 15. This transcription was taken from an argument between the brothers over the “correct” words to the nursery rhyme about “Ms. Lucy.” The nursery rhyme is used mostly as a schoolyard game, sometimes accompanied by a hand-game the brothers tell me, but in their argument they… Continue Reading »
Context CW, with a mug of hot tea sits, on my couch after an afternoon of doing homework and recounts stories from their childhood CW was raised French and attended a French immersion school. The atmosphere is calm, the air is calm and the room is mostly quiet in between stories. ———————————————————————————————————————Background: CW learned Alouette… Continue Reading »