Monthly Archives: May 2011

Onomastic – Massachusetts

Nationality: Caucasian American
Age: 22
Occupation: Student
Residence: University of Southern California
Performance Date: April 20, 2011
Primary Language: English

The informant presented me with the following account of an onomastic name for a statue at her high school:

“This is about the penis statue at Phillips Academy Andover. Um, I did not name it that—I just wanna say that first of all—I didn’t even start calling it that until I almost left, even though I had been there. Essentially it was this statue that . . . it looks, it looks like . . . yeah, it’s pretty—it looks like a penis! But its, um, its appropriate name is the Bicentennial Statue, and it’s, um, it was actually to c—um, I guess, sculpted to commemorate the combination of, of I guess Phillips Academy with, um, Abbot Academy down the street. Um, Phillips academy was at the time an all male school, and, um, Abbot Academy was an all-female school. Um, and then they combined in 1978, I’m pretty sure.”

She says of the statue’s epithet, “Um, it was kind of just used all the time, like, ‘Oh, I’ll meet you by the penis statue,’ or just—that’s what it’s called, no one called it the Bicentennial statue.”

When asked when she would call the statue by its onomastic name, the informant said, “I wouldn’t, generally? Other people would just—um, in general you try not to, um, tell that to, um, people who are visiting the school and are prospective students, you kinda just . . . you call it that to other students. You might mention it to a teacher, but that’s a little more—what? What’s it called? I, I wouldn’t, personally, but some people are a little more loose with that kinda thing?”

The informant doesn’t entirely approve of the statue’s onomastic name: “At first I just thought it was really stupid and immature, and, um, kind of as the years went on I started realizing—first of all I figured out which statue they were actually talking about. And when I actually saw it, I was like, ‘Okay. I guess I could see that.’ But like, it’s just really curious to me, like, why . . .”

There’s a kind of poetic justice in the marriage of a girls’ school to a boys’ school being celebrated with a statue that looks like an erect penis, and that may be part of why, aside from the statue’s shape, the students gave it that particular onomastic name. If one subscribes to the theory that high school students are immature, then there’s that explanation, too.

Chinese Proverb

Nationality: Chinese
Age: 18
Occupation: Student
Residence: Los Angeles, CA
Performance Date: April 27, 2011
Primary Language: English
Language: Some Spanish and Mandarin

The informant is an eighteen-year old student from Irvine, California currently studying in Los Angeles. His dad was born in India, and his mother was born in Hong Kong before they met in San Jose, CA and moved down to Orange County. He speaks some Spanish and can understand Cantonese, which is how he learned many of his proverbs. He shall be referred to as KT.

“Bitter medicine is the best medicine.”

KT told me that this came from his mother when she tried to get him to eat bitter melon as a child. She always believed that the healthiest foods are often the least appetizing and thus worth suffering through. KT then said that he initially believed that this was meant to encourage him to eat bitter foods because of their health, but later interpreted it in a broader context. He now believes it has more to do with how the best things in life often come at some expense, but are ultimately rewarding.

I felt this was largely reflective of KT’s Chinese culture, which emphasizes hard work and discipline. KT himself exemplifies this in his studies, as he is an honors student majoring in biology. The proverb recognizes that life is not always easy, but asserts that the best rewards come with the greatest challenges. Furthermore, the use of the term “medicine” has a corrective value to it. Thus, it seems that discipline is more than just a path to being exemplary: By KT’s broader, life-based interpretation, it is the cure to mediocrity.

Childhood Playground Game

Nationality: Scottish; American
Age: 22
Occupation: Student
Residence: Oak Park, CA, USA
Performance Date: April 20, 2011
Primary Language: English

The following is a description of a childhood gamed played by one of my classmates: “I went to a predominantly white elementary school. We did a lot of hand games during lunch and recesses, a lot of rhyming type games and hand clapping, that sort of thing. In the middle of one of the hand clapping games, you take your finger and make your eyes squint by pulling the skin around your eyes up or down…the point is to, and this really sounds bad, but to appear Chinese or Japanese.  Up is Chinese, and down is Japanese. So, during the game, you say ‘Chinese, Japanese, Chinese, Japanese…’ changing your eyes with each…so as you say ‘Chinese’ you squint up, and as you say ‘Japanese’ you squint down. It’s about children exploring basically what they can get away with in a fun, subconscious way. At the time I played it was just fun and funny to make ourselves look like another ethnicity. But now I see the larger meanings with childhood, boundary exploration, and identity development.”

I agree with the analysis and the larger associations and meaning inherent in the game. It is like most, if not all, of children’s games. They explore boundaries while speaking to what may not be acceptable by employing what agency they do have. A game of this manner is perfect for exploring identity and indirectly discussing what makes “us” different from “them.” It is but one more example of the child’s way of coping with the authoritarian world and transitioning into a time of exploration and curiosity.

Old Dog New Tricks

Nationality: Black
Age: 18
Occupation: student
Residence: Atlanta, GA
Performance Date: 23 April 2011
Primary Language: English

Black

English

18, student

Atlanta, GA

23 April 2011

“You can’t teach an old dog new tricks”

Taylor grew up in the South and her mamma use to always use sayings like this. When Taylor performs these proverbs she thinks of her mom and her family. You can hear the longing in her voice as she signs out the phrase. Taylor sometimes doesn’t like the phrase because it makes her feel old. She thinks it comes from the South because a lot of her friends let their old dogs sit out on the porch.

This is a folk proverb playing on the idea that its hard for old people to learn new things. Although this phrase is very common, it is still folklore and has special meaning for Taylor. When she hears the phrase she remembers her family, her dogs, and her home. This proverb has been passed down orally and spead out to make it famous.

Annotation: This proverb has surfaced in movies like the Black Stallion and Shiloh and in readings like Seabiscuit in the scene when they try to teach the horse to start when he hears a bell.

Tim Perille

18

1027 W. 34th St. Los Angele CA

The Three Trees

Nationality: White
Age: 22
Occupation: Student
Residence: San Diego, CA
Performance Date: 4/23/11
Primary Language: English

Three Trees

“Ok. Once upon a mountaintop there were three little trees.   The first tree looked up  at the starts in the sky and said to the other two trees ‘When I grow up, I want to be covered in gold and jewels and hold the greatest treasures in the world.’  The second tree looked at the nearby stream and said, ‘Well,  I, um, I want to grow up to be big and strong.  And I want to travel the mighty waters carrying the greatest kings.’  And the third tree, well the third tree looked down to the valley and saw all the people and said, ‘I want to stay here on this mountain and grow tall.  And when people look at me their eyes are pointed to heaven and they think of God.’

And then many years passed. And one day three tree, I mean, woodcutters climbed up the mountain and say the three trees. The first woodcutter saw the first tree and said, ‘This tree is so beautiful. It is perfect for what I have in mind.’ The first tree was so excited because he knew he was going to be made into a beautiful treasure chest.

The second woodcutter saw the second tree and said, ‘this tree is so strong. It is perfect for what I have in mind.’ And with his sharp axe he cut down the tree.  The tree was so excited to finally become a boat that could carry kings.

The third woodcutter saw the third tree and said, ‘well, this’ll do. I don’t need anything special.’  The third tree’s heart sank as the woodcutter chopped her down, she wanted to stay on the mountain pointing to heaven.

The first tree was taken to a carpenter shop.  He was so excited to finally be made into this beautiful treasure chest, but instead the carpenter made him into a feedbox for animals.  He was filled up with hay and put in a barn.

The next tree was taken to a shipyard.  He celebrated as he thought he was about to be made into a great ship.  But instead, he was made into a humble fishing boat and put into a lake, not the mighty waters he had dreamed of.

And the third tree was tossed in a lumberyard.

Years passed and the trees almost forgot their dreams.

One night, a young woman laid her newborn baby in the feed box.  Her husband said that he wish he could have made a cradle for the baby, but the mother replied, ‘This is perfect.  This manger is beautiful.’  And as the starlight shone down on the first tree, he was overjoyed, uh, because he was holding the most precious treasure in the world.

Years later, a very tired traveler and his friends came onto the fishing boat.  The traveler fell asleep while the fishing boat sailed out into the lake.  And then this, um, huge storm came.  You know, lightening and thunder. And the second tree was so scared because he knew that he was not strong enough to support all of these passengers.  But then the passenger woke up and raised his hand and said, ‘Peace’, and the lake calmed and the lightening and thunder stopped.  And the third tree knew he was carrying the king of heaven and earth.

Weeks later, the third tree was picked up from the, uh, lumber one Friday morning.  She was scared as she was thrown on a man’s back as the crowd around him yelled and shouted at him.  She was placed on a hilltop, and the man was nailed to her.  She felt ugly and cruel as this man was crucified on her.  But everything changed that Sunday, God made the tree beautiful through the man’s resurrection.  And she knew that whenever people looked at her they would think of God.  This was better than any of her dreams.”

The informant heard has heard this tale many times.  He recalls hearing it often at church and at his summer camp.  He says that this piece of folklore is shared at church gathering and with Christians to remind them that God has amazing plans for their lives – plans that far exceed their greatest expectations.  The informant also believes this is a great story to share with people who are not Christians.  He really likes the story because of its message.  He likes the idea that three humble trees can carry the King, Jesus.

This tale is a widespread piece of American folklore.  It is shared throughout people across America.  One interesting aspect of the tale is that it involves three trees.  Three is a very important in American and Christian culture.  For instance, three beings – the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost – make up the trinity and Jesus rose from the dead three days after he was crucified on Easter Sunday.

Another reoccurring motif this story employs is the use of trees.  Often trees are seen as spirits within folklore.  And in this story the trees are personified. As we all know, tree cannot think but in this story the trees represent mankind, while telling the story of the life of Jesus.

The cross is a very important symbol to Christians.  This story reminds Christians of the meaning of the cross and the death and resurrection of Jesus.  I also grew up hearing this story.  I, personally, like the story.  I think provokes thought while still being simple enough to get its point across. The tale of the Three Tree has been retold and published in a book.  The citation for the book is as follows:

Hunt, Angela. The Tale of Three Trees: A Traditional Folktale. 1st ed. Colorado             Springs, CO: Cook Communications, 2004. Print.