Author Archives: Alejandra Santana

Why can’t you trust an atom? Because they make everything up

Minor Genre: Jokes 

Text: Why can’t you trust an atom? Because they make everything up

Context: My informant has a strong relationship with this joke because it applies to the subject matter he is studying. He mentioned that he likes it when humor aligns with his daily life, and as an aerospace engineering major, he finds this joke entertaining. My informant first heard this joke from his ninth-grade physics teacher, who told it to the class. He said that it stuck with him since then and has made a reappearance in his academic career. Because of this, he feels like this joke has accomplished a full circle moment in his life and will continue to be relevant in his future employment. My informant mentioned that he uses this joke when talking to his fellow peers in a science setting. He said humor is a good way to make them laugh or cringe and create an initial friendship. However, when I asked him about it, he said he would use it outside of a science setting if it were around his friends. 

Analysis: In general, jokes fit into a specific cultural setting and make sense to those participating in that culture. For example, in the United States, most jokes like this tend to have a punch line at the end. This is typical of  American jokes, and for people growing up in this culture, it would not make sense to have a punch line at the start of a joke. Additionally, humor is key in social relationships, and as my informant mentioned, he uses this joke in science settings. This is because it is a science-related joke, and if he uses it in a science crowd, he is most likely to gain approval from them and be welcomed into their group. In this case, my informant is an active bearer by telling this joke to others in the engineering department. Still, he could also be a passive bearer by correcting someone if they say the joke incorrectly. 

I gotta go call the president

Minor Genre: Folk Speech (Tabooistic Vocabulary) 

Text: I gotta go call the president 

Context: My informant said he politely says this to leave the room when he needs to defecate. When asked about it, he said that defecating is his “business,” so it makes sense if he refers to it as calling the president. My informant first heard this tabooistic vocabulary from his aunt when he was around twelve years old. It stuck with him because it was funny, clever, and aligned with his humor. Although he is not calling the president, he feels empowered as not everyone knows what he means, but he can still laugh about it. My informant mentioned that this is an indirect way to let those around him realize he needs to leave the room for personal reasons. In his words, “it lessens the tension of needing to poop.” He uses this phrase anytime he is around people and needs to use the restroom. When I asked him about it, he said he would never stop saying he needs to call the president unless he finds something funnier to replace it. 

Analysis: Generally, tabooistic vocabulary will tell someone much about a culture. In this case, hiding/ or avoiding the biological language for needing to defecate is very typical of Western societies where bodily emissions are considered dirty, disgusting, and a private matter— taboo. Because my informant grew up in the United States, he learned that it is inappropriate to exit a room by saying he needs to defecate, so instead, he disguises it as something completely unrelated to using the restroom. Because he fears not being socially accepted, he replaces the tabooistic vocabulary with a euphemism to make it socially acceptable. 

Oro parece, plata no es, el que no lo adivine, muy bobo es

Minor Genre: Riddle

Text: 

  • Spanish: Oro parece, plata no es, el que no lo adivine, muy bobo es 
  • Transliteration: It looks like gold, it’s not silver; whoever doesn’t guess it is a fool 
  • Free Translation: It looks like gold, but it’s not silver; whoever doesn’t guess it isn’t very clever 

Context: For some context, the riddle’s answer is “plátano” (banana), which can be seen when it says “plata no es.” This riddle only makes sense in Spanish because of the wordplay. With that in mind, my informant mentioned that her relationship with the riddle is very personal. Growing up in Cuba, she ate a lot of bananas during dinner and once she had her children, this is a tradition she continued with them. Because of this, she would always use this riddle when at the dinner table with her children to see if they guessed it correctly. My informant first heard this in Cuba during her childhood. She said it is an extremely common riddle that everyone knows. However, she thinks she picked it up in school with her friends. My informant no longer uses this riddle because she considers riddles to be children’s entertainment, and since her children are grown up, she has nobody to tell them to anymore. She mentioned that when she read her children bedtime stories, this riddle would sometimes come up, reinforcing the idea that it was a children’s genre. 


Analysis: This riddle follows one of the typical characteristics of riddles: it is a play on language. In this case, it is a play on saying “plata no es,” as it’s not silver, and “plátano es” as it’s banana.  It’s also interesting that riddles are not common in the United States because Americans tend to think that language is set in stone, and coincidentally, this riddle is Hispanic. Another thing my informant mentioned that is a characteristic of riddles is the idea that they are a children’s genre, having to do with the idea that when you’re a child, you can still be imaginative with words. Something interesting about this riddle is that it has the word “bobo” at the end, which means dumb or foolish. In other versions of this riddle, they say “tonto” which, although translating to a very similar/almost exact thing, differs in its speakers. This riddle is a potential oicotype that may be more common in some Spanish-speaking countries as opposed to others.

Quien tiene un amigo tiene un central 

Minor Genre: Proverb 

Text: 

  • Spanish: Quien tiene un amigo tiene un central 
  • Transliteration: He who has a friend has a sugar mill 
  • Free Translation: He who has a friend has riches

Context: When asked about this, my informant told me she has a powerful relationship with this piece because her friends are everything to her. Having migrated from Cuba, she relied on the close relationships she created abroad to thrive. She mentioned that she can count on her close friends for anything, and they were the ones who cared for her the most during the Covid pandemic, for example. She told me she values their friendship because they’re the ones who are with her through the good and bad times; to her, they are worth gold, which the proverb implies. The informant first heard this proverb in her elementary school in Cuba.  She mentioned that the teachers would teach the students certain proverbs and that they were part of their school culture. When asked, she also noted that her parents would say it. My informant mentioned using this proverb when talking about her friends or referencing a third person she sees has a strong relationship with someone. For example, if she saw someone helping their friend, she would say, “Quien tiene un amigo, tiene un central,” because, at that moment, that support is as valuable as having riches. She also mentioned that having a support system outside of Cuba is extremely important for Cuban immigrants, and often that support comes from friends. For example, some of my informant’s closest high school friends who immigrated to Spain spent the first few months living with each other while providing emotional and economic support. 


Analysis: Looking at this piece in its entirety, we can notice that it does not directly compare a friend to riches but to a central or sugar mill. This is valuable to the proverb because, in Cuba, sugar production and exportation were key to the economy. Keeping that in mind, the owners of the central had abundant money and were even considered to be the owners of the small towns established around the central. Essentially, it was the person who had the most money. Again, looking at Cuba, having a friend to be there when you need running water, holding your spot in line for gas, or someone with a working flashlight during a storm blackout can go a long way. After looking at the cultural context, comparing a friend to a sugar mill means that a friend makes you the wealthiest person with their support. As proverbs are intended to offer advice from collective wisdom rather than from an individual, this proverb holds the wisdom of past Cuban generations who understand how valuable it is to have a friend on and outside the island. It serves as a reminder to fellow Cubans and immigrants to value their friendships because even in a country that may lack monetary riches, they can still be rich in their relationships with others. Its structure is also typical of a proverb with a topic and comment structure that relieves personal responsibility from the person saying it. Additionally, this proverb serves as a way of knowing who is in your cultural group because unless you are from Cuba and possibly another Caribbean island that thrived on sugar plantations, you will not understand this proverb.

Vísteme despacio que tengo prisa 

Minor Genre: Proverb 

Text: 

  • Spanish: Vísteme despacio que tengo prisa 
  • Transliteration: Dress me slowly because I’m in a hurry
  • Free Translation: Dress me slowly, I’m in a hurry 

Context: My informant told me she follows this proverb daily. What it means to her is that in your day-to-day life, human beings are typically in a rush to get many things done, and when doing so, they often make mistakes and need to start the task over. Because of this, it’s better to take the time to do something correctly rather than rush it and have to start over, hence wasting more time. She mentioned being very fast-paced, so she remembers this proverb when she needs to pace herself and be more cautious with her actions to improve the result. My informant heard this piece from her mother during her childhood in Cuba. Her mother constantly told her this because she was a fast-paced child who wanted things done “ayer” or yesterday. She also mentioned that during her adulthood (also in Cuba), it was a very common proverb in her family and friendship circle. My informant mentioned using this proverb often with her granddaughters when they were growing up. She said that her granddaughters used to rush through their homework, and they would not retain the information or do it incorrectly. She would reply with “vísteme despacio que tengo prisa” to remind them that even if it takes more time, it’s better to do things intentionally. She also mentioned that this applies to any time you need to do something — it’s better to do it right so you don’t have to repeat it. She also mentioned that this is like another proverb she knows “lo barato sale caro” or cheap things turn out expensive in the end. 

Analysis: Looking at this proverb, we can see that it contains generational knowledge without claiming personal responsibility. It lets people know that taking the time and effort to do something right the first time will save you time in the long run. Speaking to my informant and learning that this was something her mother used to say to her and later she said to her granddaughters shows that it was traditionally engraved in her customs and vocabulary. This makes her an active bearer because she identifies with traditional proverbs by engaging with her family and community. She is passing on that knowledge to the future generations. She mentioned that it was natural to say it, and that is a common theme amongst proverbs. They are repeated almost identically every single time and become engraved in social culture. In this case, the group that can identify with this proverb is any Spanish speaker, although it may be more relevant in countries where the people are known to be fast-paced. For example, the community had to be fast-paced in Cuba, where my informant is from. They never knew when common inconveniences could happen—for example, having to shower quickly because they did not know when the water would be shut off in the building. This proverb responds to particular social circumstances and serves as good life advice.