Author Archives: Ronni

If and Buts

Age: 23

TEXT: If ifs and buts were candies and nuts we’d all have a merry Christmas.

CONTEXT:

My informant, who grew up in Central Pennsylvania, shared that this saying was something they heard from their parents growing up. “I don’t know if that’s just my family or just like an eastern/northeastern United States thing or just like older saying, but it was very common for my parents to say oh “If ifs and buts were candies and nuts we’d all have a merry Christmas.”’

ANALYSIS:

I had never heard of this saying before, but after some research, I was able to find it on the USC archive in a post from 2024! From what I’ve gathered, it seems to be a common phrase on the east coast of the United States. Folk speech such as this phrase communicates to others that you are a part of a community. In this instance this phrase would communicate that you are from a specific region of the US as well as that you grew up with or spent some significant time with children, as it is aimed at kids who might be complaining about a small matter.

The dog that bit you

Age: 44

TEXT:

“Nothing better to beat a hangover than getting a taste of the dog that bit you.”

CONTEXT:

A saying used by the informant’s grandfather and uncle, in reference to curing a hangover. The informant later explained her disbelief in the saying and application of the saying, stating, “I just think it makes you more drunk, and then you just don’t feel as bad.”

ANALYSIS:

This take on the traditional English proverb the hair of the dog was used by my informants grandparent and uncle growing up in Chicago. The saying offers a fresh and witty take on the widely known saying, and when thinking of the same or sharing it with others, such as was the case with this interview, my informant is reminded of her childhood and interactions with now deceased relatives. These sayings bring back memories in a bittersweet way, but keep the memory of those who said them alive. In my opinion, this is a combination of folk medicine (hangover cure) and a proverb.