Author Archives: Jacqueline Guerra

“The road to heaven is paved with good intentions”

Nationality: american
Age: 60
Occupation: teacher
Residence: denver, colorado
Performance Date: 4/18/15
Primary Language: English

This was described by MG as an Irish proverb that she grew up with.

Who would say it?

MG: “All the older Irish people would say it. My mom said it and her mom said it too.”

What does it mean to you?

MG: “It means “oh I’m gonna do this stuff but I’m actually never going to do it”. Your father always does this, he’ll say “Oh I should call my uncle Tom” but then never does it or “Oh I should take Jack out for a ride in my car” but the never does it. The paved means they didn’t get to heaven so it’s the pathway to heaven but it doesn’t mean you actually get there. It doesn’t say the road to heaven IS good intentions it’s just PAVED with them.”

Do you think it reflects Irish culture?

MG: “Well it’s a very Catholic culture so it’s very motivated by getting to heaven. So religiously I think it’s Irish”

I thought this proverb was interesting because it was basically saying it’s ok to not follow through on your plans. I had definitely heard the proverb before but didn’t think this was the interpretation. I thought it was particularly interesting when MG said “the road to heaven isn’t good intentions” which is what you would logically think, especially if it has religious connotations. I think this could, in some way, be a proverb to help someone battle guilt about falling through on plans. That way you at least show that you had the intention even if you couldn’t follow through.

In the Madonna song 4 Minutes:

http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/madonna/4minutes.html

 

“A duck walks into a bar…”

Nationality: american
Age: 19
Occupation: student
Residence: los angeles
Performance Date: 4/24/15
Primary Language: English

A duck walks into a bar, walks up to the bartender and says “Hey you got any cheese?” and the bartender says “No, why would I have any cheese?” so the duck walks out. The next day, the duck walks back into the bar and says “Hey, you got any cheese?” and the bartender says “No! why would I have cheese? Get out of here” so the duck leaves. Then the next day the duck walks into the bar and says “Hey, you got any cheese?” and the bartender yells “No! Why would I have any cheese?! If you ever come in here and ask me again I’m gonna nail your feet to the floorboards” so the duck the leaves. The next day the duck walks into the bar and says “Hey, you got any nails?”. The bartender says no. So the duck says “Hey, you got any cheese?”

Who told you this joke?

MB: “My dad, I’m not sure where he learned it though, maybe a joke book or something like that”

When would he tell this joke?

MB: “Well he was always telling me jokes. This was like his big one though. He would tell it to people as like his big joke”

I thought this joke was interesting because it’s almost like a meta joke since it doesn’t give the answer you think it will. The whole time you are expecting the question “you got any cheese” to have some sort of meaning when, in reality, it is just leading up to the punchline and the actual content of the question isn’t important at all.

“Life’s a shit sandwich”

Nationality: american
Age: 60
Occupation: accountant
Residence: denver, colorado
Performance Date: 4/21/15
Primary Language: English

Proverb that was said in RG’s family: “Life’s a shit sandwhich, the more bread you have the less shit you have to eat”

Who told you this proverb?

RG: “I think it was my Aunt Arlene. She would say it a lot.”

What does it mean to you?

RG: “The connotation is the more money you have the less shit you have to eat. Basically life is hard except if you have more money it’s less hard. I think it’s supposed to be a motivation to make more money. So people with more money have a better life I guess. My Aunt Arlene was very impressed with money”

This proverb was interesting mainly because it had kind of a negative message. While many proverbs seem to be enlightening, this one kind of promotes greed. I also thought it related nicely to the “New Jersey joke” that was also told by RG. Both contained vulgar language and a vulgar connotation which plays into the stereotypes of people from New Jersey being rude.

“Chyron” and other outdated film terms

Nationality: american
Age: 31
Occupation: film production
Residence: los angeles
Performance Date: 4/25/15
Primary Language: English

JG works in the film industry and gave examples of words that are specific to the film industry. Both of these terms are used often in when working with film even though they are no longer technologically relevant.

JG: “So at work we say that we need to chyron an episode which basially means any time a name a name comes up on the screen. So when you’re watching tv and it says “Bruce Jenner, Transgender Dad” at the bottom that’s a chyron.”

Why is called a chyron?

JG: “In the 70s and 80s there was a machine called a chyron that would physically imprint the name on the film. Now it’s all digital but everyone still calls it a chyron even thought it hasn’t been used in 20 years. The other one is when call a film a cut. So when someone needs footage they ask for the cut. That one comes from when they used to have to literally cut the film with a razor. Now they do it all digitally, but if someone wants a piece of film they still ask you for the cut”

“Mangia vete”

Nationality: American
Age: 60
Occupation: Accountant
Residence: Denver, Colorado
Performance Date: 4/21/15
Primary Language: English

This is an Italian phrase that was used in RG’s family. However, RG does not speak Italian and only knew how to say it, not spell it. The second word of the phrase sounds like “vete”, but that is not an actual Italian word so it is most likely spelled a different way.

What does the phrase mean?

RG: My dad used to say it as something like “feed your face”. It was something he said when we were kids.

Did your dad speak Italian?

RG: “No, my grandfather was an Italian immigrant, but he didn’t want his kids to speak Italian. He said they were Americans, not Italians. Americans speak english. My dad still used some of the words and phrases though.

When would your dad use the phrase?

RG: “It was an expression for “it’s time for dinner”. It would be like “Bobby mangia fete”, “Bobby, come on feed your face”

This was a good example of how folklore is spread via word of mouth. RG had never even seen the phrase written out so he didn’t even know how to spell it. It also demonstrates how someones interpretation of  folklore is more important than what it actual means. “Mangia vete” itself doesn’t mean anything when it is spelled out. However, when it is used in the context of RG’s family, it is clear to all of them that it means “feed your face” or “it’s time to eat”.

I also found it interesting that it was an Italian phrase used by people who did not speak Italian. Although RG’s grandfather did not want his children to speak Italian because they were “Americans, not Italians”, slang from the Italian culture still became a part of their family that was passed down. Despite his grandfather’s best efforts, his family was American with a definite Italian influence. The fact that his grandfather wanted his children to be known as “Americans” is, I believe, a direct result of his being an Italian immigrant. He did not want his children to be treated any different than other American children, but at the same time the part of his Italian culture was inevitably expressed because that was what he grew up with. It’s a nice example of the blending of cultures to the point where eventually Italian phrases are used by English speakers who do not completely understand what they are saying, but they know the context of when to say it.