Author Archives: Melanie Grindle

Folk Medicine – Portuguese

Nationality: Mexican/American/Portuguese
Age: 20
Occupation: Student
Residence: Los Angeles, CA
Performance Date: April 24, 2011
Primary Language: English
Language: Spanish

“So, um, whenever you have a cold like on my dad’s side it’s like a Portuguese remedy where you cut carrots up into little pieces and then you add sugar to it. And then you let it sit and it gets soupy because you add a lot of sugar to it and then you’re supposed to like drink it or eat it. They call it carrot soup and its supposed to help. It’s gross though.

“I learned it from my father growing up. He’s Portuguese.

“I don’t think there’s any real reasoning behind it.

“When I was little my dad would always do that. He was like, ‘before we go see the doctor we’ll try the carrot soup.'”

The informant is a 20-year-old female of Mexican-American-Portuguese descent. Her father is of Portuguese heritage, while her mother is of Mexican descent. This item was learned from the paternal side of her family. The informant is currently a student in the Los Angeles area.

This folk remedy presents the use of carrots, which are typically regarded as healthy because they are vegetables. However, the informant did not have any strong belief in the validity of the cure. She regarded it as merely something her family did whether it was truly effective or not.

Potentially this can be seen as the value people place on health and vegetables, as well as an emphasis on attempts to solve one’s own illness without the aid of authorities like doctors. It shows the family’s desire to be a self-sufficient unit in curing its members’ illnesses through home-made remedies.

Proverb – American

Nationality: Mexican/American/Portuguese
Age: 20
Occupation: Student
Residence: Los Angeles, CA
Performance Date: April 24, 2011
Primary Language: English
Language: Spanish

“Not ready to face the music”

(i.e. “She’s not ready to face the music,” “He’s not ready to face the music,” They’re not ready to face the music,” “You’re not ready to face the music,” etc)

‘I learned it from my mom. She probably got it from her mom.

‘It’s like if something bad happens and they don’t want to admit it–they aren’t ready to accept the fact. They aren’t ready to deal with the reality.

‘I’m just so used to hearing it because my mom’s been saying it for a while. It’s one of her favorite sayings.’

The informant is a 20-year-old female of Mexican-American-Portuguese descent. Her mother is of Mexican heritage. The informant is currently a student in the Los Angeles area.

This proverb demonstrates the key characteristics of a proverb: it is a statement that has been passed down in fixed form, although it can be slightly altered depending on who it is referring to. It aligns with the definition of proverbs given by F.A. de Caro in Elliott Oring’s “Folk Groups and Folklore Genres: An Introduction.” De Caro states that proverbs are often metaphors. For while someone who is avoiding ‘accepting of the reality of something’ may not actually have to face music, they are avoiding the final result. Also, the proverb can be used as short-hand communication.

As far as its reflection of society, I believe this specific proverb could have a slightly negative connotation, for it is not that the subject has any influence on whether the ‘music’ plays. They are simply not ready to face it even though it is already playing. The subject–or who the proverb is being likened to– needs to face the consequences of their actions and is not yet ready to do so.

Oring, Elliott. Folk Groups and Folklore Genres: an Introduction. Logan, UT: Utah State UP, 1986. Print.

Proverb – American

Nationality: Caucasian
Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Residence: Los Angeles, CA
Performance Date: April 24, 2011
Primary Language: English

“Do not make yourself so big, you are not so small.”

‘It’s about modesty and being humble.

‘I learned this from my mother. Basically she just told it to me as trying to remind me to be more modest, especially in sports because I was really good at sports when I was younger. She would like say that to me if I was getting too full of myself; as a way to keep myself in check. It’s not really a Jewish saying but it relates because Jews really value modesty. It considered a really valuable trait in Judaism to be more modest.’

The informant is a 19-year-old Caucasian student in the Los Angeles area, originally from Northern California. She follows the Jewish faith. She also comes from a very large family with 9 other siblings.

This proverb serves as a metaphor for a warning to monitor one’s ego. I agree with the subject on its meaning. Like many proverbs, the fixed phrase actually contradicts itself unless the metaphorical implications are considered. In this context, the term big refers to inflating one’s ego and small refers to the negative connotation of being full of oneself. It shows that without modesty one can become a less morally upright person (in this case, considering big as a positive connotation–as in the phrase “to be the bigger person”).

Blason Populaire – Jewish-American

Nationality: Caucasian
Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Residence: Los Angeles, CA
Performance Date: April 26, 2011
Primary Language: English

J.A.P. (also refered to as “jap” or “japs”)

Jewish American Princess

“It’s a stereotype that Jewish girls have rich daddies to pay for all their needs and wants. Stereotypical profession for Jews are high-paying—doctors, lawyers—like money, medical backgrounds. With parents, with these kind of jobs the kids are spoiled rotten. I think there’s some truth to it. And now it’s come to be like an identity for Jewish kids living the pampered lifestyle. I don’t think it has as negative connotation any more. People now identify themselves as JAPs. They are proud of this identity not for what it does for Judaism but because it means they are people with money. It fits into the whole sweet sixteen faucet of culture. I learned it like around junior high or high school. I’m like a Nor Cal Jew; I’m pretty sure someone around me got called it. Non-Jews don’t really call each other JAPs unless it’s an insult. But Jews can call each other JAPs.”

The informant is a 19-year-old Caucasian student in the Los Angeles area, originally from Northern California. She follows the Jewish faith. She also comes from a very large family with 8 other siblings.

The acceptance of the stereo-type of J.A.P. by the current generation shows how people use blason-populaire in forging their own identities. The current definition of JAP is a byproduct of the Jewish stereotype–as mentioned by the informant of professional careers–as it moves into the next generation. It presents a modernized version of the Jewish doctor/lawyer family stereotype; that is, that the father figure of the family brings in a large paycheck to his devoutly Jewish family.

Also, the response of those accused of being “JAPs” ties in to the theory that it is at times easier to embrace a stereotype than to discount it as they have a tendency to accept the stereotype, even mocking it slightly. Further, it also defines a group of whom is Jewish and whom is not by stating that from within the circle it is okay to call one another a JAP, but it is not acceptable for outsiders to do the same.

Folk Belief – Serbian

Nationality: Serbian
Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Residence: Los Angeles, CA (Currently), Serbia
Performance Date: April 25, 2011
Primary Language: English
Language: Serbian

“When you’re talking and if you or your friend drops something accidentally that means the thing you’re talking about is true. In my case, it was true, but I think that also some people can fake it.”

“I learned it just among my friends. I can’t remember the first time I heard that, but it’s like the thing that everybody said among the people.”

The informant is from Serbia, but currently attending school in Los Angeles, CA. She has been in the US for less than a year.

The folk belief that when someone drops something in conversation they are telling the truth could have some validity in it as it may stem from the idea that the person is so focused on what they are saying that he or she drops something. There is a similar folk belief in Poland that if you sneeze while talking, you are telling the truth.