Author Archives: Melissa Leu

Folk Music – Scotland

Nationality: Scottish, Irish, Italian, Swiss, German
Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Residence: Los Angeles, CA
Performance Date: March 9, 2008
Primary Language: English
Language: Spanish

Mary Ellen at the church turned up

Her Ma’ turned up

And her pa’ turned up

Her sister Gert

Her rich uncle Bert

And the person with the long white shirt turned up

But no bridegroom with the ring turned up

A telegram boy with his nose turned up

Brought a telegram that said

He didn’t want to wed

And they found him in the river with his toes turned up

Katherine learned this song in the mid 1990s from her grandfather. She said that she was probably around 7 or 8 when she first heard it at a large family gathering during Thanksgiving. She is of Scottish descent from the Mac Neill clan, which was later shortened to Neil to sound more American when her family immigrated. Her grandfather would sing it during every family function because he said it was a Scottish tradition and that she just picked it up from him and began to sing along.

This song is most often performed during family get-togethers, when most of the family is gathered around one area. Katherine said that she has never heard it during any other time. It is sung by people of all ages and generally performed in festive atmospheres.

Supposedly traced back to her Scottish roots, Katherine only remembers it because it was funny and reminds her of her grandfather. She does not think that there is any special significance other than being purely for entertainment, and is unsure of any possible meaning besides the surface one. She finds it funny and a little sad that the groom would rather commit suicide than to marry the bride.

I think the song carries more meaning than meets the eye. From the bride’s point of view, the song can actually be very humiliating. If it is sung in the wrong context, such as right before a wedding, I can see it starting problems. Also, I think that perhaps there probably used to be a time during Scottish history when it was more desired for a man to remain a bachelor and to take a wife would be worse than death. This song was probably created as an exaggeration of the cultural norm that might have been true at the time of creation.

A version of the song can be found in Patricia Sheehan’s memoirs published in 2003, a mere five years ago. There are some minor variations, such as the person being a parson, a member of the clergy, changes in names of family members, and mixtures in line orders, but the song generally remains the same in meaning. However in the memoir, instead of the song being sung during family occasions, her grandmother sings it to put her brother to sleep. Her family also resides in Belfast, Ireland, not Scotland. The song is not restricted to Scotland and has probably been spread from Scotland to Ireland or vice versa. These differences demonstrate that there can be multiple meanings for the same piece of folklore. Sung in different places and times, the whole significance of the song can change.

In particular, this song has also been published in sheet music in 1924 by Herbert Rule. The song is titled “Turned Up!” and was found in the National Library of Australia’s Digital Collections Music. Attached is the sheet music. This copy is yet another variation of the same song with the same overarching theme.

Annotation: Sheehan, Patricia. And So I Did: a Northern Irish Memoire. Infinity. 75.

Annotation: Rule, Herbert. Turned Up! [music]: song. 1924.

Game – USA

Nationality: Scottish, Irish, Italian, Swiss, German
Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Residence: Los Angeles, CA
Performance Date: March 9, 2008
Primary Language: English
Language: Spanish

“The ‘Chuck, Fuck, and Mary game.’ Okay. Basically, you have to name three people, and they can be anybody, like friends, some of my friends choose teachers and whatever, to give to someone else as choices.  And the other person has to choose among those three. So, one of them has to be ‘Chuck,’ and ‘Chuck’ is like someone you would eliminate. Like you wouldn’t fuck or marry them. It’s usually the person you can’t stand. And ‘Fuck’ is somebody you would sleep with, no strings attached. And ‘Marry’ is well, obviously, you would marry the person. It’s all kind of relative, because you wouldn’t necessarily do any of that really in real life, but it’s the most preferable order.”

Katherine said that her friend, Lauren, taught her this game not too long ago, while they were catching up on college experiences. Katherine went to high school with Lauren in Los Angeles, and considers her a relatively close friend. They were having a conversation about college in general and their experiences in co-ed living. Eventually, they started talking about how people rank each other based on attractiveness and how everyone in co-ed living makes it a point to notice who is attractive. As a result of this perceived pattern, Lauren brought up this game as a related topic.

Later on, Katherine would teach this game to my roommate and I, which became a cause of a lot of laughter. She taught it to us because she thought it was a random and amusing game that could pass the time. Katherine said that it was probably most appropriate in a social setting with friends who are familiar with each other and each person’s social networks, because then the game would take on a lot more significance. However, the game can also be played with strangers or among people who are not as close. The choices would then have to be celebrities, so that everyone could participate. An example of when to play this game would probably be during a party or a small get together. Katherine said that it is best played with only people in the same social circles, because the answers are “obviously funny and nobody would get offended because it’s just a joke.”

Katherine says this game is just a fun way to pass the time and was probably created by a couple of high school or college friends hanging around. She does not typically get offended and takes all answers with a grain of salt. Katherine finds it especially funny to predict what other people will say and considers it a silly method to get to know someone better. However, she also gives a caveat against playing this game with a new significant other, because the game might cause some unnecessary tensions and/or drama.

I agree with Katherine in that the game was probably created by young adults entering a period in their life when exterior looks play a very important role in their social lives. It toys with a question that crosses everyone’s mind at one point or another, but because it is in a game format, the topic becomes easier to bring up. On the surface, the game is a lighthearted way of getting to know someone. Each individual’s choices in a given scenario reveal a lot about that person and their values. At the same time, I think that the game also plays on the insecurities about physical appearance and behaviors common during that age. Because acceptance is so important during this age, the game serves a sort of outlet to mock the system of superficialities.

Folk Speech – USA

Nationality: African-American, Irish, Italian
Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Residence: Louisville, KY
Performance Date: April 5, 2008
Primary Language: English
Language: Mandarin

“I know when I’m at home when I ask for coke and it means any kind of soft drink. It’s like a saying. For example, if you’d have a conversation like,

‘What would you like to drink?’

‘Oh, coke.’

‘Oh what kind of coke?’

It would be totally normal.”

According to Joe, having a “coke” to drink in the South is equal to getting any kind of soft drink. Instead of strictly referring to Pepsi or Coca Cola, “coke” in the South can mean anything from Sprite to Dr. Pepper. Joe said that he learned the multiple meanings of coke growing up in the South. He claimed that everyone from his area understood that “coke” is an umbrella term meant to be inclusive of all soft drinks. It is the accepted term whenever one needs to order or ask for a drink. The majority of residents in the South across all demographics use this term. In fact, asking for a “coke” is actually a more appropriate way of getting the drink of your choice in the South than asking for a fountain drink. Joe said that the term could be used when ordering drinks at restaurants or simply asking a friend for a beverage at their house.

Joe did not think anything of it until he moved out to California for college. He did not even notice that there was a difference in meaning until he went to a restaurant and asked for coke, where the server did not question selection and actually gave him a coke. He said that in the South, few people ever ask for a ‘soft drink’ or a ‘fountain drink.’ “Coke’s” multiple meanings are supposed to be understood by everyone.

The reason behind expanding the meaning of “coke” is probably one with self-serving intentions. Joe said that he believes that it is because Coca-Cola was first sold in Atlanta, Georgia. He attributes the far-reaching spread of this term as a product of common identification of residents living in the South. Thus, the accomplishments of Georgia are the accomplishments of the whole southern region. He feels like “southerners are really into their own stuff,” and therefore pride in celebrating all things related to them.

I think that the term “coke” in this context is probably the result of a successful marketing ploy from the past that has gradually made its way into common lingo as time has passed. Coca-Cola is arguably one of the largest corporations in the world, holding a huge influence over American culture through its advertising strategies. The company is often credited with inventing the modern image of Santa Clause, a portly old grandfather clad in a red suit. Considering their achievements in generating publicity, I would not consider it shocking if it had been their idea to transform the word “coke” into an equivalent of all soft drinks. If southerners really are as proud as Joe claims, it would not be very difficult to convince the general population of the area to adopt the term.

Using “coke” as a reference to all soft drinks has not caught on outside of the “South” probably because of a longer history and familiarity with the company than the rest of the nation. Perhaps by the time that Coca-Cola gained much of its prominence in other areas, rival companies already had competitive shares of the market in the other parts of the United States.

Folk Speech – USA

Nationality: African-American, Irish, Italian
Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Residence: Louisville, KY
Performance Date: April 5, 2008
Primary Language: English
Language: Mandarin

“Saving the dishes.”

“Saving the dishes,” means to put dishes away in the cupboard after washing and drying them. It is a phrase commonly used in southern Louisiana and is the equivalent to putting away the dishes. It implies more of the actual action of placing the dishes in the cupboard than the literal meaning. “Saving the dishes” does not mean that the dishes are in danger, but that they must be neatly put away so that they can be used later. Although not a commonly heard or used phrase outside of Louisiana, Joe said that most inhabitants of the area would understand what is meant.

Joe told me that his mother told him about this phrase a couple of years ago. He remembers that they were having a conversation at a Vietnamese restaurant about various kinds of speech that they found strange. She told him that a lot of people from the South liked to say this phrase. His mother is from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. As a child whenever she would wash the dishes and put them away, her family would call that action “saving the dishes.” However, Joe’s mother disapproves of using that phrase because he calls her a “really proper newslady,” who prefers to use proper English. She considers it a very backward phrase to use and does not encourage Joe to use it either.

The phrase is used in place of saying, “putting away the dishes.” In fact, Joe’s grandmother always replaces “putting away the dishes” with “saving the dishes.” Generally, the phrase is used by the older generation from the South. However, it would be appropriate for both adults and children to use this phrase. Joe said a good example of when to use this phrase would be when one is done washing and drying the dishes and about to put away all the dinnerware. One could say that they are “saving the dishes” for another time.

Although, Joe himself does not use this phrase himself, he thinks that it is an interesting way to translate actions into words. He said that he would not recognize the true meaning of the phrase without a little bit of thought. When he first heard of “saving the dishes,” he could not fathom the meaning behind the phrase, probably because he is from Kentucky.

Besides his brief encounters with the phrase and the stories about his grandmother from his mother, Joe has no detailed background knowledge of its meaning. He assumes that the phrase probably originated from when African-Americans were still relatively marginalized. The dishes were presumed to be the nicest things they owned and were extremely valuable to them. Thus, the need to “save” them for the best occasions might be a common practice.

Joe’s interpretation of the phrase is probably on the right track. Since Louisiana is known for their different ways of speaking, also known as Cajun English, it is understandable that they would have their own phrases. The area has been influenced by many different cultures, such as the French and the Spanish. Also the area is densely populated with African-Americans who probably did value dishes. But considering the multiple meanings of save, I am not surprised that the word was chosen in place of putting away. According to Oxford American Dictionary, the word “save” can mean to keep safe or rescue or to keep and store up. A century ago (if the phrase has been around that long), dishes might really have been in danger of being broken and ruined, and the phrase might have actually used the first definition. However, in present-day, I think that the phrase has evolved to operate based more on the second definition.

Festival – USA

Nationality: Caucasian
Age: 30
Occupation: Editor
Residence: Newport Beach, CA
Performance Date: April 10, 2008
Primary Language: English
Language: Mandarin

“The Renaissance Fair is this fair that’s put on every year usually out in the country. It’s just a big fair where people pretend that they are in the Medieval Era. Let’s see. All I usually do there is drink. But some people. You can sit and watch plays. And they have magicians and stuff like that. Bring people up on stage. They have blacksmiths where you can buy swords. Way, way overpriced. Everything there is overpriced. You can chop trees (Well, big logs that are already chopped.) with big huge axes. They have a strong man competition, and jousting, and arena sports, where there’s guys with a big spike ball and chains. People that go there are all dressed up like knights and kings and queens and squires. It’s fun. Mmm… there’s a bunch of different stages where people are singing old, old songs. There’s just a lot of games and shops and things like that. It’s funny. There’s food vendors where you can get popcorn chicken and fries, and others where they try to make it authentic with skewers roasting and stuff like that. Overall, you know, it’s just a lot of fun.”

The first time Benjamin heard about a Renaissance Fair was when he was 17, while still in high school. He remembers because he was working at a bagel shop, when a promoter for the fair entered dressed up like a knight. The promoter was selling discount packets for about ten dollars and he remembered thinking that the promoter was the craziest person for dressing up. He didn’t have any money then, so it was not until three years after that he finally went. When he was about 20, he drove with his girlfriend to San Bernardino to attend one. He said that his first experience was not as fun. He was kind of bored, because he said that one needs to have the money to spend to make going worthwhile.

Since then, Benjamin has gone to the Renaissance fair about five times. He said that each time is a different experience, especially since three out of the five times he went, he went when he was in the U.S. Navy. He said those times were a lot more money and times when he spent more than he should have.

Benjamin said that the Renaissance Fair travels around the country and arrives depending on the type of weather in the area. For example, in Chicago, they usually hold them in early Fall, because its too cold in the winter on and too hot in the summer. When they arrive, they send out promoters to advertise their presence to draw large crowds.  They stay for a couple of weeks to a month and are usually open all day. Benjamin advises people to go early and stay late in order to take advantage of the whole experience.

Benjamin cites that the reason behind the popularity of Renaissance Fair is because there are a lot of “dorks everywhere that wish they were knights.” He said that usually the people that go are the types that play a log of Dungeons and Dragons, who go to meet people who also wish they were born in that time. However, he forgets to mention that he has attended these fairs quite a few times himself. He may not fit these stereotypes, yet there is still something draws him back there time and time again. He said that it is a good way to experience somewhat the culture during the English Renaissance period, despite missing aspects of realism.

I think that there are more reasons behind having a Renaissance Fair than Benjamin thinks. Not only is it a fun way to spend a sunny afternoon, but it is also a way for people (mainly European descendents) to get in touch with their roots. The Renaissance Fair is a good example of Hans Moser’s “folklorismus,” or seemingly genuine folklore not placed in the right context. The Renaissance Fair tries its best to create a sense of realism, but also realizes that it must cater to modern constraints (Hence, the popcorn chicken being sold right next to the pork skewers.). Like tourist attractions, the Renaissance Fair is its own sort of folklore and caters more to the native people, which in this case would be those who have been far removed from their roots, than to people who are unrelated to the whole culture.