Author Archives: Scott Hills

Angel Numbers & 11:11

Age: 18

Date of Performance: 2/13/2025

Language: English

Nationality: American

Occupation: Student

Primary Language: English

Residence: United States

  1. Text

The informant is a freshman student at USC. She referenced a proverb in number form that she says, which is “11:11,” pronounced “eleven, eleven.” It is meant to symbolize good luck, and she mentioned how she makes a wish every time she sees it.

2. Context

“Every time I see 11:11, I say ‘eleven eleven’ and make a wish. I love angel numbers and 11:11 specifically. Also, 444 is my angel number, I’m locked to it. With 11:11, it’s just that I always see it, all the time, I’m just on my phone and I always see it.”

“A family friend died at 11:11 so that is also like a connection to it. With 444, I kept seeing it when I was doing college tours. Someone was wearing a 444 necklace on one tour, I went to my next tour and someone was wearing the same necklace, and I think it helped me with my college collections.”

“Last year on 11:11 I would always wish to get into USC and it worked!”

3. Analysis

“Eleven, eleven” is a brief proverbial saying which is widespread across many communities and cultures. Angel numbers, as they are known, have become reflections of good luck and good tidings throughout history. Repeated numbers in a row have different meanings for luck in different categories of life, and it is tradition to repeat the saying “eleven, eleven,” and then make a wish. It can be seen as an arbitrary thing in nature, given that it is numbers in a row; however, the coincidence of numbers being in order is seen by some as having a tie to cosmology and therefore, a connection to luck.

“I Love London”

Age: 18

Date of Performance: 2/13/2025

Language: English

Nationality: American

Occupation: Student

Primary Language: English

Residence: United States

  1. Text

The informant is a freshman student at USC. She referenced a proverb saying she shares with her friends where they say “I Love London” in a game they play before going out.

2. Context

“Every time before my friends and I go out, we can not leave until we play a game called ‘I Love London’ which involves us saying the phrase. We have to wait for everyone to play the game.”

“You all choose a dance move, you pass it to someone and do their dance move and another new dance move. You each choose a dance move, show the crowd, dance to someone else’s move and pass it to them.”

“It sounds complicated but we cannot leave until we go out.”

3. Analysis

“I Love London” is a part of game that engages dancing and camaraderie; however, the “I Love London” proverb is the anchor of the game. It is unclear the connection of the proverb to the actual game itself; however, it is a uniting practice that brings friends together and allows them to dance prior to going out for the night.

HAGS!

Age: 20

Date of Performance: 2/13/2025

Language: English

Nationality: American

Occupation: Student

Primary Language: English

Residence: United States

  1. Text

The informant is a sophomore student at USC, who is studying Public Relations. She quoted a minor genre saying of “HAGS” that she used to write in yearbooks.

2. Context

“In yearbooks, everyone would write ‘HAGS.’ I did it a lot, it means, ‘have a good summer.’ It was for friends, teachers, but it was bigger in elementary school and middle school I feel like.”

3. Analysis

The reference of the informant to the tradition being larger in elementary school than middle school is reflective of the proverb’s reflection of youthful values. “HAGS” is a casual saying exchanged between peers to represent camaraderie and encourage optimism for the future. Summer is a traditional celebration for school-aged children, and HAGS aligns with that value for students. Additionally, yearbooks are a tradition for many students and a measure of friendships between peers.

“Cuando el río suena es porque piedras trae”

Age: 20

Date of Performance: 2/24/2025

Language: Spanish

Nationality: Mexican

Occupation: Student

Primary Language: English

Residence: United States

  1. Text

The informant is a junior student at USC, who is studying Health Promotion & Disease Prevention. He quoted a Spanish saying that reads “Cuando el río suena es porque piedras trae.” It translates in English to “When the river makes noise, it is because it brings rocks.”

2. Context

“It means if you have suspicions of something happening, it’s because you have to trust your gut because something is happening.”

“My mom told it to me when I was 10. It’s just always to trust your intuition, you feel it because something is happening and you should listen to that.”

3. Analysis

This metaphorical proverb uses a natural environment to make a comparison to human intuition. A river is often making subtle noises; however, a loud river is unusual and alarming. Therefore, this proverb references a loud river as being because the river has rocks– warning signs, if you will. This compares directly to the idea of if you feel weary about something, it is likely because you have reason to. For the informant, it stems from his upbringing and his mother sharing it in her primary language, which is Spanish.

“Water doesn’t boil when you watch it”

Age: 19

Date of Performance: 2/24/2025

Language: English

Nationality: American

Occupation: Student

Primary Language: English

Residence: United States

  1. Text

The informant is a sophomore student at USC, who is studying Public Relations & Advertising. He quoted a proverb that says, “Water doesn’t boil when you watch it.”

2. Context

“I heard this, I think, from my friend’s mom. It’s just like a saying.”

“It’s about how obsessing over something just makes it more difficult to do it because when you watch water boil, it takes forever. But when you step away and do something else, time flies and it feels almost immediate.”

“When I was really young, I think I was 8 or 9, is when my neighbor’s mom told me this. Or maybe it was my own mom?”

3. Analysis

The informant’s uncertainty about who taught him this proverb represents how the family influence wasn’t necessarily the important factor in this phrase. It is again, another metaphor involving water and tied to human behavior. It is a teaching of patience, and letting things happen without obsessing over them. It teaches a larger lesson through a metaphor about a rather mundane action.