Category Archives: Folk speech

You Don’t Know Shit From Shineola

Nationality: American
Age: 50
Occupation: Stay-at-home Mom
Residence: Riverside, CA
Performance Date: 5/3/21

Overview

The informant is 50 years old and from Riverside, California. She describes a saying that her mother, also from Riverside, frequently said: “You don’t know shit from Shineola.” 

Context

Shineola was a popular shoe polish manufactured in the United States in the 1940’s. Thus, it was very well known among American families, like a household brand. To say that someone couldn’t tell the difference between Shineola (a thick brown substance) and shit (also a thick brown substance) would be to question their judgement and intellect. When asked the context that this saying was used in, she replied that “It was always used negatively or condescendingly. Essentially, you were calling someone stupid. This could be a joking insult, or sometimes it was actually used to sound nasty to someone else.”

Thoughts

This phrase is interesting to me in that it is distinctly American by virtue of the brand that it includes. Other sayings call upon more generic objects, like an apple, tree, pencil, etc, but calling out Shineola makes this phrase only understandable to an audience that is aware of Shineola– in essence, an American audience. 

As Smart As Bait

Nationality: American
Age: 50
Occupation: Stay-at-home Mom
Residence: Riverside, CA
Performance Date: 5/3/21

Overview

The informant is 50 years old and from Riverside, California. She describes a saying popular in her fishing-obsessed family: “as smart as bait”. 

Context

As stated, the informant grew up with a father who took her fishing frequently. He was the main perpetrator of this saying, jokingly using it during fishing trips. However, it was also used in regular life, it became adopted by all of her siblings and her mother, and they used it whenever they wanted to call something stupid. According to the informant, “Fishing bait is the least desirable thing to be in the world. Not only does it smell bad, get pierced by a hook, and eaten by a fish, it looks like absolute mush. There is nothing impressive or intellectual about bait, so equating another person’s intellect to that of bait is a major insult. That said, the tone of voice that this phrase is said in is usually very lighthearted and joking, so it doesn’t come across like a major insult, but instead like a light tease.”

Thoughts

I’ve heard a lot of folk sayings that use the form of a simile to insult. “As smart as bait” reminds me of other sayings like “smart like a tractor”, “dumb as a doornail”, etc. What’s interesting to me is that both “as smart as bait” and “dumb as a doornail” mean the same thing, despite one using the word smart and one using the word dumb. Irony goes a long way here, but it’s interesting that an insult is assumed of both.

Think twice, say once

Nationality: United States/Macedonia
Age: 20
Occupation: Student
Residence: Hackensack, NJ
Performance Date: 04/24/2021
Primary Language: English
Language: Macedonian

BACKGROUND: My informant, MB, was born in the US but has dual citizenship in Macedonia as well. The following proverb is something MB’s father always says to MB and her sister in anticipation of them saying something he deems as stupid.

CONTEXT: This piece is from a conversation with my friend where I asked her about Macedonian proverbs.

MACEDONIAN: Размислете двапати, кажете еднаш (Razmislete dvapati, kažete ednaš)

LITERAL TRANSLATION: Think twice, say once.

MB: It’s essentially like, “think before you speak.” My dad’s the type of guy who doesn’t like being asked questions so he’ll always stop me and say this before I ask him for something to make sure it’s worth bothering him over.

THOUGHTS: MB compared this proverb to the common American proverb “think before you speak.” However, I think it’s interesting to note the difference in the direct translation from the American version. “Think before you speak” gives the connotation that someone should do a quick survey of their thoughts before speaking but to me, “think twice, say once” feels more intentioned. As if to say, think it over… now think it over again.

The University of Alabama – Rammer Jammer Yellow Hammer Sports Chant

Nationality: American
Age: 21
Occupation: College Student
Residence: Alabama, USA
Performance Date: 04/18/2021
Primary Language: English

Context:

Informant AA was a current undergraduate student at The University of Alabama at the time of this collection. Both of AA’s parents are passionate Alabama fans which meant that AA was practically born into the already prevalent game-day culture. Alabama game-day culture finds its peak during football season as The University of Alabama tends to beat just about any team they play. Tailgating, parades, and ritualized viewing are all aspects of this widespread game-day culture that can be especially observed in Tuscaloosa, AL where the university is located.

Upon attending The University of Alabama themself, AA was granted access to the student section of the Bryant-Denny Stadium where the university’s home football games are held. Admission into this section is limited and students have to reserve their place for a select few games before the season even begins.

When speaking with AA, they told me a chant the student section and other Alabama fans yell out just after winning a football game.

Text:

The chant is known as Rammer Jammer Yellow Hammer and it goes as follows: “Hey __________! We just beat the hell out of you! Rammer Jammer Yellow Hammer give em hell, Alabama!” This chant is repeated three times and is accompanied by the university’s “Million Dollar” marching band.

The ________ in the chant changes from game to game so that Alabama fans can direct the chant directly at the team they just beat. For example, if Alabama were to beat Auburn University, the chant would say, “Hey Tigers! We just beat the hell out of you! Rammer Jammer Yellow Hammer give em hell, Alabama!” If Alabama were to beat Georgia, the chant would be changed to “Hey Bulldogs! We just beat the hell out of you! Rammer Jammer Yellow Hammer give em hell, Alabama!” The target of the chant is the losing team’s mascot making the chant more appropriate and personal for each circumstance it is yelled.

Analysis:

After hearing about AA’s description and experience with this chant, I am lead to believe that this example of game-day folk speech serves to showcase victory, celebration, and unity. According to AA, the chant can be heard all across campus and many tailgaters outside of the stadium will even participate. While this chant has become traditional when the team is victorious, it functions to connect/unite Alabama fans. By participating in this chant at its appropriate time, each fan’s scream is contributing to a singular voice that is more powerful than could be achieved individually. Similar to the sport itself, teamwork and communication are the driving forces behind large-scale victories. By chanting, the students and fans become a kind of team themselves. Campus communities and cultures thrive when comradery can be attained. In becoming a traditional folk saying, the Rammer Jammer Yellow Hammer victory chant successfully celebrates victory while simultaneously strengthening the moral and bonds between Albama fans.

Two Drunks in a Graveyard Joke

Nationality: American
Occupation: Retired
Residence: Fosters, AL, USA
Performance Date: 04/20/2021
Primary Language: English
Language: n/a

Context:

Informant RM has spent most of their lives in the small town of Fosters, Alabama. Fosters had a small population and just about everyone knew each other. Even before becoming an elderly member in their town, informant RM enjoyed getting a laugh out of others. I called RM on the phone to ask if they could recall any of the jokes they used to tell family members and friends. While this phone conversation did not well represent the natural context in which their jokes would normally be told, in remembering a couple of jokes they were still able to make themselves laugh.

Text:

“These two drunks went out – going home one night – one of ’em took a right and the other one took a left. This guy went walking down – went through a graveyard and fell in a grave *Karploonk noise*. It was raining that night, and the friend didn’t see him – he had fallen in earlier – when one went left and one went right – he fell in the grave! This guy said, “Help me I’m cold! Help me I’m cold!” And the friend looked down there and said, “of course you’re cold, you done kicked all the dirt off yourself!”

Analysis:

Just after finishing this joke RM laughed and quickly asked, “Do you get it?” almost checking to see if he had delivered the joke properly.

This joke is a kind of narrative that might twist listeners’ expectations which could have a comedic effect. Jokes can be useful in folklore studies because they can show what topics/narrative structures particular people find to be humorous and/or entertaining. In hearing RM recall and retell this particular joke, I am lead to believe that it gives insights into both their listener’s and their own life experiences. The “punchline” of this joke works when listeners can relate or understand the foolish things one might say when under the influence of alcohol. Had the detail of the two friends being drunk been omitted or censored then this joke would not have made any sense. Since this joke concerns alcohol and its effects, I think RM’s performance of this joke potentially speaks to the lived experiences of himself or others. Otherwise, the joke would not have been funny or remembered. Perhaps this joke might even convey a dated, light-spirited/playful view of drunkenness which has disallowed it to be told anymore now that drinking has become more of a serious concern.