Category Archives: Folk speech

A Social Curse – “The Cheese Touch”

Taken from audio recording:

“Informant:
Yeah, that makes sense. I know you mentioned this earlier, but the “cheese touch” was a huge thing at my school because Diary of a Wimpy Kid was filmed at my middle school.

Pearson:
No way.

Informant:
Yeah! So in middle school, the “cheese touch” was a real thing. It wasn’t even actual cheese, but more like the cooties thing—someone would “have” the cheese touch, and everyone would avoid them. The kid who played Greg Heffley, I think he actually went to my middle school, and his dad worked in the school system. So it was an even bigger deal for us.”

Analysis:

I experienced the “cheese touch” as “cooties” when I was in elementary school and some of middle school. I think it’s super interesting how this movie Diary of a Wimpy Kid had such a big impact on so many schools, especially the one my informant went to because the movie was filmed at their middle school. I’m sure it felt way more real for them. I think the idea is really interesting. Honestly, I don’t really understand it and didn’t really back then either. I guess “cooties” and the “cheese touch” are a little different. “cooties” was more of a gender vs. gender thing at my school versus the “cheese touch” being more about socially isolating someone for whatever reason. The “cool kids” in school wouldn’t be the ones getting the “cheese touch” while “cooties” in my school didn’t have that kind of social hierarchy restriction. I feel like the “cheese touch” is used more as a way to even further alienate kids that aren’t very popular and that’s a horrible thing. It, to me, is like another form of bullying and that’s really sad.

Age: 20

Date of performance: Told to me on February 13, 2025. Popularized after the 2007 “Diary of a Wimpy Kid”

Language: English

Nationality: American

Occupation: Student at USC

Primary Language: English

Residence: From California, lives somewhere in the Los Angeles area

seasonal omen or a weather-related folk saying – “June Gloom”

Pulled from audio recording:

“Informant:
Okay, I’m from California. I wonder if you’ve heard of this one—“June gloom.”

Pearson:
No, what’s that?

Informant:
It’s a thing on the California coast where, in June, there’s this weird period of overcast skies in the middle of summer. It happens every year. Growing up, people would always say “June gloom,” especially when planning beach trips. Like, we’d want to go, but then someone would say, “Oh no, June gloom.””

Analysis:

“June Gloom” refers to June in California where the skies are overcast and a haze or a Gloom lingers over the coast. In my mind it can be used literally and figuratively. Literally because it’s a real weather-related phenomenon and figuratively as a sort of saying. Someone could ask you to go somewhere to do something with them and you could reply “oh no I don’t wanna go. June Gloom”. It’s used as a way to describe a state of being almost. It reminds me of the idea of not wanting to go outside because it’s raining if that makes sense.

Age: 20


Date_of_performance: Told to me on February 14, 2025. A thing they’ve heard throughout their life


Language: English


Nationality: American


Occupation: Student at USC


Primary Language: English


Residence: Somewhere in the Los Angeles area

Proverb – “Honesty is the best policy”

Taken from audio recording:

Informant: “Alright, so I looked one up, and I remember hearing this a lot in elementary school—“Honesty is the best policy.” Teachers would always say that whenever there was a little issue, like if someone was doing something wrong or if there was a small fight. It was just their way of getting things sorted out. I always remember that saying”

Analysis:

It’s a proverb that I also heard when I was a kid. It’s used a lot to teach kids that they need to be honest and tell the truth because that’s the right thing to do. It can also be used to reinforce that idea when you’re not a child anymore and someone can say “Honestly is the best policy” when your struggling with telling someone the truth because you know the truth will hurt their feelings. Like all proverbs people use it to give you advice without saying “I think you should do this”. This proverb is a reminder that telling the truth is the right thing to do even though it can be uncomfortable at times.

Age: 20

Date of Performance: Told to me on February 13th, 2025. Used through their life but they specifically mention it being a thing when they were in elementary school

Language: English

Nationality: American

Occupation: Student at USC

Primary Language: English

Residence: Somewhere in the Los Angeles area

Del dicho al hecho hay mucho trecho

Nationality: American, Mexican (dual)
Age: 45
Occupation: Stay at home parent
Residence: Concord, CA
Language: Spanish

This is actually a common saying from where my mom is from in Mexico (Mexico City), but it’s a very regional saying. She claims my father had no idea about it before he met her. It translates to “from words to actions, there’s a big gap.” Essentially saying that theres a big difference between what people say and what people do. She’s always told me this as a kid and I’ve been around my hispanic community and have never heard anyone else refer to it either. They understand because of language, but it’s likely their first time hearing it.

I’ve already mentioned it, but it’s a regional saying to those in Mexico City, I find that Mexico in general is really diverse in regional folklore. She has a gesture that’s specific to a region she lived in for a time. Although she doesn’t do it because it’s the equivalent of the middle finger. I have been around Mexico various times, and would say I’m equally if not more well-traveled in Mexico than the United States, and I’ve been to 23 United States. This proverb that she says seems to reflect the skepticism towards empty promises. Mexico City is an enormous city, and many people live day-to-day because of the uncertainty of tomorrow. I think this creates uncertainty between people as well as they are unsure if people can follow through on their promises.

Luvu – Folk Speech

Nationality: American
Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Residence: Los Angeles
Language: English

Text: Luvu

Context: “In my family, we always say ‘luvu’ in texts, the response is ‘luvu2’ now that we don’t have to worry about staying under four characters. It was originally a way for my sister to text my mom that she was okay or had gotten somewhere safe when she had an older phone and was limited in the number of texts she could send. Four characters didn’t count as a text, so ‘luvu’ didn’t count against her minutes. It was basically a measure of safety and has evolved into something my family says a lot, and is just kind of another greeting or goodbye to us now.”

Analysis: It is very common for families to develop unique phrases over time that they use amongst themselves. They are often borne out of circumstance, but become an integral part of a family’s relationship over the years. Even though they no longer need to stay under a character limit, the fact that the informant’s family still regularly uses this phrase is fascinating. It’s obviously a variation of “love you,” but “luvu” seems to be far more meaningful for the informant and their family than the more common, two-word version.
It reminds me of a quote I heard years ago, and while I can’t recall the exact wording, it said something along the lines of, “Love is creating your own language.” In other words, people who love each other, whether it’s a family, a couple, or even just close friends, come up with their own unique combinations of jargon, jokes, and phrases that may sound like complete gibberish to someone else. But to those people, they are familiar and comforting. Anyone who hears “luvu” will likely assume it’s just a shortened way of saying “love you.” And while they may be correct, only the informant and their family will ever truly understand its significance.