Category Archives: Folk speech

I’ll burn that bridge when I get to it – Proverb

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

Text: I’ll burn that bridge when I get to it

Context: “I’ve always used this instead of ‘I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it.’ The original proverb feels way too optimistic. I’m not necessarily trying to be pessimistic, but burning the bridge is more accurate. When I know there’s something challenging coming up, I just want to get through it.”

Analysis: This isn’t the first time I’ve heard of someone twisting a traditional proverb into something original. Some people simply don’t resonate with the borderline toxic positivity that many proverbs carry, and as a result, they come up with a variation that they feel applies to them better. Some issues aren’t a bridge to cross. Sometimes, they need to burn. And while this spin on a very well known proverb might come across as too negative, I appreciate a more realistic take.

Trapped in a Room – Riddle

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

Riddle: “You’re trapped in a room with no windows and no doors, no escape. There’s nothing but a table and a mirror. How are you able to get out?”

Solution: Look in the mirror, and you see what you saw. Take the saw, cut the table in half. Two halves make a whole, jump through the (w)hole.

Context: “I think I heard this from either my older sister or my mom first. It was one of those things they told me to try and stump me because how was I supposed to know the wordplay? I remember getting really frustrated at it but then thinking it was brilliant and immediately telling a bunch of other people, feeling so smart because I knew the wordplay and they didn’t. It’s one of those riddles that’s less about the actual process of finding the answer, it comes down to whether you know the specific wordplay or not.”

Analysis: This is undoubtedly the most creative riddle I’ve heard in a long time. The majority of riddles I’ve heard are just overly vague descriptions of simple things, like an egg or a mountain, but this one is far more interesting. I struggle to think of how someone could solve it without first being clued into the wordplay. But instead of that detracting from the quality of the riddle, I think it adds to it. The unusual nature of the riddle is what captivated the informant and gave it such significance to them, only compounded by the fact that they initially heard it from a close family member.

Hooah – Folk Speech

Nationality: American
Age: 56
Occupation: Physician
Residence: Los Angeles
Language: English

Text: Hooah

Context: “Hooah is a term that just about everyone in the military knows. It doesn’t really mean anything specific, it’s more of a general term that means different things in different contexts. You can use it like ‘dude,’ so if we’re in a conversation, I could say ‘hooah’ to be easily agreeable. Or if there’s something awesome I could say ‘HOOAH!’ enthusiastically. If I jump out of a helicopter, I’ll yell ‘hooah’ and that’s sort of an army specific thing. If you ask me to do something I don’t really want to do, I’ll say ‘hooah’ (said with a dejected tone). It can really be used for anything.”

Analysis: It’s no secret that the military has its own unique jargon that is shared amongst its members. Because military life is so difficult, those involved form a bond of companionship stronger than most other groups or organizations in the world, and language is the primary means through which this takes form. But what I think sets “hooah” apart from the countless other military terms and phrases is how broadly usable it is. I can’t think of any terms from any groups that can mean as many things as this. The fact that it is so universal in the military but completely absent anywhere else speaks to the strong community aspect of the institution, which I feel is often overlooked when discussing it.

Chinese proverb

“锲而舍之，朽木不折；锲而不舍，金石可镂。”

Translation – “If you stop carving, even rotten wood can’t be broken; never give up, and even metal and stone can be engraved.”

Encountered by informant – a Chinese speaker – innumerable times growing up, especially in regards to schoolwork.

This proverb is a frequent fixture of Chinese speakers’ conversation. It is often invoked in a similar manner to “where there’s a will, there’s a way,” highlighting the necessity of perseverance and persistent effort in various endeavors.

Generation X Slang Phrase

“Grody to the max.” – Slang phrase indicating that something is the grossest; the worst.

Informant unsure of when first encountered; could have potentially been picked up from a teen movie or TV program. In any case, it saw ubiquitous use by her young Gen X brethren.

A phrase full of 1980s mojo which like other phrases has sadly fallen out of frequent use – at least in full. To that point, a derivative of the phrase – “grody” – does still seem to get occasional mileage as a slang adjective from younger generations.