Category Archives: Folk speech

“Assume” Saying

Text:

“You know what my Dad loved to do whenever we said the word assume? He’d run to get a piece of paper and write the word assume. Then he’d go ‘You know what happens when you assume? You make an ass out of you and me!’” (As J said the second sentence, she made three motions with her hands as she said the words “ass,” “you,” and “me” to mimic someone underlining the words with a pen or pencil).  

Context:

J, my mother, was taught this saying when she was a young child in Ontario, Canada by my grandfather. She told me this story with a sense of fondness, smiling as she recounted how her father would “run to get a pen and paper” every time she or one of her siblings used the word “assume” in her childhood home. To her, humor seemed to be the main element of her father’s use of the phrase. From what I remember of my own childhood, I haven’t seen her use the phrase-gesture combo, although I have heard the saying. 

Analysis:

To me, this saying’s humorous nature and its accompanying gestures seem to function as emphasis or a form of mnemonic. By breaking down the word “assume” into a memorable phrase and repeating it constantly, my grandfather caused his children to remember the saying well into adulthood. If my mother and her siblings are able to easily remember the saying, they therefore also remember, consciously or not, its accompanying warning against making assumptions. The use of taboo language also helps to convey the saying’s message, possibly indicating my grandfather’s belief in the incorrect or improper nature of assuming. On the other hand, this saying could also be a way to use or explore taboo language in a more socially accepted manner (which, like my mother, I think is likely). Like many instances of folk speech, if saying something directly would get a person in trouble, they can instead use the proverb to call on collective wisdom and divert the blame. I also suspect that my grandfather in particular may have adapted the phrase into a kind of “dad humor” used to tease and bond with his kids.

“Mary’s Mother” Riddle

Text: 

Riddle: “Mary’s mother has five children. Her first four children’s names are April, May, June, and July. What is the fifth child’s name?”

Answer: “Mary”

Context:

H is currently a student at USC. She originally heard this riddle from someone at her elementary school in San Diego, California, where the students would tell it amongst each other. After sharing the riddle, H remarked that the important part of the joke seemed to be the “gotcha” twist. They also noted that the names of the four other children didn’t seem to matter as much as there being a pattern to them that might help trick the riddle’s recipient. 

Analysis: 

H already pointed out many interesting points of analysis about this riddle. Like H, I find it significant that the point of the riddle seems to be to fool the riddle recipient into forgetting the beginning of the riddle, leading them to give an incorrect answer that would seem logical to the sequence of names. I personally think that the desire to trick someone using this riddle ties in closely with the elementary setting in which H originally heard it. As has been discussed, much of children’s folklore stems from trying to establish a sense of authority in a world in which children have very little. By knowing the answer to this riddle, children may temporarily hold authority over a peer or adult who doesn’t. It is also worth noting that knowing the riddle or a similarly structured one creates an in-group; those children who have been tricked by the riddle can then go on to trick others. By learning the structure of the riddle, the recipient also learns to pay closer attention and look for important details in future riddles or logic puzzles.

My Girlfriend’s Favorite Saying

Text: A saying that A’s mom always says to her is “such is life” which to A means ”you gotta keep moving on. It’s just life.”

Context: A keeps this saying close to her chest because not only was she introduced to this saying from her mom but it has also helped her many times in life when things seem down. 

Analysis: After some research I found that the saying “such is life” was first recorded as the last words of Australian Bushranger Ned Kelly right before he was hanged for murder. I’m sure he was not the first person to say this, but he was the first to be recorded saying it. This would make me believe that this saying originated in Australia around the 1880’s. The fact that it is still circulating today would mean that it has traveled to every corner of the English speaking world.

Coaching Advice

“Everything’s important; nothing is special.”

Context:

“My coaches used to say, ‘Everything’s important; nothing is special,'” says the informant. “Essentially, they meant ‘how you do one thing, is how you do everything.'” Throughout their collegiate athletic career, they heard this phrase often, typically as “what the coaches thought was a form of encouragement.”

Analysis:

The formulation in which advice or wisdom is given changes, depending on the climate or the environment of these interactions. In this case, the intent behind these messages is built out of fostering determination within players. These types of phrases are similar to those used by coaching figures, generally speaking, like “keep your eyes on the prize” or “work hard, play hard.” Phrases like these encourage players to focus on their goals and visualize the outcomes that they want to, ultimately, push them harder. The reception of the message depends on the execution of how the intent is presented. In using specific verbiage, one could actually deter or lower potential excitement and energy, especially when in a position of coaching. In providing advice, it is important to have a keen awareness of recipient perception, or else, sometimes the message can be lost.

Got a Secret?

“It all comes out in the wash.”

Context:

The informant remembers their grandmother telling them: “it all comes out in the wash.” Now, reflecting on their childhood, they knows this meant “secrets usually aren’t kept secret” and made them feel like “no problem was too serious.”

Analysis:

Essentially, when facing personal issues that one is worried about, this saying emphasizes the strength of familial bonds surpassing hardship. The informant’s recollections suggest that nothing an individual can go through is too difficult for the entire family and that, with their support and guidance, everything will all be figured out eventually. Hence, “in the wash” means that everything will eventually be cleaned and sorted to the point of almost renew and refresh. This folkloric family-derived saying is one of encouragement and support for family members. Speech like this serves as a reminder that everyone is only human and can do nothing at the end of the day other than choose to be better for and with their family.