Category Archives: Folk speech

El Pez Muere

Nationality: Columbian
Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Residence: Los Angeles
Primary Language: Spanish
Language: English

Main Piece:

Participant – “Growing up my mom’s always been very out there and has always expressed her opinion through her fashion and through what she wears and everything, so she’s always been very out there, she doesn’t care what people thing but she’s always told me that you have to be careful what you say because, essentially in Spanish you say…

 

‘el pez muere por la boca’

 

…which means ‘the fish dies through the mouth’ which is kind of like think before you speak and watching what you say. She’s always said you don’t want to do things to other people that you don’t want to be done to you. Like taking everyone into consideration and essentially like don’t be a mean person, and just thinking about everything before you say it.”

Context:

I asked the participant and some friends if they grew up hearing any common proverbs or life lessons from the people around them. The participant shared this with me after some of our other friends shared proverbs as well.

Background:

The participant has grown up in many parts of the world, she was originally born in Columbia but moved to the California Bay Area and grew up there until she was 12. After that, her family moved to Paris, France where she went to high school until at age 16 her family moved to Hong Kong. Now the participant is a second semester student at the University of Southern California in the School of Dramatic Arts. Both of her parents were born in Columbia and her family goes back every Christmas and Summer. This proverb has been told to the participant her entire life by her mother and it has always stuck with her.          

Analysis:

Proverbs are a simple and easy way to share and remember life lessons. Extensive meaning is packed into a little phrase that can effortlessly be passed from person to person. The participant learned this proverb from her mom making it more personal and leaving a lasting impression. The participant now utilizes this message in her day to day life, the way proverbs are intended to be thought of.

Columbian Drinking Chant

Nationality: Columbian
Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Residence: Los Angeles
Primary Language: Spanish
Language: English

Main Piece: 

Participant – “In Columbia we would um… we would have a… like in Christmas we would drink a lot like in December, in the summer like it’s just a social thing and everyone…to gather around everyone knows this one chant, which is…

 

‘Pa’riba, pa’bajo, pa’centro, pa’dentro’

 

…which essentially, it rhymes, and it means ‘up, down, to the middle, and then in’ so like you would all, like everyone would put their glasses up and put their hand up, hand down, and then you would cheers in the middle and then just down it, and I don’t know it’s just always been like even if the moods down a little bit, once one person starts it, it just brings the whole party up and like the atmosphere just completely gets like super hype.”

Context:

The participant shared this chant with me after another one of our friends showed us a drinking song that everyone sang at home. Even though the participant is no longer in Columbia I have still seen her do this chant here and teach it to friends, sharing the tradition.

Background:

The participant has grown up in many parts of the world, she was originally born in Columbia but moved to the California Bay Area and grew up there until she was 12. After that, her family moved to Paris, France where she went to high school until at age 16 her family moved to Hong Kong. Now the participant is a second semester student at the University of Southern California in the School of Dramatic Arts. Both of her parents were born in Columbia and her family goes back every Christmas and Summer. This chant is common knowledge among all of the participants family and is common all over Columbia.           

Analysis:

Although this could be seen as just a drinking chant, the importance comes through in the meaning it holds to the participants. They all find it to be a common source of bonding and it helps them feel more connected in social situations. This is common with many drinking songs as it creates a sense of togetherness and makes you feel part of a group.

Yo Sun-Sun Ikimashou

Nationality: Japanese, Mexican, American
Age: 23
Occupation: USC Student
Residence: Los Angeles
Performance Date: 4/19/18
Primary Language: English
Language: Japanese

On a few occasions my informant, Peter, has taken my hand and rhythmically chanted a short, japanese phrase while swinging our arms back and forth. I never knew what he was saying or who he had learned it from until I asked to document it. The following is from when I interviewed him in the USC Village:

 

Me: “Can you explain that thing you do where you swing our hands while sing-chanting in Japanese? What is that?”

 

Peter: “Well, when I used to go on walks with my grandmother, we would hold hands and swing them while chanting this over and over again: ‘Yo sun-sun ikimashou, yo sun-sun ikimashou.’”

 

Me: “Could you please translate that for me?”

 

Peter: “The ‘Yo sun-sun’ part does not have a real meaning…”

 

Me: “Can you extrapolate on that?”

 

Peter: “It’s like, ‘la, la, la” in English. It’s just sing-songy.”

 

Me: “And the second part?”

 

Peter: “That means, like, ‘Onward, here we go…;’ but in a pleasant way.”

 

My informant then helped my find the Japanese script and translation with my computer so I could add it to my entry:

~Original script: 行きましょう

~Roman script: Ikimashou

~Translation: (A nice way of saying) Let’s Go

 

Analysis:

I’m so glad my informant chose to share this with me. I now know a little more about his cultural background and how that comes into play in his everyday. I’m also honored that he has done this with me when we hold hands. I think it means he feels connected to me, and wants to replicate the happy feelings he got from his grandmother in me.

 

Irish Limerick

Nationality: Irish, American
Age: 19
Occupation: USC Student
Residence: Los Angeles
Performance Date: 4/19/18
Primary Language: English

My informant, an Irish-American male, grew up immersed in Irish culture. He was excited to share his Limericks with me — especially because sharing stories and poems is an important part of Irish social culture. I collected this Limerick (which he learned from his father) from him while we sat on his couch:

 

Killian: “There once was a man Paul,

Who went to a fancy dress ball;

He thought he would risk it,

and went as a biscuit .

And was eaten by a dog in the hall.”

 

Me: “Why did you share this particular Limerick?”

 

Killian: “I like this one because it’s funny — it’s just so stupid! [He chuckles] It’s my comedy!”

 

Me: “Any other reasons or significance?”

 

Killian: “I say it a lot sometimes. Oh! My dad’s name is Paul, so whenever we shared this, it would be, like, a little funnier.”

 

I asked my informant for more context of the piece, and he told me that sharing Limericks and stories is a component of Irish parties. The parties are called ‘singsongs.’ People get together and share stories, limericks, songs, and play traditional Irish instruments. Usually, everyone knows how to play every instrument and knows every song, so they usually happen spur of the moment — “and drunk. But that goes without saying.”

Analysis:

My informant has told me on many occasions that he is good at coming up with Limericks. He often jokes that it’s ‘in his blood’ because of his Irish heritage. He especially likes to share them when he is having fun with this friends, which replicates the tradition of Irish singsongs. My favorite part of collecting this piece, though, was seeing his passion as he performed the poem.

 

Nigerian Wings Proverb

Nationality: Nigerian
Age: 21
Occupation: Student
Residence: Los Angeles, California
Performance Date: 24 April 2018
Primary Language: English

Context:

Stanley Kalu was raised in Nigeria. Since then, he and his family have lived in various African countries. He currently studies screenwriting at the University of Southern California. He is a friend of mine, and he has often told me stories about growing up in Nigeria. I asked him for folklore, and without even needing to ask for Nigerian folklore, he offered up several pieces, including two proverbs. When I asked why he gave me two proverbs, he said that his mother often said them to him, and that mothers and their proverbs are so infamous that there are meme websites dedicated to them that he visits when he feels homesick. Stanley only speaks English, and told me the folklore in English.

Transcript:

Stanley: Yo, it’s Stanley. Ummmm, so, when you’re misbehaving, you come home past your curfew, your Mom or your Dad will say, “oh, so you have grown wings, eh? We will cut them off.”

Owen: When did you hear this?

Stanley: Every time I went out, throughout my teenage years.

Owen: Where?

Stanley: In Kenya. But my parents are Nigerian. So they, and actually just everywhere we lived. Basically. Yeah.

Owen: So you think it’s a traditional Nigerian proverb?

Stanley: Yes. It is very traditional. Everybody says it.

Interpretation:

Stanley explained to me that Nigerian mothers are full of reproachful proverbs. This one essentially means that if you’re misbehaving, there’s an assumption that you think you’re above the rules, that you literally have wings–ie. too much pride. Even though this is a Nigerian proverb, Stanley’s family took it with them as they moved several times. Stanley only speaks English, and this is how he told me the proverb.