Category Archives: Folk speech

Testudo the Turtle and the Virgin Graduate

Nationality: American
Age: 68
Occupation: Senior Vice President of a research institution
Residence: San Diego
Performance Date: 4/18/15
Primary Language: English

Then there’s the folklore of Testudo. It’s the statue at the University of Maryland, of a land turtle, a terrapin, it’s this big turtle it sits on a big granite, uh…pedestal, in front of the library. And his nose is really shiny, because people rub his nose for good luck. Whenever you pass by him. And the legend is that when a virgin graduates from the University of Maryland, the turtle will do a backflip. And no one’s ever seen the turtle move. Put that in there!

 

Do you remember when you first heard it?

 

Orientation! Freshmen orientation.

 

Who told it to you?

 

The Orientation leader.

 

ANALYSIS:

This turtle statue is clearly a point of pride and identification for the University and its students. Located in the middle of campus, and symbolic of their school pride (it being their mascot), it is in the public eye and everyone seems to participate in the traditions surrounding it. First, there’s the belief that if you rub its nose you will have good luck – which is a unifying ritual that all students can share, and enforces their school culture. Second, the joke that implies that no virgin has every graduated from the University of Maryland is also clearly a point of pride and culture. And third, the fact that orientation leaders distribute this tale to new students as a kind of intitiatory introduction to what the school culture is all about, shows that the students pride themselves (and make fun of themselves) for “getting around” and having fun in college. This is saying to the new students, welcome, you will have fun here and I promise you will get laid in college – with a subtle warning that if you don’t, everyone will know you’re a virgin because the statue will do a backflip! You don’t want that humiliation or want to kill the tradition.

Mas Sabe el Diablo por Viejo que por Diablo

Nationality: Mexican
Age: 51
Occupation: Housewife
Residence: Koreatown
Performance Date: April 29, 2015
Primary Language: Spanish

RH was born in Santa Catarina La Chatao, a pueblo in Oaxaca, Mexico. All of the proverbs that she knows she learned from her mother who learned them from her mother and so on. Proverbs[Dichos] are a more subtle way of communicating in Mexican culture, and are ways of having entire conversations with only one sentence. Most dichos speak of faults that can be found in human nature and how that can lead to fall out among kin and kith groups.

 

 

Mas sabe el diablo por viejo que por diablo

 

The devil knows more due to being old rather than being the devil

 

To my mother this proverb means that people are knowledgeable due to their age and experience rather than for a title they may hold as is the case of the devil. It is an interesting saying and shows the contrast of a culture where respect for the elderly is expected which is unlike American culture where respect is given due to titles rather than age.

Dime de que Presumes y te Dire de que Careses

Nationality: Mexican
Age: 51
Occupation: Housewife
Residence: Koreatown
Performance Date: April 29, 2015
Primary Language: Spanish

RH was born in Santa Catarina La Chatao, a pueblo in Oaxaca, Mexico. All of the proverbs that she knows she learned from her mother who learned them from her mother and so on. Proverbs[Dichos] are a more subtle way of communicating in Mexican culture, and are ways of having entire conversations with only one sentence. Most dichos speak of faults that can be found in human nature and how that can lead to fall out among kin and kith groups.

 

 

Dime de que presumes y te dire de que careses

 

Tell me what you boast of and I will tell you of what you are made of

 

 

For my mother this proverb means that a person makes presumptions about their worth without having proved themselves. It is used when a person boasts about being able to do things but never showing that they are capable of doing them. It is mostly used against people who try to make themselves out to be of a higher caste/position than they are.

 

Dios los Crea y Ellos Se Juntan

Nationality: Mexican
Age: 51
Occupation: Housewife
Residence: Koreatown
Performance Date: April 29, 2015
Primary Language: Spanish

RH was born in Santa Catarina La Chatao, a pueblo in Oaxaca, Mexico. All of the proverbs that she knows she learned from her mother who learned them from her mother and so on. Proverbs[Dichos] are a more subtle way of communicating in Mexican culture, and are ways of having entire conversations with only one sentence. Most dichos speak of faults that can be found in human nature and how that can lead to fall out among kin and kith groups.

 

 

Dios los crea y ellos se juntan

 

God creates them and they bring themselves together

 

 

This proverb is used in a negative context. It speaks of two people who have faults in common and come together thus increasing the negative aspects of themselves and each other. It is used in reference to couples who cause conflicts with other people, usually by spreading rumors and gossip.

 

Dime con Quien Andas y te Dire Quien Eres

Nationality: Mexican
Age: 51
Occupation: Housewife
Residence: Koreatown
Performance Date: April 29, 2015
Primary Language: Spanish

RH was born in Santa Catarina La Chatao, a pueblo in Oaxaca, Mexico. All of the proverbs that she knows she learned from her mother who learned them from her mother and so on. Proverbs[Dichos] are a more subtle way of communicating in Mexican culture, and are ways of having entire conversations with only one sentence. Most dichos speak of faults that can be found in human nature and how that can lead to fall out among kin and kith groups.

 

 

Dime con quien andas y te dire quien eres.

 

Tell me with who you interact with an I will tell you who you are.
This proverb is about being careful of who you befriend. It is mostly used for people who are searching for an identity among the wrong people and do not seem to realize that they are making the wrong choices.