Category Archives: Folk speech

Tulu Proverb for Cooking

Tags: Proverb, India, Cooking, Tulu Language

Text

“Uppoo, Pulley, Moonchi”

“Salt, Sour, Chili”

Informant Info

Race/Ethnicity: Indian

Age: 22

Occupation: College Student

Residence: Northwest Arkansas, USA

Date of Performance: February 2024

Primary Language: English

Other Language(s): N/A

Relationship: Friend

Context

AH, the informant, is of Indian descent. Her father practices Hinduism and speaks Tulu. He has been a very influential figure in her upbringing.

Analysis

This rule of thumb is used for cooking. To have a perfect dish, in the informants words, one must add a “little bit of salt, a little bit of sour, and a little bit of chili.” This is a proverb used in Indian cuisine, inspired by their history of being one of the top spice producers/traders in the world, helping them to inspire recipes that leave a wonderful taste of culture in our mouths.

A side note, as I was doing research on this proverb, I could not find anything. After consulting with the informant, she informed me that “Tulu is mostly spoken.” An interesting fact that I found out after this conversation was that the Tulu language (with speakers concentrated in the Indian state of Karnataka) is best known for its oral traditions.

Armenian Love

Text

Romanization of Armenian: Dzhigyart utem

Direct Translation: “I’ll eat your liver.”

Context:

KT: It’s an expression of strong love, usually said to a child. I think it’s kind of similar to the English phrase “I could eat you right up.” 

KT has only heard the phrase said between family members, though he has no idea where it could have originated from.

Analysis:

Cuteness aggression is an odd but well-documented phenomenon. Common examples are loving a pet so much you want to squeeze it even though you would never hurt it. It is interesting that similar phrases have developed in many languages around the world. In Turkish, the translated phrase is the same and used in the same context. In Tagalog, the phrase “gigil” which means something is cute but refers specifically to the action of gritting your teeth because a baby is so cute.

To be Turkish

Text

Romanization of Turkish: Ne mutlu Turkum Diyene

Direct Translation: “How happy is the one who says I am a Turk!”

IC: It sounds confusing, but it means that anyone can identify as Turkish. Like if you went to Turkey and started living there and said “okay I’m Turkish now” most people would be like “lit you’re Turkish”.

Context

JS (interviewer): Why do you think this expression is used? Is it considered easy to be a part of Turkish culture?

IC: It’s more so why is it so hard to be part of any other culture? It originated because when the founder demolished the Ottoman Empire he realized a bunch of ethnicities lived in these borders (and the region as a whole is just a mixing pot), and it was like, we are building this nation now, anyone who lives here, anyone who wishes can be Turkish. Anyone who died in battle on these grounds (coming from other countries to fight Turkey) they are also now our “sons”. I feel like it is used to say “I may be ethnically xyz but I’m also a Turk.” My grandparents are Kurdish and fathers side Asian (Tatar) and maybe that’s why it was so prevalent to me. It doesn’t matter your background, it matters what you want to be a part of.

IC is an international student from Turkey. They were born and raised in Turkey and only moved to the United States to attend college at USC. 

Analysis

I have heard through other Turkish friends that Turkish culture is very open and accepting, which is a stark contrast to most Western countries. They value their culture. If other people value their culture and values just as much, they are already participating in an important part of what makes somebody Turkish. Additionally, a majority of Turkey developed under the Ottoman Empire and Islamic culture. Islam promotes hospitality and kindness, and welcomes anybody regardless of who they were before. Turkey has adopted these traditions and has ingrained this idea of hospitality and welcome into Turkish culture.

Spanish Soothing

Text:

Spanish: “Sana, Sana, Colita de Rana”
Direct Translation: “Heal, Heal, butt of the frog.”

Context:

DGM: It refers to soothing a child when they are upset or crying. I heard it from my family, though I have no clue why it exists, but it’s funny to say so maybe that helps calm kids down after they get hurt.

Analysis:

This may have begun as a grounding technique for injured or upset children. An example of this is saying something shocking to an adult to snap them out of a spiral, or telling someone to put an ice cube in their mouth when they are having a panic attack. The expression distracts them from why they were upset in the first place and forces them to focus on something else. Often children don’t know how to regulate their emotions well, they are still learning. Saying something silly can distract them and make it easier for them to calm down.

Filipino Gesture of Respect

Text:

JT: In the Philippines, a sign of respect for elders is to place the back of their right hand on your forehead.

Context:
JT: It’s a greeting, if you were to go up to your grandfather or grandmother. I think it’s really funny if you do it to someone who is not that old. Like if my 5-year-old cousin went up to me and did that I would be like “Bro I’m like 20!”.

JT was born in America, but both of his parents are Filipino. When he visits family in the Philippines he will greet his grandparents in this manner.

Analysis:

This is a folk gesture that acts as a sign of respect, similar to a Japanese bow. Commonly, signs of respect are words or phrases spoken to elders. This gesture is prevalent throughout the Philippines, and JT emphasized that respect is an important part of Filipino culture.