Category Archives: Folk speech

Brutal Barney

TEXT:

“I hate you, you hate me. Let’s get together and kill Barney.”

CONTEXT:

The informant from Pennsylvania shared that around 2010-2012 they heard many songs sung by their classmates regarding the brutal dismantlement of Barney and his purple body parts.

Informant- “In elementary school, there would be like different songs about like Barney, like the purple dinosaur Barney being like violently eviscerate, and it was like “I hate you you hate me. Let’s get together and kill Barney,” and it would be like, “with a big sharp ax…” and something something something.”’ 

Informant-“A Wikipedia page somewhere dedicated to violent playground songs about Barney I think one of them like the punchline is like flushing him down the toilet” 

Informant-“I’m not entirely sure what the purpose was and I feel like it was just like other classmates like other other kids we were singing them and there was like that whole like kind of urban legend that like Barney had gone crazy on on live television And I don’t know that that was true.”

ANALYSIS:

I myself recall hearing similar songs relating to Barney as a child growing up around the same time as the informant and from our seedings feel that another great example of this morphed folk speech can be explained in Davies, “Jokes That Follow Mass-Mediated Disasters” & Mechling, Jay. “‘Cheaters Never Prosper’ and Other Lies Adults Tell Kids: Proverbs and the Culture Wars over Character.” I especially think that Mechling explores the thought behind children finding great joy in twisting the songs they hear, such as the theme song from the children’s show Barney, and making it into something entirely their own, which also raises their status (at least in their own mind) to a higher level of maturity.

If and Buts

Age: 23

TEXT: If ifs and buts were candies and nuts we’d all have a merry Christmas.

CONTEXT:

My informant, who grew up in Central Pennsylvania, shared that this saying was something they heard from their parents growing up. “I don’t know if that’s just my family or just like an eastern/northeastern United States thing or just like older saying, but it was very common for my parents to say oh “If ifs and buts were candies and nuts we’d all have a merry Christmas.”’

ANALYSIS:

I had never heard of this saying before, but after some research, I was able to find it on the USC archive in a post from 2024! From what I’ve gathered, it seems to be a common phrase on the east coast of the United States. Folk speech such as this phrase communicates to others that you are a part of a community. In this instance this phrase would communicate that you are from a specific region of the US as well as that you grew up with or spent some significant time with children, as it is aimed at kids who might be complaining about a small matter.

The dog that bit you

Age: 44

TEXT:

“Nothing better to beat a hangover than getting a taste of the dog that bit you.”

CONTEXT:

A saying used by the informant’s grandfather and uncle, in reference to curing a hangover. The informant later explained her disbelief in the saying and application of the saying, stating, “I just think it makes you more drunk, and then you just don’t feel as bad.”

ANALYSIS:

This take on the traditional English proverb the hair of the dog was used by my informants grandparent and uncle growing up in Chicago. The saying offers a fresh and witty take on the widely known saying, and when thinking of the same or sharing it with others, such as was the case with this interview, my informant is reminded of her childhood and interactions with now deceased relatives. These sayings bring back memories in a bittersweet way, but keep the memory of those who said them alive. In my opinion, this is a combination of folk medicine (hangover cure) and a proverb.

“Red sauce”

Text:

Interviewee: “In my family, we call the red pasta sauce red sauce, but I know there’s a lot of debate about what it’s called. Some people call it gravy, which is disgusting. I know ours has zucchini and onion. Some people call it pasta sauce or marinara.”

Interviewer: “My family also calls it red sauce.”

Context:

This came up during a folklore class discussion about minor folk speech. The interviewee shared a common family term for pasta sauce and compared it to other names used by different people. The interviewer (me) noted that I, too, call it red sauce, as does the rest of my family.

Analysis:

This story shows how families have their own names for foods. Calling it “red sauce” connects the speaker to their family and reflects shared traditions. It also highlights how food language can spark similarities, or conversely, debate between families.

“Targeé” aka Target

Text:

Interviewee: “My mom calls Target ‘Targeé,’ usually when she’s super excited to go to Targeé.”

Interviewer: “My mom says that too! Does anyone else in your family say it?”

Interviewee: “No, just my mom. I think it’s a middle-aged woman thing.”

Context:

This came up in a folklore class discussion about minor folk speech and family language. The interviewer noted that both their mom and the interviewee’s mom say “Targeé,” showing how different and silly pronunciations can run in multiple families.

Analysis:

This story is an example of family-based folk speech. “Targeé” makes the generic name more fun and seems to be a middle-aged woman thing.