Category Archives: Folk speech

Itch Saying Folklore

Age: 39
Hometown: Enid, Oklahoma
Location: Oklahoma

Context:
My dad was born and raised in Oklahoma and often heard these phrases from older family members and friends.

Content:
“If nose is itching someone’s thinking about you”

and

“If palms are itching you’re about to get some money”

Analysis:
These sayings show how people try to turn random body sensations into signs of something bigger, especially things they care about like money or relationships. The idea that an itchy nose means someone is thinking about you or that itchy palms are a signal that money is incoming, reflects a relationship between the body and external outcomes.

The short and memorable nature of these phrases allows for them to be passed down through generations. The fact that they also seem to be regionally specific to Oklahoma highlight that certain beliefs are more common in specific areas due to demographics such as race, class, and gender.

Ears Ringing Folklore

Age: 39
Hometown: Enid, OK
Location: Oklahoma

Context:
My dad told me this when I told him that my ears were ringing one day. He is originally from Oklahoma but now lives in the Bay Area, CA. He told me that he heard this saying from his parents as well as other older relatives and family friends.

Content:
“If your ears are ringing someone is talking about you”

Analysis:
This is a folk belief that links a physical sensation and social meaning. It’s interesting how something completely random like your ears ringing can be turned into something social. This saying also reinforces awareness of social relationships, even when the people involved are not present. Overall, it shows how folklore assigns significance to ordinary experiences to make them feel connected to a larger social world.

Oklahoma Folk Speech

Age: 39
Hometown: Enid, Oklahoma
Location: Oklahoma

Context:
My dad heard this phrase growing up in Oklahoma. The phrase is used in response to someone asking a question about doing something, such as “Are we going to the grocery store today?” or “Are you still making biscuits and gravy for dinner?”.

From what he understands, this phrase comes from the real concern about creeks flooding during rainy season in Oklahoma and how it might impact people’s day/livelihood.

Content:
“If the good lord is willing and the creek doesn’t rise/flood”

Analysis:
This phrase is a regional proverb that expresses uncertainty about the future. It combines the religious beliefs of the area with local environmental realities. This reflects a world in which both divine intervention and environmental control influence everyday life. It’s short and easily repeatable allowing for easy use in everyday conversations. Additionally, the phrase highlights how the cultural environment and regional identity shape language and expressions, demonstrating how folklore provides a way for people to communicate uncertainty.

Folk Sayings and Complaints

Age: 39
Hometown: Enid, OK
Location: Oklahoma

Context:
I first heard this phrase from my dad, who is originally from Oklahoma. He told me that he heard this saying from his parents and other older relatives and family friends. He uses it as a response if someone is complaining a lot.

Content:
“You’d complain if you were hung with a new rope”

Analysis:
This is a folk saying or proverb that is used to comment on one’s behavior. It utilizes an exaggeration as well as dark humor to reinforce a cultural value of toughness and not overreacting to minor problems. The phrase functions as a form of social regulation as it discourages complaints by making them seem menial or unreasonable. Overall, it shows how folklore communicates norms and expectations through memorable phrases.

“Stop Shitting Yourself!”

Age: 22

Context: While at a coffee shop, my friend told me a phrase that she and her mother use when they’re overthinking things. They learned it from a family friend who told them a story about her grandmother.

Text:

“Like, stop shitting yourself? Like, even as a kid, I just…my mind runs rampant. I have a huge imagination, which is great in a lot of ways, ’cause it means that I can work creatively, but also, like, it tends to run rampant in anxiety ways too. And so, my mom told me this story of, and she’s a psychologist, but my mom told me this sotry of one of her friends or clients. Um, she was talking with her grandmother and she was like, ‘God I should have done this differently. Like, I should have done blah, blah, blah. I should have done this.’ And her grandmother just slammed the tale, and she said, ‘You need to stop shitting yourself!’

And so I think that has always kind of…stuck with me. Like these, should statements as…cognitive distortions. So we just kind of say to each other, ‘You need to stop shitting yourself.’

Analysis:

I thought this story was hilarious to imagine a blunt statement coming from an elder. Overall, I feel like we naturally think of proverbial phrases as ancient or passed down through generations. However, to hear one as crass yet encouraging was a funny refresh. As we’ve discussed in class, it’s still interesting to me that, even in a modern context, this is advice from an elder. The pattern of us relying on others who have lived life a little longer is continuous, no matter the era.