Interviewer: What phrases are a part of your life that most people would find interesting or strange? 

S: Yes, I’d do it. It’s from my time as a marine. Have you heard the acronym JJ DID TIE BUCKLE?

Interviewer: What does it stand for? 

S: It’s a mnemonic to remember the 14 essential leadership traits. 

Interviewer: Would you be willing to name them?

S: Oh yeah, here we go: Justice, judgment, dependability, initiative, decisiveness. Tact, integrity, enthusiasm, bearing, unselfishness, courage Knowledge Loyalty Endurance

Interviewer: Wow, do you use this a lot in your life?

S: Whenever I need to remind myself of these values. The mnemonic really helps, and it’s a great thing current and past Marines can bond over. God knows we’ve all had to repeat this thing countless times. 

Context: 

The informant is a student at the University of Southern California. Before starting his undergraduate education, he served in the United States Marine Corps. 

Analysis:

This acronym is a marker of group identity. It teaches the members of the group where it is practiced about what values they are expected to internalize. In this form, folklore can communicate moral instructions. The phrase has both formal and informal qualities, which heightens its ability to act as a bonding object. The informant continues to use this acronym during times of need even in his civilian life. Although “JJ DID TIE BUCKLE” comes from a formal institution, it becomes folklore through repeated performance and insider recognition.