Tag Archives: alcohol

Italian Toast

Nationality: Italian-American
Performance Date: February 2007

“This wine is good and clear.
Good health to everyone.
Hope they bring to the cemetery the ones
who wanted to do away with it.”

This saying has been passed down through the paternal side of my family, who are all of Italian heritage.  My father’s grandparents were immigrants in the early twentieth century and were the last to speak Italian fluently in my father’s genealogy.  Some of my older relatives still remember this saying, however, and have said it on occasion though it is obsolete.  My father begins it when toasting to his family, but never gets past the first sentence.  As it involves Prohibition (1920-1933), its terminus post quem is 1920.  As recent immigrants, my great grandparents had left a country where good wine was plentiful and many people drank it daily, and were now faced with an across-the-board ban on every kind of alcoholic beverage.  According to my informant, the Italian men who immigrated near this time would continue to make wine that their families would drink, keeping it hidden in their cellars while brewing.  When the wine was finished and illegally drunk, a toast such as this would be offered.  This particular saying was either created or picked up by one of my father’s grandparents, and as my family has increasingly forgotten Italian (I know essentially none), the saying has remained, whether or not my relatives are aware that it is an anachronism.  Though it is obsolete, it reminds us of our common heritage and of my great-grandparents (now deceased) and their families.

Game – American

Nationality: American
Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Residence: Los Angeles, CA
Performance Date: March 2007
Primary Language: English

“Quarters”

My informant first heard of this drinking game during his junior year of high school.  The point of the game is to bounce your quarter into your empty cup.  The materials should consist of two cups, two quarters, a table, and participants.  The goal is to bounce your quarter into your cup and after successfully doing so, you put your cup into the person’s next to you and they have to drink.  There are many other little rules to the game but the basic principle of the game is stated above.  The reason why my informant learned of this game was because he was at a party where there were some kids drinking.  After a little time of drinking, the kids decided to have some fun and play a game so they played “quarters.”  This is where Matt learned the game for the first time, as he watched as an observer.  Now, the game “quarters” is played when a group of people want to drink and play a game at the same time.

My informant’s first reaction upon hearing about this game was that “it seemed pretty easy to follow and was pretty cool because it was the first time I had seen drinking being combined into a game.”  These games are usually played at parties, especially college parties.  Being a member of a fraternity, Matt said that a lot of fraternity members play these kinds of drinking games all the time.

The reason why this drinking game is important in my informant’s life is because he is currently a college student, and it is common for college students to drink upon entering the college atmosphere.  Matt joined a fraternity during his first semester of college, and almost every Thursday there are parties at his fraternity.  However, before one attends a party, it is the “cool thing to do is pregame,” which consists of getting drunk before actually attending the party.  Matt said the game “quarters” is a “perfect game for one to get a little alcohol in them so someone is tipsy when they come to the party.  That way someone is loose and ready to party when they come to my fraternity.”

The reason why this drinking game affects me is because I cannot drink.  I was born extremely sick and if I drink alcohol I will get acid reflux which could cause cancer of the esophagus.  Therefore, I do not drink, so I think these games are very interesting because I have never heard of them.  I think this game is interesting and simple, and the reason why it is so simple is so that when someone is drunk, he or she can still sit down and enjoy the game while at the same time understanding what is going on.

Game

Age: 20
Occupation: Student
Residence: Dallas, TX
Performance Date: February 3, 2007

Drinking Game – “Biz”

My informant learned the drinking game, “Biz,” from her friend in high school.  She and her friends would religiously play this game before they went out to parties.  She has implemented this drinking game into her college life as well.  Her audience, a group of college students that were planning on attending a party, but had spare time to kill before they wanted to leave.  They had two goals, to drink and have fun.

The main purpose of drinking games is to create a purpose for consuming alcohol.  Typically, games propose some form of challenge and the people that mess up have to drink as a punishment.  It is ironic because in most games, the punishment is to drink, when drinking is the whole point of the playing.  In “Biz,” everyone must start sitting in a circle.  The minimum number of players you can have is three.  The more people you have participating, the easier (and less fun) the game is.  Starting at zero and continuing in numerical order, each person must say a number.  Each time a person is supposed to say a number that includes seven or is a multiple of seven, that person must replace that number by screaming “biz.”  Every time someone says “biz” the order of people in which numbers are said switches (clockwise to counter-clockwise or vice-versa).  When it is a persons turn, they must not say the wrong number, forget to say “biz” if appropriate, take too long, or drastically mess up the rhythm.  If they do, they must take a long sip of their drink.  After they drink, they have to start back at zero.  The game creates a vicious cycle because the more you drink, the more you mess up, and the more you mess up, the more you must drink.

Sumner remembers this game because she loves to play it, and enjoys teaching it to new groups of people.  It is a great source of entertainment, and for most, a very fun way to get intoxicated.

Additionally, there are many different versions of general drinking games.  I have heard of different variations of this game, where people will say different words or use different numbers.

This item is an example of modern folklore that has been developed relatively recently by today’s generation and is most common at high school and college campuses throughout America.  Drinking games have become very prominent since drinking among teenagers and college students has become more accepted and common. They demonstrate how different kinds of folklore cater to different cultures and lifestyles.

Game – University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia

Residence: Athens, GA
Performance Date: March 2007
Primary Language: English
Language: Mandarin

“Andre Pong”

Wendy is a sophomore in college at the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia. She is originally from Marietta, Georgia a suburb of Atlanta located just thirty minutes out of the city center. Her parents are both from China and speak Mandarin as well as English. Wendy speaks mainly English but she is capable of understanding written and spoken Mandarin.

In order to play Andre pong, it is necessary to start with some basic materials. Andre pong requires, first and foremost, a large quantity of Andre (a cheap champagne that costs at average $4.99). In addition, it is necessary to have a table of substantial length along with twenty-two cups of the same brand and style as well as a ping-pong ball of regulation size. The table is set up as such: ten cups are placed on each side of the table in a triangular formation wherein the ten cups are in the same position as bowling pins. The remaining two cups are filled with water and used to clean the balls during play. Each team is composed of two team members who alternate taking turns in attempt to throw the ball into the opposing teams cups. Each time a ball lands in the opposing teams cup the team must remove to cup from the formation and subsequently drink the contents of the cup before play resumes. This process proceeds until one team has successfully tossed the ball into each of the opposing team’s cups. The ultimate object of the game is to beat the opposing team, though most players consider it victorious to consume that amount of alcohol in the process of the game regardless of the outcome.

Wendy says she was first taught the game upon her arrival to the University of Georgia in the fall of 2005. She encountered the game at a fraternity party at the Sigma Chi chapter at the University of Georgia. She says that the game is played both for the competition it provides as well as for its abilities to make the process of becoming intoxicated much more enjoyable.

It is interesting to find games such as Andre pong that involve both competition and heavy drinking. It seems that both of these: competition and heavy drinking are largely popular interests among college students in the United States of America. It is obvious that competition is valued at college campuses. If one is in doubt, he needs only to watch a college football game or basketball game and take notice of the intense rivalry and sense of school spirit found at most universities. In addition, teenage drinking levels have been increasing heavily over the last few decades to where it is no surprise that this is common practice at college campuses.

Etiquette – Germany

Nationality: Irish-American
Age: 21
Occupation: Student
Residence: St. Paul, MN
Performance Date: April 12, 2007
Primary Language: German
Language: English

Prost!

Cheers!

“When I first got to Germany and was 16 and was drinking beer because the legal alcohol drinking age is 16, people did this cheers thing before drinking. I thought it was just like what I’ve seen before in America and just clanked the glass and said ‘Prost’ back at my friends. Immediately after, they all commented on the fact that I did not look at them in the eyes and told me that I should always look people in the eyes when Prosting. Though they did not explain why, I imagine it was just a cultural tradition/etiquette thing. After that incident, I took my friends’ advice and did that every single time afterwards.  I realized everyone did really look at you in the eyes when Prosting and assumed that was probably a really important thing to do in Germany.”

The informant thinks it’s rather different from what we do here in the states in that it shows a more direct connection with one’s friends while drinking. It probably also emphasizes the way German people interact. Since looking away or indirectly at one’s eyes may indicate deceit or suspicion, it would only make sense that when toasting with friends, the least one can do is to make some eye contact.

Paradigmatically, looking at German culture as a whole, I think it makes a lot of sense that there is a lot of importance placed on drinking etiquette. Personally, I also find the eye contact fascinating because some cultures might actually take offense to that. While in Germany, toasting and looking directly at someone might signify friendship and honesty, perhaps in other cultures it might be considered rude to stare.