Tag Archives: folk speech

“Jiminy Crickets!”

Nationality: American
Age: 60
Occupation: Writer
Language: English

Context

My mother often used the phrase “Jiminy Crickets!” as a response to something that shocked or surprised her. I mean she even does it to this day. “Jiminy Crickets!” is a reference to the character Jiminy Cricket from Disney’s Pinocchio (1940). Here, the name is a euphemism for “Jesus Christ,” another exclamation with more socially risky language given attitudes around using the Lord’s name “in vain.” This makes the phrase a minced oath: a watered-down substitute for another phrase the conveys the same sentiment.

Analysis

Like many minced oaths, this phrase is meant to avoid using words considered taboo by certain communities while still expressing the same meaning. This phrase is a prime example of popular culture influencing folk vernacular. Apparently, John Bartlett in his 1848 book Dictionary of Americanisms makes note of “by Jiminy,” another exclamation that is itself a corruption of the Greek gemini twins. It seems that the name Jiminy has come completely full circle within American vernacular. It started as folk speech before becoming subsumed by a popular character, only to resurrect itself as a minced oath in the present day. From mythology, to everyday speech, to pop culture icon, to minced oath. The cyclical journey of “Jiminy Crickets” tells us a lot about how our culture influences folk language and vice versa.

Luvu – Folk Speech

Nationality: American
Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Residence: Los Angeles
Language: English

Text: Luvu

Context: “In my family, we always say ‘luvu’ in texts, the response is ‘luvu2’ now that we don’t have to worry about staying under four characters. It was originally a way for my sister to text my mom that she was okay or had gotten somewhere safe when she had an older phone and was limited in the number of texts she could send. Four characters didn’t count as a text, so ‘luvu’ didn’t count against her minutes. It was basically a measure of safety and has evolved into something my family says a lot, and is just kind of another greeting or goodbye to us now.”

Analysis: It is very common for families to develop unique phrases over time that they use amongst themselves. They are often borne out of circumstance, but become an integral part of a family’s relationship over the years. Even though they no longer need to stay under a character limit, the fact that the informant’s family still regularly uses this phrase is fascinating. It’s obviously a variation of “love you,” but “luvu” seems to be far more meaningful for the informant and their family than the more common, two-word version.
It reminds me of a quote I heard years ago, and while I can’t recall the exact wording, it said something along the lines of, “Love is creating your own language.” In other words, people who love each other, whether it’s a family, a couple, or even just close friends, come up with their own unique combinations of jargon, jokes, and phrases that may sound like complete gibberish to someone else. But to those people, they are familiar and comforting. Anyone who hears “luvu” will likely assume it’s just a shortened way of saying “love you.” And while they may be correct, only the informant and their family will ever truly understand its significance.

“Squid”

Nationality: American
Age: 20
Occupation: Student
Language: English

Slang Term: “Squid”

“When you refer to someone as a squid, it means that they are like an unsafe rider who doesn’t wear gear, so when you see someone, like, riding with a T-shirt or shorts or flip flops, they’re a squid.”

“I originally heard that time a few years back… at a bike meet. I looked it up and it turns out it’s like a full on, it’s just a term in the motorcycle community, calling people ‘squids’. It’s sort of used derogatorily-ish, because I mean anyone who’s been in a crash knows that you should not be wearing a T-shirt and flip flops.”

Analysis:

The term “squid” exists in this context as a deterrent for unsafe riders and places emphasis on having proper gear and safe practices. Motorcyclists attribute this phrase to several origins, some saying it is an acronym and others quoting the movement of a squid- a burst in one direction, changing, then a burst in another direction- as plausible explanations. Because one is more exposed on a motorcycle, it is important to take safety seriously and learn to be competent as well as confident. No one wants to be a squid, and being called one is likely meant to serve as a ‘wake up call’ that one’s behavior is unsafe and reflects poorly on the community. As O mentioned, anyone who has been in a crash knows the importance of protective gear. The difference between safe and unsafe behavior may be the difference between life and death, so the term ‘squid’ becomes an important part of keeping people alive and safe

High, Low, Sunshine

Age: 25
Occupation: Speech Therapist
Residence: Beach Haven, New Jersey
Language: English

Story: “This is one of my absolute favorite things that I used to do in my sorority with my sisters at Auburn University. Every chapter meeting, we would start with a High, Low, Sunshine! It’s kind of like “Rose, Bud Thorn,” except it’s exactly like “Rose, Bud, Thorn” but the “thorn” is in the middle, because we do NOT believe that you should end your happy stories with something bad! But so, typically we do a High, Low, Sunshine for our entire week. Someone will give their high of the week, then their low of the week, and finally– the sunshine is something your looking forward to in the upcoming week! I love doing this tradition so much with my sisters, that I’ve even brought this into spaces at work and with my friends. Now everytime we get together, we always do a High, Low, Sunshine!”

Analysis: This is a beautiful tradition in my opinion. It’s so fascinating how certain traditions can start in one place and then grow exponentially as they catch steam and more people learn to love it. It’s really cool to think about how all of these sorority sisters (who now live across the world) have shared their highs, their lows, and their sunshines with people from all walks of life. This is the kind of cultural folk speech that stretches across many other different cultures–its universal. I even started doing High, Low, Sunshines with my friends and families. It’s beautiful to hear about peoples’ weeks, and I could tell that this informant really loves this tradition. They loved talking about it, and we even ended our conversation by doing a High, Low, Sunshine.

“Bread and Butter” (Splitting the Pole)

• saying/banisher of bad luck

Many people subscribe to the superstition that “splitting the pole,” or in other words, walking on two different sides of a (usually tall and inanimate) object, i.e. a pole, is bad luck–sometimes promising a split in the pair’s relationship, poor fortune, or even death for one or both parties, according to different beliefs. 

Of course, for various reasons, sometimes it is impossible for two people to avoid splitting the pole, in which case one of them must say “bread and butter” to undo the bad luck. This is presumably tied to the idea that splitting the pole will cause the two to separate in some way, and butter can’t really be separated from bread once spread. 

While there is limited written documentation/proof, because the superstition around splitting the pole seems to have originated among Black Americans, many point to the context of slavery, the life-or-death need for enslaved people to stay together and seek protection in numbers, and the ever-present threat of external parties dividing them from loved ones. 

However, “bread and butter” makes even physical separation powerless, restoring the protective powers of community, especially in travel.