Tag Archives: saying

Hardship Proverb

Informant Info

Race/Ethnicity: White

Age: 20

Occupation: College Student

Residence: Los Angeles, USA

Date of Performance: February 20, 2025

Primary Language: English

Other Language(s): N/A

Relationship: Friend

Text: “When it rains, it pours.”

Context: The informant recalls hearing this saying often, especially when things felt overwhelming and everything seemed to go wrong at once. It was frequently used by the informant’s soccer coach during tough periods, acknowledging the feeling of being overwhelmed by multiple challenges at once, and offering comfort and solidarity.

Analysis: This saying reflects a deeply human experience—the feeling that when one problem arises, it often triggers a cascade of others. It highlights how people express empathy by recognizing that difficulties often come in waves, offering a sense of understanding and support. The saying helps individuals cope by framing challenges as something shared, reminding them that they are not alone in facing tough times. I see it as a way of using language to acknowledge the emotional weight of life’s difficulties and the universal experience of hardship.

Childhood Family Superstition

Informant Info

Race/Ethnicity: White

Age: 21

Occupation: College Student

Residence: Connecticut, USA

Date of Performance: February 13, 2025

Primary Language: English

Other Language(s): N/A

Relationship: Friend

Text: “Step on a crack, break your mother’s back.” 

Context: The informant remembers hearing the saying “Step on a crack, break your mother’s back” during childhood, particularly when playing with friends. It was a common saying on the playground, where kids would avoid stepping on cracks in the sidewalk to avoid bad luck. Even though they knew it was nonsensical, the informant and their friends would still follow the rule for fun, making it part of their playful rituals.

Analysis: This saying is a typical example of folk speech, a type of saying or ditty passed down informally through generations. While it lacks any real logical basis, it’s part of a childhood tradition that shapes behavior in a playful way. The saying reflects how cultural beliefs, no matter how irrational, can influence actions, especially when repeated among peers. It’s also a good example of how sayings like this contribute to social bonding, with children sharing a common, fun rule to follow. In my opinion though it doesn’t have real-world consequences, the saying helps form part of the social fabric of childhood play, showing how such sayings are passed down through communities, creating shared experiences.

Ingraining Responsibility Proverb

Informant Info

Race/Ethnicity: White

Age: 21

Occupation: College Student

Residence: Connecticut, USA

Date of Performance: February 13, 2025

Primary Language: English

Other Language(s): N/A

Relationship: Friend

Text: “You reap what you sow.” 

Context: The informant’s parents often used this proverbial saying during high school, especially when they were falling behind on assignments or goals. It was a reminder to take responsibility and stay on top of things. Whenever the informant struggled or didn’t get the results they expected, their parents would remind them that effort directly leads to outcomes. It was a way to teach the value of hard work and staying committed, especially during challenging times.

Analysis: This saying emphasizes personal responsibility and the importance of hard work, with a focus on long-term outcomes rather than immediate gratification. It suggests a relationship between actions and consequences, mirroring the work ethic valued in many cultures, particularly in Western beliefs. In Western societies, the idea of “you reap what you sow” closely aligns with the notion of the “American Dream,” which emphasizes that individuals can achieve success through hard work, dedication, and perseverance. The informant’s recollection highlights how this proverb functions as a reminder that success isn’t just about talent, but about consistent effort and discipline. This aligns with the Western belief that individuals are responsible for their own achievements, and that the effort put forth will directly determine the results, reinforcing the values of personal responsibility and self-reliance.

Sleep with Jesus and the Angels

Nationality: Mexican-American
Occupation: Student, Business
Residence: Los Angeles, California
Language: English

Informant: “My mom would say ‘sleep with Jesus and the angels’ ever since I was a kid. It definitely has roots in Christianity; my mom is pretty religious. I think it made her feel better having put us to bed saying that. But also to get us to think about god and have it on our minds when we go to bed. She used to always say the first thing you should do in the morning and the last thing at night is pray. The Jesus and the angels part, I guess, has to do with the guardian angels watching over us. Knowing that we’re protected and taken care of.”

Context: The informant’s mother would say this to him when tucking him into bed. Both the informant and his mother are Christians, and his mom is fairly devout. He interprets it as his mom’s way of blessing him before bed and getting him to become closer to God. He also believes that a piece of this was rooted in his mom’s own worry. She wanted to ensure their safety and entrusted it to God.

Analysis: This seems to be a religious saying that the informant’s mother would use to bless their child before bed. However, this saying also serves the purpose of teaching children that they can trust God to watch over them and put their faith in him for protection. It lovingly solidifies the family’s belief system.

There’s No Crying in Baseball

Nationality: American
Occupation: Real Estate Investment and Development
Residence: Rancho Santa Fe, California
Language: English

Informant: “It comes from the movie A League of Their Own, the professional girl’s baseball league, created in World War 2 because the major and minor leaguers went off to fight in the war. Starring Tom Hank as the manager, one of the girls on the team was crying, and he said ‘there’s no crying in baseball.’ ‘Playing baseball is hard. It’s the hard that makes it great. If it was easy, everyone would do it.’ She was crying because he yelled at her. That’s kind of the background. I used it because you guys were younger, and you’d get upset about something, so I’d say there’s no crying in baseball. What I meant by that is: ‘This isn’t worth being upset about. It’s over; its ok; you learn from your mistake, and life goes on.”

Context: I asked my father about this line that he used to say a lot when I was younger. He was coaching me at the time, and as young kids do, I would cry sometimes if I got hurt. As such, he would tell me this to calm me down and keep me in a positive mindset. As he mentioned, it is from a movie about an all-women baseball league, and the line is pretty funny in context, especially when you consider how baseball is a very traditional and male-dominated sport. Tom Hanks chews out a woman on his team who had just made an error, and she starts crying, to which he responds: “Are you crying? There’s no crying in baseball.” Ever since my dad first said that I have repeated the line without knowing where it came from, and I have also heard other coaches or older men who like baseball repeat this saying.

Analysis: I think this line reflects a great deal about both the culture and attitudes surrounding baseball. Baseball has a very traditional culture, and fans of the sport tend to place a lot of value on appearances. Whether that be displaying sportsmanship or refraining from celebrating too hard on a good hit, most of this culture revolves around traditionally masculine ideas like not displaying too much emotion. I believe this is the core reason behind my father’s adoption of the saying. He found it funny, but he also wanted to instill the values of baseball that he found important. You don’t talk trash, you don’t disrespect the umpire, and you definitely don’t cry. Additionally, he wanted me to be good at the game and mentally resilient. This phrase, in my dad’s mind, served as an attempt to reframe baseball, or whatever task is at hand, as a fun challenge. However, this use of the phrase differs from what it meant in the movie, where it was less light-hearted, in my opinion.