Tag Archives: saying

Igbo Kwenu

Text:

“I’ve noticed it’s really popular in moments of gatherings, especially in moments of sorrow, or in a time where encouragement and bravery are really needed, or just when there’s a lot of difficult energy around — it’s just a way to rally and show support. It usually starts with a male of some sort, and he’ll say it, and then people will join in little by little, and by the time he repeats it for the last time, the whole crowd has said it: Igbo Kwenu.”

Context:


Igbo Kwenu is used as a rallying call at a variety of communal occasions — funerals, graduations and celebrations, the informant said. She first learned it from her Nigerian family, but has seen it used by older people in the community and children of immigrants in the United States. She recited this to her at her school graduation, to encourage her and lift her spirits. “Igbo Kwenu” goes beyond a literal translation, as she stressed that this would not fully capture its meaning, and it serves as an invocation of the collective Igbo identity and resilience.

Analysis:


Igbo Kwenu is a call-and-response oral tradition that ritually builds community in real time. The stacking structure — one voice, then another, until the whole crowd is joining in — is a manifestation of the social solidarity the phrase is meant to celebrate. It is not only expressive but performative in the folkloristic sense – to say it together is to act together. The phrase’s most versatile quality is that it can move across emotional registers; it can be used in grief and in joy, in crisis and in triumph. Its primary function is not to name a particular feeling but to invoke the community itself as a source of strength and support. This versatility is especially important to the diasporic life events in Igbo communities. Igbo Kwenu becomes a folk performance on the move, one that proclaims cultural identity and group belonging in any context.

Oof-ta

Folklore:
“Oof-ta” – a saying commonly used in Minnesota

Context:
Informant grew up in Minnesota, where they used “Oof-ta” commonly as an “Oh well” replacement or as a saying to convey sympathy to an annoying, hard, inconvienent, or disgusting situation, though typically very small scenarios. Someone who is frustrated at their kid throwing up all over them, the person would respond with “Oof-ta.” The informant noted they stopped using it upon moving to Los Angeles and uses it less frequently as a result.

Analysis:
The folklore seems to be used in expressing sympathy or empathy within conversation. It also works to help create a feeling of identity and cohesion within the community. Informant noted they learned it form their family and was part of their normal life up until leaving that community where the common colloquial uses other words and the saying is not common.

天时地利人和

Folklore:
天时地利人和 (Tiān shí dì lì rén hé)

Context:
The informant is a Chinese American student studying business at USC. She encountered the saying in situations where when asking for advice from an elder or someone in a more successful position, they would give this saying. She found it used in response to questions like “why are you successful?” She roughly translated it to “The right person at the right place at the right time with the right amount of luck or fortune.” Noting how many things needed to come together in order for the favorable situation to happen.

Analysis:
The folklore saying is used in interactions between elders and youth about success, wisdom, or favorable situations. The saying places credit of the situation on multiple factors, most outside of the person’s control while also celebrating the work and opportunity it took to get there. It may be used to brush off credit from the speaker or the inverse.

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.