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Your search for PRONUNCIATION returned 11 results.
MOSQUITO FLY HI,
MOSQUITO FLY LO,
FLY ON ME,
YOU FLY NO MO!
Where learned: PENNSYLVANIA
Keyword(s): CONTRAST QUATRAIN ELLIPSIS ; HUMOR SLANG CACOGRAPHY UNDERSTATEMENT ; METER: IRREGULAR, RHYME: STRAINED ; PRONUNCIATION ; RHYME: ABCB DIALECT ; THREAT ANIMAL REPETITION
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse |
THE FOLLOWING CONVERSATION TOOK PLACE BETWEEN A CUSTOMER AND A
WAITRESS IN A JEWISH RESTAURANT.
FUNEM?
SVFM.
FUNEX?
SVFX.
OKMNX.
TRANSLATION:
HAVE YOU ANY HAM?
YES, WE HAVE HAM.
HAVE YOU ANY EGGS?
YES, WE HAVE EGGS.
OK, HAM AND EGGS.
Submitter comment:
WHEN MY GREAT UNCLE TRIED THIS ON US NO ONE COULD GUESS IT JUST BY
LOOKING AT IT. HOWEVER, WHEN HE READ IT TO US USING EXPRESSION IT
WAS MUCH EASIER TO CATCH ON. THE ONLY PROBLEM WITH THIS "PUZZLE" IS
THAT IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO CATCH ON TO THE FIRST TIME YOU SEE
IT. THEN ONCE YOU ARE TOLD WHAT IT MEANS THE ELEMENT OF CURIOSITY IS
DESTROYED. ALMOST INVARIABLY PEOPLE WILL TRY TO READ EACH LINE
AS A WORD NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES YOU TELL THEM TO PRONOUNCE EACH
LETTER SEPARATELY.
Where learned: OHIO ; CINCINNATI
James Callow Keyword(s): JEWISH PRONUNCIATION OF ENGLISH
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Group of Vowels and Consonants, and of Words RIDDLE -- Riddle Question |
Date learned: 00001960S
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ETHNIC JOKE
Historical record from James Callow Folklore Archive.
POLISH PEOPLE SEND THEIR KIDS TO SCHOOL TO LEARN WHERE TO PUT
TREES. THEY GO BETWEEN TWOS AND FOURS.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): ETHNIC PRONUNCIATION
| Subject headings: | BELIEF -- Poli SPEECH -- Vocabulary of Special Group |
Date learned: 10-00-1973
RIDDLE
Q: WHAT IS A BIGAMIST?
A: AN ITALIAN FOG.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GROSSE POINTE PARK ; TOLD IN
James Callow Keyword(s): SATIRE OF ITALIAN PRONUNCIATION OF ENGLISH
| Subject headings: | RIDDLE -- W4OO |
Date learned: 10-15-1972
ITALIAN JOKE
WHAT DOES AN ITALIAN CALL A HEAVY FOG? BIGAMIST
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SAINT CLAIR SHORES
James Callow Keyword(s): ETHNIC PRONUNCIATION
| Subject headings: | ITAL |
Date learned: 11-00-1972
LIMERICK
THERE WAS A BELLE OF OLD NATCHEZ,
WHOSE GARMENTS WERE ALL SHREDS AND PATCHES.
WHEN COMMENT AROSE
ON THE STATE OF HER CLOTHES,
SHE DRAWLED, "WHEN AH ITCHES, AH SCRATCHES."
Where learned: DETROIT
Keyword(s): DIACLECT PRONUNCIATION ; FEMININE RHYME ; HUMOR ; RHYME: AABBA
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse |
Date learned: DATE NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR.
LIMERICK
THERE WAS A YOUNG MAN OF SPOKANE
WHOSE VERSES WOULD NEVER SCAN.
WHEN TOLD THIS WAS SO,
HE SAID "YES, I KNOW,
BUT I ALWAYS TRY TO GET AS MANY WORDS IN THE LAST
LINE AS I CAN."
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): ALEXANDRINE FOR HUMOR ; POET ; PROSODY ; RHYME DICTATES PRONUNCIATION OF PLACE NAME ; RHYME: AABBA
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Narrative Verse |
Date learned: DATE NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR.
TRICKING SPIES
IN WORLD WAR ONE, WHEN SPIES WHO HAD INFILTRATED INTO ENEMY RANKS
WERE CAPTURED. THEY WERE PUT TO THE TEST. WHEN A GERMAN SPY
WHO CLAIMED TO BE FRENCH WAS CAUGHT, HE WAS ASKED TO REPEAT THE
WORD "GRENOUILLE" (FROG), WHICH SHOULD
SOUND SOMEWHAT LIKE GRRUNWEEAH
BUT A GERMAN WOULD ALWAYS SAY GRUNWEEHKH, MAKING A HARSH GUTTURAL
SOUND. SIMILARLY, WHEN A FRENCH SPY WAS CAUGHT BY THE GERMANS, HE
WAS ASKED TO SAY HATHAWAY BUT A FRENCHMAN COULD ONLY SUCCEED IN
SAYING HASSAWAY.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; ROYAL OAK ; SAINT MARYS RECTORY
Keyword(s): PRONUNCIATION OF FOREIGN WORDS REVEALS IDENTITY AND NATIONALITY
| Subject headings: | Favorites PROSE NARRATIVE -- Legend |
Date learned: 11-17-1968
THE BROLGA
THE BROLGA OR AUSTRALIAN CRANE
HOLDS DANCING ORGIES ON THE PLAIN;
AND STUDENTS OF THE RUSSIAN BALLET
HAVE CREPT IN CROWDS ACROSS THE MALLEE
FAR BEYOND THE DESERT GRASSES
TO WHERE THE BROLGA HOLDS ITS CLASSES;
AND MANY A MOTIF FOR THE LEG
HAS EMANATED FROM AN EGG.
BUT CERTAIN PURISTS DO NOT CARE
FOR SUCH TECHNIQUE AND PRUDES DECLARE
SPECIFIC MOVEMENTS OF THE BROLGA
UNACADEMIC, IF NOT VOLGA.
Where learned: AUSTRALIA ; TOORAK ; VICTORIA ; 17 SELBOURNE
Keyword(s): ALLITERATION ; ASSONANCE ; DANCE ; HUMOR ; MONOLOGUE ; PRONUNCIATION ; RHYME: AABB
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Prose Narrative C820.444 |
THE ECHIDNA
THE MALE ECHIDNA WITH ITS MATE
SURVIVES THE MOST PRECARIOUS STATE;
HE ROLLS HER, HAIR AND SPINES AND ALL
INTO AN EENZY-WEENZY BALL--
AND BURIES HER; AND IN THIS WAY
PROVIDES AGAINST A RAINY DAY.
BUT, LIKE AS NOT, THIS SAME ECHIDNA
FORGETS JUST IF, OR WHERE, HE'S HID NA.
Where learned: AUSTRALIA ; TOORAK ; VICTORIA
Keyword(s): HUMOR ; MONOLOGUE ; PRONUNCIATION ; RHYME: AABB ; SLANG
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Prose Narrative C820.442 |
Date learned: CA10001968
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THE KOALA
Historical record from James Callow Folklore Archive.
THE NATIVE BEAR IS SMALL OF STATURE
AND SPECIALLY ENDOWED BY NATURE
WITH MEANS EXCLUSIVELY EQQUIPPED ( EQUIPPED )
TO LIVE ON LEAVES OF EUCALYPT.
IT'S ( ITS ) VISCERA, THOUGH, DOUBTLESS CLEAN,
MUST NEEDS BE VERY, VERY GREEN.
AND THEREFORE WE REVEAL THIS FACT
(TOLD SOTTO VOCE AND WITH TACT)
IT'S UPHILL WORK TO GET KOALA
STAINS OFF CARPETS IN YOUR PARLOUR.
Where learned: AUSTRALIA ; TOORAK ; VICTORIA
Keyword(s): ALLITERATION ; HUMOR ; IMPERFECT RHYME ; MONOLOGUE ; PRONUNCIATION ; RHYME: AABB ; SCATOLOGICAL
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Prose Narrative C820.442 |
Date learned: CA10001968