Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
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BABCI AND BABUSZKA BOTH ARE NAMES FOR GRANDMOTHER.
CIOCIA IS USED FOR AUNT AND MATAA FOR MOTHER, OJCIEC
FOR FATHER.
Submitter comment:
THESE ARE NAMES THAT JULIE USES FOR HER RELATIVES. THE NAMES
FOR GRANDMOTHER ARE SIMILAR IN USE TO NANA AND GRANDMA. I'VE
SEEN ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF THE SAME WORD USE FOR GRANDMOTHER
FROM ANOTHER FRIEND WITH SIMILAR POLISH BACKGROUND WHO ALSO
LIVES IN WARREN, MICHIGAN.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WARREN
| Subject headings: | Person / Nickname |
Date learned: 00001970S
If you name your child after a witch then that child will be
a witch.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; FERNDALE
| Subject headings: | Person / Nickname BELIEF -- Witch Shaman |
Date learned: 00-00-1990
IF YOU ARE WASTEFUL, AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF YOUR BELONGINGS AND
WELL BEING, YOU ARE SAID TO BE AN UNCLE CHARLIE. THIS IS A BIG
PUT DOWN IN THIS SIDE OF MY FAMILY.
Where learned: MISSOURI
| Subject headings: | Person / Nickname |
Date learned: 00001940S
WHILE SITTING ON A HAY BALE AT THE 1989 MICHIGAN
RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL, A FRIEND AND I OVERHEARD A YOUNG BOY CALL
ANOTHER BOY A "FROGHEAD." CONTEXT: "WAIT UP, YOU FROGHEAD!"
BOTH OF US ENJOYED THE NAME SO MUCH THAT WE SPREAD IT TO OUR
FRIENDS. MY FRIENDS AND I STILL USE THE EXPRESSION.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; Holly
Keyword(s): FROG
James Callow Keyword(s): ANIMAL NAME FOR HUMAN
| Subject headings: | Person / Nickname |
When a child is born of a Greek family the name it receives is
not chosen randomly but traditionally. If the child is a boy it takes
the grandfather's name from the father's side. If it is a girl, it
takes on the grandmother's name from the father's side. If there is
another boy born, it would then take on the name of the grandfather
from the mother's side. If another girl, the name of the grandmother
from the mother's side. After that there is no specific way that
names are chosen. However, traditional families normally don't have
more than four children. All children born of a Greek family inherit
the father's name as their middle name.
Where learned: GREECE
| Subject headings: | Person / Nickname |
Date learned: 00001940CA
What famous general was called "Long Hair"?
General George Armstong Custer, who had long, golden hair, was
named "Long Hair" by the Sioux Indians with whom he did battle.
After his entire command were wiped, out the Indians did not take
his scalp, but left it intact as a sign of respect.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Person / Nickname PROSE NARRATIVE -- Secular hero |
I work with a teacher by the name of Penny Coin.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
James Callow Keyword(s): HUMOROUS NAME
| Subject headings: | Person / Nickname SPEECH -- FamilyGroup |
Date learned: 03-22-1992
At the beginning of the teething process place an egg with
the child's name written on it in a sock or stocking. Place the
egg above the door of the child's room and this will cause the
child not to be fretful during teething.
James Callow comment:
Puckett, Ohio, no. 1400: "To prevent pain and diarrhea with
teething, take a fresh laid egg, write the child's name on it.
Then hide the egg till the teething is over (Mrs. S, F, 60,
h.wife, Negro, Cleveland, 1961); ... put the egg up over a door
(H.D., F, 26, R.N., Negro, Cleveland, 1958)."
For various uses of eggs in teething rituals, see Puckett,
Ohio, nos. 1398-1402.
Cf. Cannon, Utah, no. 716: "The teething egg: When children
are teething, put an egg in a jar. Seal it up and put it in a
closet somewhere. There are gases in the egg that leak out into
the air of the house. They
Where learned: DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Person / Nickname Favorites BELIEF -- Product or activity of man or animal BELIEF -- Means of Causing or Avoiding Illness |
Date learned: 00-00-1989
In our family we do not refer to our parents as Mom, Dad,
Mother, or Father as many traditionally do. Our nationality is
Polish and we have always addressed our mother as Mama, meaning Mom
in Polish. We call our father, Tata, meaning Dad in Polish. In
the Polish language, we call our grandmother and grandfather, Busia
and Dziadzia respectfully.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Person / Nickname |
Date learned: 00-00-1965
UROLOGISTS
IN THE MEDICAL PROFESSION A DOCTOR WHOSE SPECIALTY IS
UROLOGY IS REFERRED TO EITHER AS A PLUMBER OR A PECKER-
CHECKER.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
| Subject headings: | Person / Nickname |
Date learned: 06-15-1973
IN REFERRING TO MEDICAL PATIENTS, IF ONE IS CONSIDERED
MENTALLY UNBALANCED, HE IS SAID TO BE A "GORD" AT
VANDERBILT HOSPITAL AND CENTRAL STATE HOSPITAL.
Submitter comment: A GOURD IS HOLLOW
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
Keyword(s): GOURD
| Subject headings: | Person / Nickname |
Date learned: 06-15-1973
IN THE MEDICAL PROFESSION, A DOCTOR WHOSE SPECIALTY IS
ORTHOPEDIC SURGERY, IS CALLED A CARPENTER.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
Keyword(s): BONES ; STRAIGHT STRAIGHTEN
| Subject headings: | Person / Nickname |
Date learned: 06-15-1973
IN THE MEDICAL PROFESSION, DOCTORS WHOSE SPECIALTY IS
INTERNAL MEDICINE, ARE CALLED "FLEAS" BECAUSE THEY JUMP
FROM ONE PART OF A PATIENT'S BODY TO ANOTHER.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
| Subject headings: | Person / Nickname |
Date learned: 06-15-1973
DONNA'S SPEECH TEACHER WAS CALLED THE "PEANUT MAN" BECAUSE
HIS FACE LOOKED LIKE A PEANUT.
Where learned: ILLINOIS ; PALOS PARK
| Subject headings: | Person / Nickname |
Date learned: 00-00-1972
DONNA'S NICKNAME IS "DONNA BANNANA" FOR HER "UP AND BANANA."
Where learned: ILLINOIS ; PALOS PARK
| Subject headings: | Person / Nickname |
Date learned: 00-00-1972
IT IS SAID THAT ON THE DAY OF AUGUST 7th WHEN ATOMIC BOMB
WAS DROPPED IN HIROSHIMA, ALL SPIRITS OF THE DEAD BY BOMB
COME BACK TO THIS PLACE. IN ORDER FOR THESE SPIRITS TO
FIND THE WAY TO GO TO HEAVEN, PEOPLE FLOAT DEDICATORY
LANTERNS WITH EACH DEAD PERSON'S NAME ON IT ON THE WATER.
THIS CUSTOM IS ALSO HELD AT THE END OF THE BON SEASON FOR
THE ANCESTORS.
Where learned: JAPAN ; TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE ; HIROSHIMA CITY
Date learned: 09-20-1977
IN THAILAND, IT IS CONSIDERED A TREMENDOUS COMPLIMENT
TO CALL A WOMAN AS BEAUTIFUL AS A WHITE ELEPHANT.
Where learned: THAILAND
| Subject headings: | Person / Nickname SPEECH -- Vocabulary of Special Group PROVERB -- Proverbial Comparison |
Date learned: 00-00-1965
RAG AND REFUSE COLLECTOR USED TO TRAVEL THROUGH ALLEYS
WITH HORSE DRAWN CART, AND WE CALLED HIM "SHEENY MAN."
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | Person / Nickname |
Date learned: 00-00-1926
THEY REMEMBER A REFUSE COLLECTOR GOING THROUGH ALLEYS
BOTH DETROIT, MICHIGAN AND TOLEDO, OHIO, AND THEY REFERRED
TO HIM AS THE SHEENY MAN.
MRS. GENTILE SAID THE ONE IN TOLEDO HAD A KAZOO-LIKE HORN
WHICH HE BLEW, TO LET PEOPLE KNOW HE WAS COMING.
MR. GENTILE SAID THAT THE BOYS USED TO SWITCH THE REINS
ON THE HORSE AROUND, SO THAT WHEN THE MAN CAME BACK
FROM MAKING HIS COLLECTIONS IN THE HOUSES,
HE HAD A HARD TIME STEERING THE ANIMAL, SINCE THE
LINES WERE REVERSED.
MRS. GENTILE SAID THAT WHEN SHE WAS YOUNG AND LIVING
IN TOLEDO, OHIO, HER BROTHER {JOHN}, BEING JEALOUS OF A
NEW BORN BROTHER {PAUL}, WANTED TO GIVE HIM AWAY TO THE
SHEENY MAN.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; OHIO ; TOLEDO ; DETROIT ; HUNTINGTON WOODS
| Subject headings: | Person / Nickname |
NICKNAME
IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN CUSTOMARY TO GIVE BABIES LONG NAMES
AND THEN ABBREVIATE THEM FOR EVERYDAY USE; THUS WILLIAM
WAS CALLED BILL AND JIM FOR JAMES... THESE WERE CALLED
"NURSE NAMES." AS THE CHILD GREW TO BE AN ADULT, THESE
NURSE NAMES STUCK, ALTHOUGH SOME RECEIVED A SPECIAL
NAME FOR SOME PROMINENT TRAIT AND WERE CALLED SOMETHING
ELSE INSTEAD, AS CURLY OR BALDY OR RED. THESE WERE
CALLED "EKE-NAMES" FROM THE SAXON FOR "ALSO."
SLURRED OVER IN COMMON SPEECH, THESE ALSO NAMES BECAME
NEKE NAMES, THEN TO NICKNAMES.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; ROCHESTER HILLS
| Subject headings: | Person / Nickname SPEECH -- Folk etymology |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN