Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
Your search for Language returned 194 results.
Saying
...three sheets to the wind. Meaning he's drunk.
ie There was a guy three sheets to the wind.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
Keyword(s): DRUNK ; EUPHEMISM ; Language ; Saying ; Sheets ; SLANG ; Term ; Wind
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Vocabulary |
Language
To spell separate, remember "caught in a trap by a rat" that way, you'll not replace "a" with "e".
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs and BN addedd by TRD
Keyword(s): Language ; Mnemonics ; rat ; Separate ; SPELLING ; Trap ; Vocabulary
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Vocabulary |
Jump Rope Rhyme
Jump Rope Jingle
Running Through School:
I want to register
For First Grade
This is how you
Spell my name
N-A-M-E (Spell name of jumper)
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
Keyword(s): Entertainment ; GAME ; Jump Rope ; Language ; NAME ; Register ; RHYME ; SCHOOL ; Spell ; SPELLING
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Special Object or Implement |
Language
In the summer of 1816 there were frosts during each of the summer months in Hyde Park Vt. and much of the surrounding area. These frosts during the summer months discouraged many of the local farmers who abandoned their farms and moved westward. During the summer of 1816 a poem was written which is often recalled by Vermonters and printed in Vermont newspapers when the summers are unusually cool. The poem discourages people from leaving the area. the poem says:
"Moses saud we are to inhabit all the world, warmer climates lead to more vices, one doesn't change wives because of a wrinkle or farms because of a cold summer.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs Added By TRD
Where learned: New York Folklore Quarterly ; Fitch Against Immigration
Keyword(s): AGRICULTURE ; Chill ; FARMING ; Frost ; HARVEST ; Hyde Park ; Language ; Moses ; poem ; Region ; SEASON ; Summer ; Summer ; Vermont ; WINTER ; Wives ; Wrinkle
| Subject headings: | CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Measure of time |
Poem
Feeling that the Indians had been seriously mistreated Longfellow wrote in 1854, that he had found a plan for a poem on the American Indians that was fitting to their beautiful traditions. The poem did not totally portray the indians totally accurately.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs Added By TRD
Where learned: New York Folklore Quarterly ; The Making of Hiawatha
Keyword(s): AMERICAN INDIAN ; INDIAN ; Language ; LONGFELLOW ; poem ; Traditions
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Legend |
Language
Nickname for Grandfather:
"grandpa"
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs Added by TRD
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
Keyword(s): Grandfather ; Grandpa ; Language ; Nickname
| Subject headings: | Person / Nickname |
Language
Tongue-Twister:
Rubber baby buggy bumpers.
Submitter comment:
She learned it when she was growing up.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs Added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Why Verse?
Original BN [C870.570] crossed out. Replaced with current classification.
Keyword(s): ALLITERATION ; BABY ; Buggy ; Bumper ; Language ; Rubber ; TONGUE TWISTER
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Speech Speech |
Saying
Out of Cite [sic]
This saying, used by young people, means that something is enjoyable, pleasing, or otherwise good. It can be paralleled with such jargon as "cool," "bad," or "mellow."
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs Added by TRD
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WESTLAND
Keyword(s): Bad ; Cite ; Cool ; Era ; Jargon ; Language ; Mellow ; Nickname ; SLANG
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Formula |
Verse
The Tutor:
A tutor who tooted the flute
Tried to teach two young tooters to toot;
said the two to the tutor,
"Is it harder to toot, or
To tutor two tooters to toot?"
Submitter comment:
Origin: Grandmother: Sarah Lipchinsky, New York City
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs Added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Verse?
Where learned: Bagley School
Keyword(s): ALLITERATION ; Flute ; Language ; MUSIC ; PLAY ON WORDS ; PUN ; RHYME ; Teach ; TONGUE TWISTER ; Toot ; Tutor ; Youngster
James Callow Keyword(s): TONGUE TWISTER
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Formula |
Language
Tongue Twister:
Blue bottom trousers, buttons made of brass, loose around the ankles tight around the ass. Ask me any questions surely I won't tell, if you don't believe me you can go to WELL...hello operator give me number nine; if the line is busy give me back my dime.
Other endings might be "you look like frankenstein" or any "-ine" ending.
Submitter comment:
He learned it in school when he was about 10 or 11
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs Added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Taste? Also, Verse?
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): Blue ; Button ; Dime ; GAME ; Jump Rope ; Language ; Operator ; PLAY ON WORDS ; PUN ; RHYME ; SONG ; TONGUE TWISTER ; Trousers ; WORDPLAY
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Formula |
Language
Tongue Twister:
A tooter who tutored the flute tried to tutor two tooters to toot.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs Added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Verse?
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): ALLITERATION ; Flute ; Language ; MUSIC ; PLAY ON WORDS ; PUN ; RHYME ; TONGUE TWISTER ; Toot ; Tutor ; WORDPLAY
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Formula |
Entry filtered.
Proverbial Saying
Retort:
Can't come in cans; cans come in success.
Submitter comment:
In school, 7th grade St. Theodore, SSJ, had on blackboard.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs Added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Meaning?
Where learned: HOME
Keyword(s): Aphorism ; CAN ; Can't ; Language ; Maxim ; PLAY ON WORDS ; PROVERB ; PUN ; RETORT ; SUCCESS ; VERSE ; WORDPLAY
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Formula |
Retort
Next day after never when two Sundays come together.
Submitter comment:
I heard it from my father.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs Added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Should be under Rotten Verse?
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): COMEBACK ; Day ; Language ; Never ; Never ; Next ; RETORT ; RHYME ; SLANG ; Sundays
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Formula |
Retort
A traditional reply to the word "hey" is "hay is for horses"
When a person, in conversation, pauses and says "well," then traditional answer is "wells are for water."
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs Added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [V400, V300, S260] crossed out. Replaced with current classification.
Where learned: HOME
Keyword(s): COMEBACK ; Hay ; Hey ; HORSES ; Language ; RETORT ; SLANG ; WATER ; Well
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Formula |
Retort
Do you think money grows on trees?
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs Added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Class?
Original BN [V300] crossed out. Replaced with current classification.
Where learned: HOME
Keyword(s): Language ; MONEY ; RETORT ; SLANG ; Tree
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Formula |
Retort
At dinner time, a parental question/statement as a result of crude behavior is "were you raised in a barn?"
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs Added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [V400, V300] crossed out. Replaced with current classification.
Where learned: HOME
Keyword(s): Barn ; Crude ; Language ; MANNERS ; Raised ; RETORT ; Rude ; Saying
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Formula |
Retort
Wise Guy?
What are you? A wise guy or a truck driver?
(Question and answer given to someone who has made a wise remark.)
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs Added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [W400] crossed out. Replaced with current classification.
Class?
What's the answer?
Keyword(s): Answer ; Language ; QUESTION ; Remark ; RETORT ; SLANG ; Truck Driver ; Wise Guy
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Formula |
Language
Shor 'nuff
Submitter comment:
Meaning "is that right?"
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs Added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [S200] crossed out. Replaced with current classification.
Classification?
Keyword(s): Dialect6 ; Enough ; Folk ; Language ; SLANG ; SPEECH ; Sure ; Term
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Formula |
Retort
Following comment is made to someone who has insulted you:
"I resemble that remark."
The slip of the tongue is intentional.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs Added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Sense?
Classification?
The words Tongue Twister have been crossed out.
Where learned: NEW YORK ; Syracuse University ; Syracuse
Keyword(s): INSULT ; Language ; PLAY ON WORDS ; PUN ; Resemble ; Resent ; RETORT ; WORDPLAY
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Formula |