Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
Your search for PLAY ON WORDS returned 61 results.
Riddle
What's black and white and red all over?
Variations of answers:
1) Newspaper
2) Skunk with a diaper rash
3) Penguin with a sunburn
4) Blushing zebra
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs Added by TRD
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
Keyword(s): Black ; Blush ; Brain Teaser ; COLOR ; Diaper Rash ; JOKE ; NEWSPAPER ; PLAY ON WORDS ; PUN ; Red ; RIDDLE ; SKUNK ; Sunburn ; White ; WORDPLAY ; Zebra
| Subject headings: | RIDDLE -- Riddle Question |
Language
after a twenty minute argument with his cousin, Jim hollored this parting statement: "Make like a tree and leave!"
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs Added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Leave-Talking?
Better-Taunt?
Original BN [C730.329] crossed out. Replaced with current classification.
Where learned: BOSTON ; Massachusetts
Keyword(s): Leave ; Leave Talking ; PLAY ON WORDS ; PUN ; TAUNT ; Tree ; WORDPLAY
| Subject headings: | -- SPEECH -- Formula |
Language
Taunt:
Make like a tree and leave.
Submitter comment:
Informant Used in School.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs Added by TRD
Keyword(s): Leave ; PLAY ON WORDS ; PUN ; TAUNT ; Tree ; WORDPLAY
| 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 |
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
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 |
Tongue Twister
Following comment is made to someone who has insulted you. The slip of the tongue is intentional:
You're casting asparagus on my reputation.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs Added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Not really a tongue twister, is it?
Where learned: NEW YORK ; Syracuse University ; Syracuse
Keyword(s): INSULT ; Language ; PLAY ON WORDS ; PUN ; Reply ; REPUTATION ; RETORT ; WORDPLAY
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Formula |
Salutation
Yours till the ocean wears rubber pants to keep its bottom dry.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs Added by TRD
James Callow comment:
Leave-Talking?
Where learned: HOME
Keyword(s): Album ; AUTOGRAPH ; Devotion ; Farewell ; Ocean ; Pants ; PLAY ON WORDS ; PUN ; Rubber ; Salutation ; Signature ; WORDPLAY
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Formula |
Toast
Here's to you as good as you are, here's to me as bad as I am. As good as you are and as bad as I am I'm as good as you are as bad as I am.
Submitter comment:
An old drinking refrain uttered at the 20's
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs Added By TRD
James Callow comment:
Original BN [C700] crossed out. Replaced with current classification
NOT in verse form
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): Bad ; CHARACTER ; DRINKING ; Good ; PLAY ON WORDS ; PUN ; TOAST ; VERSE
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Speech Speech |
Tongue Twister
Theopolis Thistledown, the successful Thistle Sifter,
In sifting a sieve full of unsifted thistles,
Thrust three thousand thistles
Through the thick of his thumb
If, then, Theopolis Thistledown,
The successful thistle sifter,
In sifting a sieve of unsifted thistles,
Thrust these thousand thistles
Through the thick of his thumb,
See that though, in sifting a sieve of unsifted thistles,
Does not get the thistles stuck in thy tongue.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs Added By TRD
James Callow comment:
Already (tho shorter) typed as prose
Keyword(s): PLAY ON WORDS ; PUN ; RHYME ; Thistle ; TONGUE TWISTER ; VERSE ; WORD PLAY
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Speech Speech |
Verse in Formula
I was told to cheer up;
"Things could be worse"
So I cheered up,
And sure'nuff, things got worse.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs Added by TRD
Keyword(s): ; Cheer UP ; Formula ; Language ; PLAY ON WORDS ; PUN ; RHYME ; VERSE ; Worse
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Speech Speech |
Riddle
WHY DID THE BOY PUT HIS CAR IN THE OVEN?
HE WANTED A HOT ROD.
Data entry tech comment:
Updated by TRD
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
Keyword(s): Boy ; Car ; Hot Rod ; JOKE ; Oven ; PLAY ON WORDS ; PUN ; RIDDLE ; WORDPLAY
| Subject headings: | RIDDLE -- Riddle Question |
Date learned: 03-00-1972
Joke
WHAT DID ONE STRAWBERRY SAY TO THE OTHER?
IF YOU HADN'T BEEN SO SWEET WE WOULDN'T HAVE GOTTEN
IN THIS JAM.
Data entry tech comment:
Updated by TRD
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
Keyword(s): Jam ; JOKE ; PLAY ON WORDS ; PUN ; STRAWBERRY ; Sweet ; WORDPLAY
| Subject headings: | RIDDLE -- Riddle Question |
Date learned: 02-00-1972
Riddle
WHAT DID THE DOG SAY WHEN HE SAT ON THE SANDPAPER?
RUFF, RUFF (ROUGH, ROUGH).
Data entry tech comment:
Updated by TRD
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
Keyword(s): JOKE ; PLAY ON WORDS ; PUN ; RIDDLE ; WORDPLAY
| Subject headings: | RIDDLE -- Riddle Question |
Date learned: 04-00-1972
GRAFFITTI
DOES THE NAME PAVLOV RING A BELL?
Data entry tech comment:
Updated by TRD
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
Keyword(s): Bell ; GRAFFITI ; Pavlov ; PLAY ON WORDS ; PUN
| Subject headings: | L700 |
Date learned: 04-00-1972
Joke - Riddle
What's big and purple and travels under water?
Answer: Moby Grape
Data entry tech comment:
Entered by TRD
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
Keyword(s): GAME ; Grape ; JOKE ; Melville ; Moby Dick ; PLAY ON WORDS ; PUN ; RIDDLE
| Subject headings: | RIDDLE -- Riddle Question |
Joke - Riddle
Whats green and sings?
Answer: Elvis Parsley
Data entry tech comment:
Entered by TRD
Keyword(s): Elvis Presley ; Herb ; JOKE ; Parsley ; PLAY ON WORDS ; Pub ; RIDDLE ; Saying
| Subject headings: | RIDDLE -- Riddle Question |
SIGN TO BE LEFT IN ANGER
THANKS FOR TAKING TWO PARKING SPACES. I HAD TO PARK
IN THE NEXT BLOCK, YOU SELFISH, IDIOTIC MORON!!
YOU HAVE VIOLATED SECTION 368 D.A.M.I.T.
Data entry tech comment:
Updated by TRD
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): ACRONYM ; ANGER ; Note ; PLAY ON WORDS ; PUN ; SIGN
James Callow Keyword(s): ABBREVIATION ; IRONY
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- To Be Seen |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN