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James Callow Folklore Archive

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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

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Language

Everything: "the whole kit and kaboodle"

Phrase meaning all, everything, everybody

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

Keyword(s): Everything ; Kaboodle ; Kit ; Language ; Nickname ; SLANG ; Term

Subject headings: SPEECH -- Vocabulary

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Language

Chew The Fat:

To sit around and "chew the fat" means to talk, rap, gab, etc.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

Keyword(s): Chew ; Colloquialism ; Fat ; GOSSIP ; Language ; Nickname ; SLANG ; TALK ; Term ; Vocabulary

Subject headings: SPEECH -- Vocabulary

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Saying

"Dress Eggs"

Term used to label eggs which have been hard boiled then had the yellow removed and mixed with mayonaisse and used to fill the white.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

Keyword(s): Deviled ; DRESS ; FOOD ; Hard Boiled ; Language ; Nickname ; RECIPE ; Saying ; Term

Subject headings: SPEECH -- Vocabulary

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Vocabulary

Branch is a name for a stream of water

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

Keyword(s): Branch ; Language ; River ; Stream ; Term ; Tributary ; Vocabulary ; WATER

Subject headings: SPEECH -- Vocabulary

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Vocabulary

Grandma's Black Beads = lines of dirt formed on the neck

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

Keyword(s): Beads ; Black ; Dirt ; Grandma ; Language ; NECK ; Nickname ; Saying ; SLANG ; Term

Subject headings: SPEECH -- Vocabulary

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Saying

Term used for those first dates when a parent drives you to or from an activity: Mommy-date.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

Keyword(s): Chaperone ; DATE ; Drive ; Language ; Mommy ; Nickname ; Saying ; SLANG ; Term ; TRANSPORTATION

Subject headings: SPEECH -- Vocabulary

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Vocabulary

Chicken and slicks is another name for the dish of chicken and dumplings.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

Keyword(s): Chicken ; Dish ; Dumpling ; FOOD ; Language ; Meal ; Nickname ; SLANG ; Slicks ; Term

Subject headings: SPEECH -- Common Word

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Language

American Nicknames:

Mexicans call Americans "gringoes" because when the Texans went into the Battle of San Jacinto, they were singing "Green Grow the Lilacs." The Mexicans thought they were saying "gringo."

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE

Keyword(s): AMERICAN ; Battle ; Culture ; ETYMOLOGY ; Green ; Gringo ; Grow ; Language ; Lilacs ; Mexican ; NATIONALITY ; Nickname ; San Jacinto ; SLANG ; SONG ; Term

Subject headings: PROSE NARRATIVE -- Explanation of a name

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Expression

Paint the town red, or, go out on the town.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs added by TRD

Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE ;

Keyword(s): COLOR ; Entertainment ; Expression ; Language ; Out ; Paint ; Red ; Saying ; Term ; Town

Subject headings: SPEECH -- Vocabulary of Special Group

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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

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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

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Verse

Worry:

Mama mia (means my mother)

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs Added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Original BN [S550] crossed out. Replaced with current classification.

Keyword(s): Expression ; Italian ; MOTHER ; Term ; Worry

Subject headings: SPEECH -- Formula

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Taunt

Drop Dead!

Go play sea hunt in the toilet!

Submitter comment:

Can't remember.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs Added by TRD

James Callow comment:

T?

Keyword(s): Dead ; Drop ; Expression ; INSULT ; INSULT ; Play ; SEA ; TAUNT ; Term ; Toilet

Subject headings: SPEECH -- Formula

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Saying

See you later alligator.
In a while, Crocodile
Not too soon, baboon.

Data entry tech comment:

Motifs Added by TRD

James Callow comment:

Original BN [S550, S57] crossed out. Replaced with current classifications.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): Alligator ; Baboon ; Crocodile ; Expression ; SLANG ; Term

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Speech Speech

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IF THE BABY BEFORE BIRTH IS ACTIVE, IT WILL BE A BOY;
IF INACTIVE, A GIRL.

Data entry tech comment:

Updated by TRD

Where learned: MISSISSIPPI ; BELZONI

Keyword(s): BELIEF ; Boy ; gender ; Girl ; Movement ; PREDICTION ; PREGNANCY

James Callow Keyword(s): SEX DETERMINATION

Subject headings: Observation
BELIEF -- Birth

Date learned: 09-13-1973

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A CHILD CONCEIVED ON THE QUARTER MOON WILL BE A BOY.

Data entry tech comment:

Updated by TRD

Where learned: MISSISSIPPI ; BELZONI

Keyword(s): BELIEF ; Boy ; Conceived ; gender ; PREDICTION ; PREGNANCY

James Callow Keyword(s): FRACTION ; SEX DETERMINATION

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Moon
BELIEF -- Birth
BELIEF -- Number Properties attributed to specific numbers or numerals individually

Date learned: 09-00-1973

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JUST PLANT A WATERMELON ON MY GRAVE
AND LET THE JUICE SLIP THROUGH.
JUST PLANT A WATERMELON ON MY GRAVE
THAT'S ALL I ASK OF YOU!

Data entry tech comment:

Updated by TRD

Where learned: OHIO ; TROTWOOD

Keyword(s): CHILDREN ; Children's Song ; Grave ; Juice ; RHYME ; Watermelon

Subject headings: Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Children

Date learned: 04-00-1972

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Entry filtered.

FOLK ETYMOLOGY: SHYSTER

THIS WORD IS THE CURRENT NAME OF AN UNSCRUPULOUS LAWYER. A
GERMAN LAWYER OF NEW YORK ONCE APPLIED FOR A WARRANT FOR A
CLIENT WHO HAD SLANDERED HIM BY CALLING HIM A VULGAR NAME
WHICH, AS PRONOUNCED BY THE LAWYER, SOUNDED LIKE SHYSTER.

Data entry tech comment:

Updated by TRD

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): Anti-Semitic ; ETYMOLOGY ; Lawyer ; Offensive term ; Origin

Subject headings: CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Common law
SPEECH -- S478

Date learned: 11-29-1969

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TAKING SIDES

WHEN A WOMAN IS PREGNANT, IF SHE SLEEPS ON HER RIGHT SIDE, THE
CHILD WILL BE A BOY. IF SHE LEANS TO THE LEFT, IT WILL BE A GIRL.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY ; EAST LANSING

James Callow Keyword(s): SEX DETERMINATION

Subject headings: 840
BELIEF -- Birth

Date learned: 11-05-1969

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BIRTH BELIEF

IF A PREGNANT WOMAN BECOMES FAT ALL OVER, SHE WILL HAVE A
GIRL. IF SHE BECOMES FAT SLIGHTLY, SHE WILL HAVE A BOY.

Submitter comment:

INFORMANT LEARNED THIS FROM HER GRANDMOTHER.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT

James Callow Keyword(s): SEX DETERMINATION

Subject headings: BELIEF -- Birth

Date learned: 03-01-1971

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