Dr. James T. Callow publications
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The James T. Callow Folklore Archive
Your search for WORD returned 138 results.
BACHELOR
IN THE DAYS OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE, THE ANCIENT ROMANS WERE CONTINUALLY
BICKERING WITH THE GAULS, CARTHAGINIANS, AND OTHER YOUNG LADS; SO
THEY WERE ALL DRAFTED INTO THE ROMAN LEGIONS. THIS LEFT ONLY THE
CHILDREN TO SERVE AS COWHERDS. THEY WERE CALLED BACCALARIUS,
FROM BACCA (COW). HOWEVER, WHEN THEY BECAME MARRIED, THIS NAME WAS
DROPPED. IT WAS SHORTENED TO BACHELOR, FOR UNMARRIED BOYS.
Keyword(s): ORIGIN OF WORD
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Explanation of a name SPEECH -- Folk etymology |
Date learned: DATE NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR
COMPANION
IN ANCIENT ROME, IT WAS AN UNWRITTEN LAW THAT IF ANY TRAVELER DESIRE
FOOD AND SHELTER, THE HOUSEHOLDER MUST WELCOME HIM WITH CORDIALITY.
THESE CHANCE ENCOUNTERS MIGHT BRING MEN TOGETHER ONLY ONCE IN THEIR
LIVES, BUT THE FACT OF BREAKING BREAD TOGETHER MADE THEM FRIENDS
FOREVER. LITERALLY OUR WORD "COMPANION" COMES FROM THE LATIN WORD
"COM" (TOGETHER) PLUS "PANIS" (BREAD).
Keyword(s): ORIGIN OF WORD
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- Explanation of a name CUSTOM FESTIVAL -- Street Trip Relations between relatives, friends, host and guest Social class Rank SPEECH -- Folk etymology |
Date learned: DATE NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR
Entry filtered.
ELIMINATING GAME
EENIE MEENIE, TWIPSEY TWEENEY
APPLE JACK AND JONNIE SWEENEY
EYCHIE, PYCHIE, DAMAN EYCHIE
OUT GOES YOU
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; Sterling Heights
James Callow Keyword(s): NONSENSE WORDS.
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse Game Verse |
Date learned: 00-00-1968
RAH, RAH, REE,
KICK HIM IN THE KNEE;
RAH, RAH, RASS,
KICK HIM IN THE...
Submitter comment:
WHEN ASKED BY THE INSTRUCTOR IF THIS ITEM WAS A CHEER, THE COLLECTOR
SAID IT WAS.
Data entry tech comment:
I LEARNED A VARIANT OF THIS CHEER AT ST. ELIZABETH'S GRADE SCHOOL IN
DETROIT IN THE LATE 1960'S:
RAH RAH REE
KICK 'EM IN THE KNEE;
RAH RAH RASS
KICK 'EM IN THE...OTHER KNEE.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): ALLITERATION ; ELLIPSIS ; HUMOR ; NONSENSE WORDS ; REPETITION ; SPORTS ; SURPRISE ENDING
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Custom Festival Custom Festival |
Date learned: 11-20-1968
COUNTING-OUT RHYME
ACKA BACKA,
SOWED THE CROCKA,
ACKA BACKA BOO.
IN COMES UNCLE SAM,
AND OUT GOES Y*O*U}}
Submitter comment: INFORMANT IS FROM PENNSYLVANIA
Data entry tech comment:
IN THE LATE 1960'S
I LEARNED A VARIANT OF THIS COUNTING-OUT RHYME AS A CHILD IN DETROIT
ACKA BACKA SODA CRACKA
ACKA BACKA BOO
IF YOUR FATHER CHEWS TOBACKA
OUT GOES YOU.
Where learned: UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT
Keyword(s): NONSENSE WORDS ; REPETITION ; RHYME: ABCB
James Callow Keyword(s): SODA CRACKER
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Game Verse Game Verse |
Date learned: 11-00-1968
TULIPS IN THE GARDEN
TULIPS IN THE PARK,
BUT THE TULIPS THAT _____ LIKES
ARE THE TULIPS IN THE DARK.
Data entry tech comment: ANY NAME COULD BE SUBSTITUTED WHERE THE BLANK IS.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): FLOWERS ; PLAY ON WORDS ; RHYME: ABCB
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Autograph Verse Humorous allusion to love |
Date learned: 02-00-1970
AUTOGRAPH VERSE
TULIPS IN THE GARDEN
TULIPS IN THE PARK
BUT THE TWO LIPS I LIKE BEST
ARE YOUR TWO LIPS IN THE DARK.
Where learned: DETROIT ; MICHIGAN, ASSUMED
Keyword(s): ABCB ; FLOWERS ; PLAY ON WORDS ; RHYME
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Autograph Verse Humorous allusion to love |
Date learned: 00-00-1956
I LIKE TO EAT APPLES AND BANNANAS
I LIKE TO EAT, I LIKE TO EAT, APPLES AND BANNANAS. (2X)
A LAKE TA AAT, A LAKE TA AAT, APPALS AND BANNANAS. (2X)
E LEKE TE EAT, E LEKE TE EAT, EPPELS END BENNENES. (2X)
I LIKE TI IAT, I LIKE TI IAT, IPPILS IND BINNINIS. (2X)
O LOKE TO OAT, O LOKE TO OAT, OPPOLS OND BONNONOS. (2X)
U LUKE TU UAT, U LOKE TU UAT, UPPULS UND BUNNUNUS. (2X)
I LIKE TO EAT, I LIKE TO EAT, APPLES AND BANNANAS. (2X)
Submitter comment: YOU USE THE LONG SOUND OF THE VOWEL EACH TIME YOU CHANGE IT.
Keyword(s): WORD GAME
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Mental Activity |
WHY DID THE BLACK MAN WEAR A TUXEDO TO HIS VASECTOMY?
ANSWER. IF I'M GONNA BE IMPOTENT I MIGHT AS WELL LOOK
IMPOTENT.
Submitter comment:
I GOT THIS JOKE FROM THE MOVIE "SOUL MAN." IT WAS TOLD
BY TWO WHITE GUYS IN FRONT OF A BLACK GUY TO MAKE HIM
FEEL BAD.
Where learned: HOME ; MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
Keyword(s): IMPOTENT- USED INSTEAD OF THE WORD IMPORTANT TO MAKE ; THE BLACK MAN'S SPEECH SEEM BAD.
| Subject headings: | PROSE NARRATIVE -- BLAC |
Date learned: 10-00-1987
RIDDLE
IN WHAT WAY ARE THE LETTER A AND NOON THE SAME?
THEY BOTH ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF DAY.
Where learned: NEW YORK CITY ; NEW YORK
James Callow Keyword(s): SPELLING ; WORD
| Subject headings: | RIDDLE -- True Riddle |
Date learned: 05-00-1990
Etymology
Origin of name:
Cornersville, TN gets its name from the fact that it is located in the corner of four counties.
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
Keyword(s): Cornersville, Counties ; ETYMOLOGY ; Language ; NAME ; Origin ; REGIONAL ; Tennessee ; WORD
| Subject headings: | SPEECH -- Folk etymology |
Language
Grace Parody:
Our Heavenly Fahter
Holy Ghost
Whoever eats the fastest
Gets the most!
Submitter comment:
Found in autograph book from the 1880's
Data entry tech comment:
Motifs added by TRD
Keyword(s): Eat ; GRACE ; JOKE ; Language ; PARODY ; PLAY ON WORDS ; PRAYER ; PUN ; RHYME ; VERSE ; WORDPLAY
| Subject headings: | Ballad Song Dance Game Music Verse -- Lyrical Verse Lyrical Verse |
NOT GIVEN
I PHELTA DELTA
I ATA BETA
I PHELTA THIGH
Submitter comment:
THESE ARE FICTITIOUS SORORITY NAMES WHICH ALL COLLEGE
BOYS ARE FAMILIAR WITH.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
Keyword(s): WORDPLAY
| Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor |
Date learned: NOT GIVEN
PROVERB
"I SEE," SAID THE BLIND MAN, AS HE PICKED UP HIS HAMMER
AND SAW.
Submitter comment:
THERE IS AN INTERNAL CONTRADICTION HERE. A BLIND MAN CANNOT
SEE. SO THE PERSON WHO UTTERS THIS STATEMENT MEANS THAT HE
DOESN'T SEE OR UNDERSTAND SOMETHING.
Where learned: TENNESSEE ; NASHVILLE
Keyword(s): IRONY WORDPLAY
| Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Wellerism Quotation |
Date learned: 02-13-1972
PROVERBIAL COMPARISON
ROAMIN (ROMAN) HANDS AND RUSHIN (RUSSIAN) FINGERS!
Where learned: NASHVILLE ; TENNESSEE, ASSUMED
Keyword(s): WORDPLAY
| Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Proverbial Metaphor |
Date learned: 05-03-1969
PROVERBIAL PHRASE
WATCH OUT FOR FALLING ROCK, HE'S BOLDER THAN YOU THINK.
Submitter comment:
THIS IS WHAT YOU SAY WHEN YOU PAST (PASS) THE SIGN ON THE
HIGHWAY THAT SAYS "WATCH FOR FALLING ROCK" OR "FALLEN ROCK
ZONE." FIRST YOU READ THE SIGN OUT LOUD, THEN SAY "WATCH
OUT . . . ." AND THEN LAUGH REAL LOUD. EVERYBODY ELSE
GOES "OHHHHH." GIVEN TO ME BY LYNN FISHER, WHEN SHE WAS
NINE YEARS OLD, LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, 1968 SUMMER.
Where learned: KENTUCKY ; LOUISVILLE
Keyword(s): WORDPLAY
| Subject headings: | PROVERB -- Proverbial Apothegm Maxim |
Date learned: 06-00-1968
PROVERB
THE TRIDS OF TRIDVILLE WERE CONSTANTLY BEING PLAGUED
BY A MEAN OGRE WHO KICKED THEM VICIOUSLY. ONE DAY,
A RABBI CAME TO THE OGRE AND SAID, "OGRE, PLEASE DON'T
KICK THE TRIDS ANYMORE, KICK ME." THE OGRE REPLIED,
"SILLY RABBI, KICKS ARE FOR TRIDS."
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT
| Subject headings: | 6677 Formula Tale |
Date learned: 10-00-1971
EVERY GOOD BOY DOES FINE. THESE ARE THE NAMES OF THE
FIRST FIVE NOTES ON THE LINES OF A MUSICAL SCALE.
Where learned: MICHIGAN ; WARREN
James Callow Keyword(s): {THAT IS THE INITIAL LETTER OF THESE WORDS}.
| Subject headings: | ART CRAFT ARCHITECTURE -- MNEM |
Date learned: 10-02-1969
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A STOVEPIPE AND A CRAZY DUTCHMAN?
ONE'S A SILLY HOLLANDER AND THE OTHER'S A HOLLOW CYLINDER.
Where learned: BUFFALO ; NEW YORK
Keyword(s): WORD PLAY
| Subject headings: | RIDDLE -- Riddle Question |