INFORMANTS 61-70

Collector information: Dartmouth College, RUSS 013, Professors Mikhail Gronas and Valentina Apresjan, Fall 2020. Informants 51-60 collected by David Alino

Informant 61

Title: Lucky Number 19

General Information about Item:

  • Customary Folklore: Lucky Number Superstition
  • Language: English
  • Country of Origin: South Africa
  • Informant: A.S, Male
  • Date Collected: November 11, 2020

Informant Data:

A.V is a 21 year old from Capetown, South Africa and is a sophomore at Dartmouth College. He attended a boarding school in New York after moving from Capetown and is a current member of the Dartmouth Soccer team. He is currently living at home, now Capetown. Both of his parents are South African.

Contextual Data:

  • Social Context: This interview was done over the phone because the informant wasn’t available in person. A.V’s lucky number is 19, and this is because of the personal success that he has had throughout his soccer career while wearing it.
  • Culture Context: He picked this number mostly due to his personal preference and success with it. He does not believe that his culture played too much of a role in his selection of it.

 Item: A.V’s personal lucky number is 19, which is also the number he wore in high school and endured success with.

Transcript:  “19… I needed a break-through season and when I wore 19 that was probably the best season I had”

Recording:

Collector’s Comments:

I found that when an athlete has a preferred lucky number, it is common for them to feel strange when they have to wear another number. The lucky number is a form of identity for them.

Collector’s Name: David Alino

Informant 62

Title: Lucky Number 5

General Information about Item:

  • Customary Folklore: Lucky Number Superstition
  • Language: English
  • Country of Origin: Bermuda
  • Informant: A.S, Male
  • Date Collected: November 10, 2020

Informant Data:

A.S is a 21 year old from Bermuda and is a junior at Dartmouth College. He attended Berkshire school in Sheffield, Massachusetts and is a current member of the Dartmouth Soccer team. He is currently living in Bermuda. Both of his parents are Bermudan. 

Contextual Data:

  • Social Context: This interview was done over the phone because the informant wasn’t available in person. A.S’ lucky number is 5. It was one of the last numbers available for his high school team. While wearing it, he went on to achieve a great deal. His name has 5 letters in it and also his mother’s name. Therefore, it is very special to him.
  • Culture Context: He picked this number due to its significance. He does not believe that his culture plays a role in his selection of this lucky number.

 Item: A.S’ personal lucky number is 5, his name has 5 letters in it and so does his mother’s name. He found great success in his soccer career while wearing it.

Transcript:  “I don’t really know… I like to think that 5 is my lucky number”

Recording:

Collector’s Comments:

I found it very fascinating how his lucky number coo-related to his name having five letters in it and also his mothers’. It is rare but very interesting that this happens.

Collector’s Name: David Alino

Informant 63

Title: Lucky Number 10

General Information about Item:

  • Customary Folklore: Lucky Number Superstition
  • Language: English
  • Country of Origin: United States 
  • Informant: J.M, Female
  • Date Collected: November 11, 2020

Informant Data:

J.M is a 20 year old from Oklahoma  and is a sophomore at Dartmouth College. She is a current member of the Dartmouth Women’s Soccer team. She is currently living at Dartmouth for the fall term. She is from both South African and Middle Eastern descent. She describes herself as a superstitious person.

Contextual Data:

  • Social Context: This interview was done over the phone because the informant wasn’t available in person. J.M’s lucky number is 10, she grew up wearing this number in soccer. She has felt the most comfort with it and talked about how she disliked even numbers all except for it. Believes it represents a wholistic and stable division. Relates it to greatness in work.
  • Culture Context: She picked this number due to a personal preference and also its significance. She does not believe that his culture plays a role in his selection of this lucky number but relates it more to the significance of it as opposed to the personal preference.

 Item: J.M’s personal lucky number is 10, which is also the number he wore in high school and endured success with. 

Recording:

Collector’s Comments:

I find that many athletes enjoy wearing the number ten. In a sense it represents greatness and determination. I remember growing up and kids would fight just to be able to wear it on their back.

Collector’s Name: David Alino

Informant 64

Title: Lucky Number 18

General Information about Item:

  • Customary Folklore: Lucky Number Superstition
  • Language: English
  • Country of Origin: United States
  • Informant: G.S, Male
  • Date Collected: October 24, 2020

Informant Data:

G.S is a 19 year old from Virginia and is a sophomore at Dartmouth College. He attended Norfolk academy and is a current member of the Dartmouth Mens Soccer team. He is currently living in Virginia. Both of his parents are American. 

Contextual Data:

  • Social Context: This interview was done over the phone because the informant wasn’t available in person. G.S’ lucky number is 18. When he was very young playing soccer, the number 18 was given to him. He did not like it at first but it grew on him, he wore it throughout his high-school soccer career.
  • Culture Context: He picked this number due to his personal preference. He does not believe that his culture plays a role in his selection of this lucky number.

 Item: G.S lucky number is 18, he did not like it at first but it slowly became the number that he identified himself with.

Transcript:  “My lucky number is 18… when I was 8 or 9 I joined my first childhood soccer team and the number that I was assigned was 18”

Recording:

Collector’s Comments:

I found it very fascinating how his lucky number was one that he grew into. Most people are able to identify with it from the start.

Collector’s Name: David Alino

Informant 65

Title: Lucky Number 1

General Information about Item:

  • Customary Folklore: Lucky Number Superstition
  • Language: English
  • Country of Origin: United States
  • Informant: C.A, Male
  • Date Collected: October 24, 2020

Informant Data:

C.A is a 19 year old from Connecticut and is a sophomore at Dartmouth College. He is currently living in Virginia with family. Both of his parents are American. 

Contextual Data:

  • Social Context: This interview was done over the phone because the informant wasn’t available in person. C.A’ lucky number is 1. Growing up, he loved being first. He loved starting things off. In his eyes, he saw “1” as the leader and it represented strength and perseverance. He has kept with it.
  • Culture Context: C.A’s father is a businessman and a great leader, someone that he looks up to. That is partially why he identifies with “1” it represent his father and someone that he would like to be.

 Item: C.A’s lucky number is 1. He identifies it with leadership and perseverance in life

Transcript:  “My lucky number is 1… when I was younger I always wanted to be first in everything…. lines…. lunch tables”

Recording:

Collector’s Comments:

I liked how he related it to his father. It goes to show how much being a good role model can impact someone’s life.

Collector’s Name: David Alino

Informant 66

Title: Lucky Number 8

General Information about Item:

  • Customary Folklore: Lucky Number Superstition
  • Language: English
  • Country of Origin: United States
  • Informant: G.A, Male
  • Date Collected: October 24, 2020

Informant Data:

G.A is a 19 year old from New Jersey and is a junior at Dartmouth College. He grew up in New Jersey but later moved to New York and attended York School Prep and is a current member of the Dartmouth Mens Soccer team. He is currently living in New York. Both of his parents are from Lebanon.

Contextual Data:

  • Social Context: This interview was done over the phone because the informant wasn’t available in person. G.A’s lucky number is 8. G.A was the eighth child to be born in his family. He has 3 older brothers and 4 older sisters. In soccer, he grew up wearing this number. Although he wore the number in soccer, the reason it is his lucky number mainly has to do with how he is the eighth child.
  • Culture Context: He does believe that the cultural that he adopted through playing soccer at a young age played a part on him identifying with 8. It made him work harder when he thought about the number.

 Item: G.A’s lucky number is 8, he was the eighth child in his family and grew up wearing the number in soccer.

Transcript:  “My lucky number is 8”

Recording:

Collector’s Comments:

A common thing I noticed about athletes is that their lucky numbers are usually decided during their childhood. They carry it on and make it their own.

Collector’s Name: David Alino

Informant 67

Title: Lucky Number 8

General Information about Item:

  • Customary Folklore: Lucky Number Superstition
  • Language: English
  • Country of Origin: United States
  • Informant: A.N, Male
  • Date Collected: October 24, 2020

Informant Data:

A.N is a 19 year old from Boston, Massachusetts and is a sophomore at Dartmouth College. He attended the Newman School where he worked long and hard to attend his dream school: Dartmouth College. He is currently living in Boston. Both of his parents are of Nigerian decent.

Contextual Data:

  • Social Context: This interview was done over the phone because the informant wasn’t available in person. A.N’s lucky number is 8. This is for three reasons. His birthday is on the 8th of August. Whenever he was asked to pick a number he would always choose 8, whether in sports, school etc. And lastly, when he grew up learning multiplication, the 8’s table came the easiest to him.
  • Culture Context: He picked this number due to his personal preference. He does not believe that his culture plays a role in his selection of this lucky number.

 Item: A.N’s lucky number is 8, he was born on the eighth and always picked the number whenever given the choice. He also found the 8’s table in multiplication to be the easiest to understand.

Transcript:  “My lucky number is 8… it is my lucky number for 3 reasons…”

Recording:

Collector’s Comments:

It was interesting how A.N had three reasons why his lucky number is 8. Most of the time there is only one reason for it.

Collector’s Name: David Alino

Informant 68

Title: Lucky Number 35

General Information about Item:

  • Customary Folklore: Lucky Number Superstition
  • Language: English
  • Country of Origin: United States
  • Informant: T.S, Male
  • Date Collected: October 24, 2020

Informant Data:

T.S is a 19 year old from Colorado and is a sophomore at Dartmouth College. He attended Kent Denver academy high school and is a member of the Dartmouth Swim Team. He is currently living at Dartmouth. Both of his parents are American. 

Contextual Data:

  • Social Context: This interview was done over the phone because the informant wasn’t available in person. T.S’ lucky number is 35. It was the number that he grew up wearing for sports. As he wore it more and more he exuded more confidence and it inspired him to do swimming.
  • Culture Context: He picked this number due to his personal preference he wasn’t inspired by any cultural contexts. He does not believe that his culture plays a role in his selection of this lucky number mainly because in America, that is not the case.

 Item: T.S’ lucky number is 35, he grew up wearing the number when playing sports.

Transcript:  “My lucky number is 35 because when I was younger that used to be my number for sports”

Recording:

Collector’s Comments:

His lucky number was high, I found it to be different. Most of the lucky numbers were low never exceeding 20.

Collector’s Name: David Alino

Informant 69

Title: Lucky Number 3

General Information about Item:

  • Customary Folklore: Lucky Number Superstition
  • Language: English
  • Country of Origin: United States
  • Informant: J.E, Male
  • Date Collected: October 24, 2020

Informant Data:

J.E is a 21 year old from LA and is a senior at Dartmouth College. He attended Granada Hills Charter and is majoring in engineering. He is currently living at Dartmouth for the fall semester. Both of his parents are American. 

Contextual Data:

  • Social Context: This interview was done over the phone because the informant wasn’t available in person. J.E’ lucky number is 3. When he was younger, he was usually given three chances to complete things and on the third try he would always find success. Sometimes it was sports, sometimes it was school and other times it might have been at home or with friends. 
  • Culture Context: He picked this number due to his personal preference. He does not believe that his culture plays a role in his selection of this lucky number.

 Item: J.E’s lucky number is 3. When younger, he was usually given three tries to do things and he would always pull through on the third try.

Transcript:  “If I had to pick a number.. I guess I would go with 3”

Recording:

Collector’s Comments:

I know that three is a common lucky number in the world. I would always hear about three leaf clovers when I was younger, and they represented good luck. 

Collector’s Name: David Alino

Informant 70

Title: Lucky Number 7

General Information about Item:

  • Customary Folklore: Lucky Number Superstition
  • Language: English
  • Country of Origin: United States
  • Informant: A.J, Male
  • Date Collected: October 24, 2020

Informant Data:

A.J is a 20 year old from Pennsylvania and is a junior at Dartmouth College. He is majoring in economics. He is currently living at Dartmouth for the fall semester. Both of his parents are American. 

Contextual Data:

  • Social Context: This interview was done over the phone because the informant wasn’t available in person. A.J lucky number is 7. He associated it to a time when he was younger. During a raffle he picked the number 7 and it ended up being correct. Although this was the moment he realized it was his younger number, he began to use it in every other aspect of his life when given the opportunity.
  • Culture Context: He picked this number due to his personal preference. He does not believe that his culture plays a role in his selection of this lucky number.

 Item: A.J’s lucky number is 7. When younger, he won a raffle using the number. He then associated himself with it throughout his childhood and young adulthood.

Transcript:  “My lucky number is 7”

Recording:

Collector’s Comments:

7 was the most common lucky number amongst my interviewees, its fair to say that it is popular.

Collector’s Name: David Alino