Title: 三轮车

General Information about Item:

• Verbal lore
• Language: Chinese
• Country of Origin: China
• Informant: Joanne Liu
• Date Collected: 5/19/2020

Informant Data:

• Joanne Liu was born on May 29, 2001 to Chinese parents in Hong Kong.  She grew up there and grew up speaking English, Cantonese, and Mandarin.  Joanne is a current Dartmouth student in the class of 2023.

Contextual Data:

• Social Context: Joanne learned this nursery rhyme from her dad as a child.  Parents serve as another source from which Chinese children can learn nursery rhymes.  
• Cultural Context: Although the nursery rhyme is widespread, there are different versions of the song.  The nursery rhyme reflects the prevalent usage of rickshaws in China during the 20th century, highlighting the difficult life of rickshaw drivers.  Much like some other nursery rhymes, there is a component that reflects contemporary events or climates.

Item:

Audio file:

 

Original Text:

三轮车跑得快

上面坐个老太太

要五角，给一元

你说奇怪不奇怪

Transliteration:

San lun che pao de kuai

Shang mian zuo ge lao tai tai

Yao wu mao, gei yi kuai

Ni shuo qi guai bu qi guai

Word-for-word translation:

Three-wheeled car, runs fast

On top sits a old lady

Need 50 cents, give a dollar

You say weird not weird

Free translation:

The rickshaw runs really fast

A little old lady sits on the top

You’ll need 50 cents, but tip a dollar

You say it’s weird, but it isn’t weird

Informant’s Comments:

• Joanne believed that the nursery rhyme underscored the little money that rickshaw drivers made, $.50, but they were helped by people who would give tips to help them.

Collector’s Comments:

• Rickshaws represent an essential part of Chinese culture, which garners not only respect from the general public but also the proper payment of their drivers.  

Collector’s Name: Jasmine Li

Tags/Keywords:

• Language
• Nursery rhyme
• Verbal lore