Category Archives: Folk Speech

Joke – Weighing Saying

Title: Weighing Saying

General Information about Item:

  • Genre: Verbal
    • Subgenre:   Joke
  • Language: English
  • Country of origin: USA

Informant Data: Will Kaufman ’20 is a 19-year-old male caucasian light-weight rower from Boulder, CO. He is the middle child between two sisters. He started rowing his freshman fall upon entering Dartmouth. As a walk-on rower, he came in knowing nothing about the sport.

Contextual Data: 

Social Context: Like any folk, the D150’s have a unique series of unifying experiences. One of these is racing against other school teams. This joke comes from constantly interacting and listening to the D150 coach. Since every member of the D150 team is at practice, they all come into contact with the same coach very frequently. As such, they have come up with a collective joke that mimics one of his common sayings.

Cultural Context: This joke comes from everyone on the D150 team constantly hearing the same advice over and over again. Because the coach is a constant figure that last for more than a couple years, he outlasts multiple generations of rowers and allows for this joke to continue. In addition, all the rowers in this folk group seem to understand the humor and therefore make it much more likely that the joke will continue on.

Item: This item is a verbal piece of folklore, specifically a joke. It relies on the fact that everyone interacts with the same person (the coach) on a very frequent basis. The coach’s long tenure as well as the constant mimicry by both new and experienced rowers allows for this joke to continue past generations.

Associated media:

Transcript (11:27 – 12:33):

WK: “So there’s one just with respect to weighing in. It’s, uh, ‘You can’t win a race on a scale but you sure as hell can lose one.’ Uh, that’s just something our coach says basically any time we could possibly step on the scale, um, with respect to racing.”

BC: “Right.”

WK: “… and it’s true. Um, because, we’re light-weight rowers and so there is some weight specification, and if we miss that then we can’t row, and it’s basically the idea that like, you should focus on weighing in effectively but that isn’t the race itself. It’s basically just like punching a ticket to be able to race.”

BC: “Right.”

WK: “So it’s just the first step in that process.”

BC: “So for a slogan like that, do you guys, like, say it to each other also or is it just like something that the coach says?”

WK: “It’s mostly the things that coach says, but then, just to kinda like, have some levity during the spring season, which is kinda hard to come by, a lot of times people will just repeat that line, um…”

BC: “Like a joke?”

WK: “Yeah, and I mean it’s true but it’s definitely a joke on the team. So people will say that just to kinda, I don’t know, mock the coach a bit but also to lighten up the mood.”

Collector’s Comments:

  • This internal joke is interesting because it shows that not all folklore is dependent on serious topics like motivation or competition. In this case, this small joke is understood only by light-weight rowers and dependent on their collective interactions with their coach. New rowers who are incorporated, like in the three stages of liminality, learn to recognize this joke after they have spent some time with the team at practices, and it helps bridge the gap between first joining and really becoming a part of the team.

Collector’s Name: Brian Chekal

Joke – Fun V

Title: Fun V

General Information about Item:

  • Genre: Verbal
    • Subgenre:   Joke
  • Language: English
  • Country of origin: USA

Informant Data: Will Kaufman ’20 is a 19-year-old male caucasian light-weight rower from Boulder, CO. He is the middle child between two sisters. He started rowing his freshman fall upon entering Dartmouth. As a walk-on rower, he came in knowing nothing about the sport.

Contextual Data: 

Social Context: Like any folk, the D150’s have a unique series of unifying experiences. One of these is racing against other school teams. This joke nickname for the third varsity boat comes from other rowers noticing now much fun they’re having and consequently giving the name “Fun V”.

Cultural Context: This joke name is contextualized by the underlying competitiveness of racing against other schools’ teams. Because the third varsity boats don’t have to race against the most competitive boats, they can have more fun and be more “playful” as Will describes it – hence the nickname “Fun V”.

Item: This item is a verbal piece of folklore, specifically a joke. It relies on recognizing competitiveness in racing and comparing the first and second varsity boats to the less pressured third varsity boat. It is folklore because it is recognized and preserved by all the members of this folkgroup and is taught to new rowers when they join the team, like Will.

Associated media:

Transcript (10:36 – 11:03):

WK: “We have like a First Varsity boat, which is the 1V, 2V, and 3V. Um… and typically the 3V is also known as the Fun V, just because, like, there’s much less pressure to perform. Uh, and you’re not competing against the best boats at Princeton or Harvard, and so it’s a lot more relaxed, and typically the guys are much more playful and seem to have more fun on the water. So typically it’s like the 1V, 2V, and then the Fun V.”

Collector’s Comments:

  • This internal joke is interesting because it shows that not all folklore is dependent on serious topics like motivation or competition. In this case, this small joke is understood only by light-weight rowers and taught to new rowers. New rowers who are incorporated, like in the three stages of liminality, learn to recognize this joke.

Collector’s Name: Brian Chekal

“Worst Class Ever”

Title: “Worst Class Ever”

General Information:

Verbal Lore: Insult, Folk Speech

Customary Lore: Superstition, Custom

English

USA

 Informant Data:

Raiden Meyer is a member of the class of 2020 at Dartmouth. He is originally from San Francisco, California, and lives in the Mid Fayerweather dorm on campus. He is involved in the Dartmouth Endurance Racing Team and the Advertising Team at Dartmouth. The informant was interviewed on 11/2/16, in Collis at Dartmouth College.

Contextual Data:

The informant experienced this verbal lore during homecoming his freshman fall. The informant was not familiar with this piece of Dartmouth Freshmen Folklore until he heard these shouts during the Freshman Sweep before the bonfire, and while running the laps around the bonfire on Friday night of homecoming in 2016. The informant quickly learned that this shout, directed at freshmen, was done each year during homecoming and was part of Dartmouth tradition.

Item:

Every year, on the Friday of Dartmouth homecoming, upperclassmen at Dartmouth will shout, “Worst class ever!” at freshmen as they pass by, either during Freshman Sweep, or as they run around the bonfire itself. It is unclear when this piece of verbal lore first developed, but it has clearly been around for a long time at Dartmouth. The upperclassmen will shout this in some variation, but the general idea is that the freshmen will in fact, go down in Dartmouth history as the “worst class ever,” unless someone from their class touches the homecoming bonfire. This item of Dartmouth Freshmen Folklore follows the format of superstitions, in that, in order to prevent that year’s class from being the “worst class ever,” they need to continue the tradition of touching the homecoming bonfire.

 Transcript:

“I didn’t hear about the “worst class ever” chants until the Friday night of homecoming. I definitely heard the “worst class ever” shouts as we passed students during the sweep and ran around the bonfire. I never took it offensively and could tell that it was a Dartmouth tradition to call freshmen that. In a way I enjoyed that the upperclassmen all still came to the bonfire and even if the shouts were a negative thought, it was sort of encouraging and welcoming to have a lot of the Dartmouth community surrounding us. Also, overall I heard much more positive shouting than negative shouting and just being surrounded by so much tradition really made me feel like a part of Dartmouth.”

Informant’s Comments:

“I think that this shouting during the homecoming bonfire is interesting because it is kind of an unwritten tradition that the freshman class is part of each year. I will definitely be shouting ‘worst class ever’ at the freshmen class next fall at the homecoming bonfire.”

Collector’s Comments:

Looking back at Freshman Sweep as a current senior, I would agree with the informant when she says that it really wasn’t a huge part of my first homecoming at Dartmouth. Although it was fun to be a part of the first-year tradition, I think that running around the bonfire was something that I will remember for much longer.

Collector’s Name: John Mayberry

Tags/Keywords: Verbal Lore, Worst Class Ever, Superstition, Insults, Folk speech, Dartmouth Homecoming

Dartmouth Slang

Title: Dartmouth Slang

Informant info:

Joseph Balaban is a twenty-year-old sophomore (’19) from the eastern shore of Maryland. He has two older brothers, one of which graduated from Dartmouth this past spring (Class of 2016). His mother, uncle, and grandfather are also all Dartmouth alumni. Joe intends to be a history major and is also a member of the men’s lacrosse team.

 General Information:

  • Verbal, folk speech
  • English
  • United States of America 

Social / cultural context:

Joseph was interviewed in person in early November. The context of this item is much broader than most items of folklore because although they first appear for freshmen upon arriving to Dartmouth, they remain a part of student vernacular for the remainder of their time in Hanover and potentially thereafter.

Item:

Blitz- Dartmouth email account; also used as a verb i.e. “to blitz a professor”

Flitz- Flirty email sent among students, usually to invite another student to a formal or on a date

FoCo- The class of 1953 commons food court

’17s, ‘18s, ‘19s etc.- Dartmouth students are referred to by their class year i.e. seniors graduating in 2017 are called ‘17s or sophomores, 19’s

The Hop- The Hopkins Center for the Arts; also used to refer to the courtyard café located on the bottom floor of the Hopkins Center

The Bema- The big empty meeting area located east of the Shattuck Observatory

Shmob- Mob of freshmen usually seen walking or eating together

Transcript:

“Since so many of my family members were Dartmouth alums, I grew up hearing lots of Dartmouth slang. By the time I arrived on campus last fall I was already familiar with many of the terms used by Dartmouth students such as blitz, foco, ‘19, and the Hop. These terms commonly used by Dartmouth students are integral to being a Dartmouth student because they differentiate us from all the other college students in the world while also unifying us with the alumni. On my way up to school, I ran into a Dartmouth alum who was a ’99, and we had a long conversation about his time at Dartmouth. Even though our graduation years are 20 years apart, we spoke as if we both attended Dartmouth at the same time.

 

Collectors Info: Armin Mortazavi, Class of 2019, hometown: Potomac, MD

Two-Day Wilderness Expedition

Title: Two-Day Wilderness Expedition

General Information:

  • Customary: Traditions, Rituals, Pranks
  • Verbal: Folk Beliefs, Folk Speech
  • English
  • USA

Informant Data:

Charles James “CJ” Murphy was born in Greenwich, Connecticut on November 16, 1994. He is a 22-year-old student at Dartmouth College currently in his senior year. Growing up, he was an avid outdoorsman, and as such was very excited to participate in the Dartmouth Outing Clubs First-Year Trips program in the lead-up to freshman year. He was on the “Climb and Hike” trip.

Contextual Data: 

The informant experienced firsthand the wilderness portion of Dartmouth’s First-Year Trips when his trip group left Hanover and began hiking a segment of the Appalachian Trail in Lyme, New Hampshire. During this two-day period, the informant recalled that it rained heavily for a significant portion of the journey, making an already challenging task all the more daunting. The group was forced to leave all technology behind, creating an acutely solitary environment in which the group was intentionally coerced into being constantly engaged with each other.

Item:

Days two and three of trips are spent in the wilderness and are characterized by various rituals, pranks, and verbal lore that encourage trippees to learn more about each other and Dartmouth culture as a whole. The informant recalled the “Vox Croo Raid” as being the most memorable and effective tradition, in which a group of upperclassman, unbeknownst to the trippees at the time, emerged from the wilderness pretending to be a group of lost hikers. Using social media, they had preemptively compiled vast amounts of information about everyone in the group, and left the freshmen in disbelief when they began sharing it. Additionally, trip leaders explained Dartmouth customs and defined Dartmouth slang, helping freshmen adjust to their new world.

Informant’s Comments:

Despite not remaining in contact with anyone on his trip, the informant was adamant that his two days in the wilderness were extremely beneficial in facilitating his transition to Dartmouth.

Collector’s Comments:

The two-day journey into the wilderness that is the focal point of First-Year Trips embodies the transitional stage of rites of passages. This period is both ambiguous and indeterminate, as freshmen are purposefully made uncertain of what their next step is. Additionally, it can be an immensely intimidating and challenging experience for many. Trip leaders, who have already been initiated into the Dartmouth community, serve as guides and mentors to the freshmen.

Collector’s Name: Tommy Kaminsky

Tags/Keywords:

  • Customary Lore, Traditions, Rituals, Pranks; Verbal Lore, Folk Beliefs, Folk Speech
Link

Yat

Informant: Libby Flint, age 59, New Orleans resident of 36 years, originally from Upstate New York and Vermont. Collected May 22, 2016 and recorded on iphone.

Verbal Lore: folk speech, slang

English

United States of America

Context: a term to describe a New Orleans Accent, also used to describe native New Orleanians, especially those from St. Bernard parish. derives from the Phrase “Where Y’at?”

Transcript:

“The people that live in ‘The Parish’ are commonly referred to as ‘yats’ people calld yats are native New  Orleanieans, Usually more blue collar Neighborhoods and  the term derives from  ‘Where Y’at’- Wjere are you going; what are you doing; ‘Where Y’at.’”

Collectors Commentary: (are there other informants for this?)

Key words: Yat, where Y’at?, St. Bernard Parish, New Orleans, accent

 

“Who Dat”

Who Dat

Informant:Libby Flint, age 59, New Orleans resident of 36 years, originally from Upstate New York and Vermont. Collected May 22, 2016 and recorded on iphone.

Verbal Lore: folk speech, slang, chants, cheers

English

United States of America

Context: a phrase used by Saints (The New Orleans Football team) fans and often used to describe those same fans

Transcript:

“‘who dat’  are saints fans  the cheer is ‘who dat say dey gonna beat dem saints’”

 

Informant: Erin Fell, age 21, New Orleans, LA. Collected on May 22, 2016 and recorded on iphone.

Transcript: “Next, “Who Dat?” That is the, uh, rallying cry of (New Orleans) Saints fans everywhere. It comes from “who is that” or “who is that that says they can beat the Saints?” Right so the chant goes Who dat say they gonna beat them Saints?”

 

Collectors commentary:

Keywords: Who Dat, Saints, Football, New Orleans

“Where Y’at”

Where Y’at?

Informant: Brian Flint, age 23, Metairie, LA. Collected on May 22, 2016 and recorded on iphone.

Verbal Lore: folk speech, slang

English

United States of America

Context- a phrase which means both where are you going/ where are you and how are you doing?

Transcript:

“ The next one is the Expression ‘Where y’at?’ that’s ‘where Y-‘-A-T ‘ as in ‘where are you?’ and it evolved more from a expression for where your location is to  how you are doing as a person and it’s so prevalent that the term ‘Yat’ became synonymous with a New Orleans Accent. Even more so, there is a Christmas album called the twelve yats of Christmas which are indicative of – it’s a parody of the twelve nights of Christmas. It’s a popular cd around.”

Collectors commentary: The phrase is slang because it is a common phrase that has developed into a new orleans slang word because of the accent in the region and a tendancy of exxagerating interesting characteristics, like accents, when pronouncing words. It is unique to new orleans because it is a product of the New Orleans accent. See Yat for more on the accent and the people who have the accent.

Keywords: Where y’at?, how are you?, New Orleans

“Throws”

Throws

Informant: Libby Flint, age 59, New Orleans resident of 36 years, originally from Upstate New York and Vermont. Collected May 22, 2016 and recorded on iphone.

Verbal Lore: folk speech, slang- associated material Lore

English

United States of America

Context:the objects thrown to spectators at New Orleans parades

Transcript:

“ New Orleanians are crazy about their parades,  the parade participants throw items to the spectators these items are called ‘throws.’”

 

Informant: Erin Fell, age 21, New Orleans, LA. Collected on May 22, 2016 and recorded on iphone.

Transcript: The next up is “throws.” These are um, the trinkets that can be thrown during a Mardi Gras parade. They could be stuffed animals. They could be sparkly shoes, in the case of the Muses parade. For example, the throws tonight at Baccus were amazing.

collectors commentary:

Key words: Mardi Gras, New Orleans, throws, beads, doubloons, go cups

Link

The Parish

Informant: Libby Flint, age 59, New Orleans resident of 36 years, originally from Upstate New York and Vermont. Collected May 22, 2016 and recorded on iphone.

Verbal Lore: Folk Speech, slang

English

United States of America

Context: St. Bernard Parish

Transcript:

“and ‘The Parish’ usually refers to St. Bernard parish.”

Collectors commentary: This is afurther bit of folkspeech tha tis very much dependent on the geographical markers that are parishes, which are unique to Louisiana. It is unique to new orleans slang because is is specifically referring to a different parish from Orleans parish (where the city is actually located) and is connected instead to part of the new orleans metropolitan area, specifically a region where many of the blue collar workers live. The oral tradition of the transmission of the slang may be stronger in this particular parish becaiusethere tends to be less higher education and emphasis on literature and literary culture, which would allow for much easier transmission of folk lore and folk speech.

Keywords: The Parish, St. Bernard parish, Orleans parish, New Orleans