Dr. Rat Posted February 26, 2004 Report Share Posted February 26, 2004 (edited) I am wondering whether "nyah nyah/ nyah-nyah nyah" is recognized universally as a taunt? Can I go to the wilds of New Guinea and thus mock a native of some hitherto undiscovered tribe when he spills his manioc root beer? --eric Edited February 26, 2004 by WNMC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
couw Posted February 26, 2004 Report Share Posted February 26, 2004 should work universally by now I guess... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
connoisseur series500 Posted February 26, 2004 Report Share Posted February 26, 2004 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Free For All Posted February 26, 2004 Report Share Posted February 26, 2004 Actually, I thought the standard version of this contained SIX nyahs, sung to scale degrees 5-5-3-6-5-3. That would make you one nyah shy, WNMC- you must have gotten yours out of the Real Book! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catesta Posted February 26, 2004 Report Share Posted February 26, 2004 Up your nose with a rubber hose never quite caught on, did it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazzmoose Posted February 26, 2004 Report Share Posted February 26, 2004 Well, it lasted longer than "up yer ass with Mobil gas", but no... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maren Posted February 26, 2004 Report Share Posted February 26, 2004 Actually, I thought the standard version of this contained SIX nyahs, sung to scale degrees 5-5-3-6-5-3. That would make you one nyah shy, WNMC- you must have gotten yours out of the Real Book! I'm more familiar with the five-note version: 5-3-6-5-3 Then there's "baby, baby, stick your head in gravy!": 5-3, 5-3, 5-5-3-6-5-3 Ever since I was little, I wondered if the descending minor third ("5-3") (even before I knew what to call it) was universal -- it seemed to me it always recurred whenever people got a little sing-songy in their speech. "Yoo-hoo" for example -- I've never heard anyone sing out "yoo-hoo" other than "5-3" (well, maybe it's "3-1" in Dorian mode ). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PHILLYQ Posted February 27, 2004 Report Share Posted February 27, 2004 Not as universal as 'In your ear with a burning spear'? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeBop Posted February 27, 2004 Report Share Posted February 27, 2004 I've found that the middle finger and the 'OK' finger circle cover 90 percent of all situations, Sudan to San Salvador. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neveronfriday Posted February 27, 2004 Report Share Posted February 27, 2004 I've found that the middle finger and the 'OK' finger circle cover 90 percent of all situations, Sudan to San Salvador. And the covers the rest and can even be used in self-defense (remember Sean Connery using that one?). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
connoisseur series500 Posted February 27, 2004 Report Share Posted February 27, 2004 Up your nose with a rubber hose never quite caught on, did it? Only with your lawn care employees, Chris! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexander Posted February 27, 2004 Report Share Posted February 27, 2004 A Dutch friend of mine once used "neener-neener-neener" in a letter, and I wrote back that I hadn't the faintest idea WHAT she was talking about. She explained that it was a childhood taunt. I said I'd never heard that one, but that where I grew up "nyah-nyah-nyah-nyah-nyah-nyah" had the same function. It seems probable that both are sung to the same tune (they have the same meter). Can anyone confirm this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
couw Posted February 27, 2004 Report Share Posted February 27, 2004 (edited) A Dutch friend of mine once used "neener-neener-neener" in a letter, and I wrote back that I hadn't the faintest idea WHAT she was talking about. She explained that it was a childhood taunt. I said I'd never heard that one, but that where I grew up "nyah-nyah-nyah-nyah-nyah-nyah" had the same function. It seems probable that both are sung to the same tune (they have the same meter). Can anyone confirm this? nope. dutch version is: sliep-uit, sliep-uit! iedereen die lacht je uit! or: sliep-uit, sliep-uit! alle kinderen lachen je uit! nênnuh nênnuh nêê nêê Edited February 27, 2004 by couw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexander Posted February 27, 2004 Report Share Posted February 27, 2004 A Dutch friend of mine once used "neener-neener-neener" in a letter, and I wrote back that I hadn't the faintest idea WHAT she was talking about. She explained that it was a childhood taunt. I said I'd never heard that one, but that where I grew up "nyah-nyah-nyah-nyah-nyah-nyah" had the same function. It seems probable that both are sung to the same tune (they have the same meter). Can anyone confirm this? nope. dutch version is: sliep-uit, sliep-uit! iedereen die lacht je uit! or: sliep-uit, sliep-uit! alle kinderen lachen je uit! nênnuh nênnuh nêê nêê Care to translate? Are you Dutch and living in Germany, or German who happens to know some Dutch? I have heard tell of some antipathy between the Germans and the Dutch (I was once told that if you wanted to endear yourself to a Dutch host, don't tell them how much their language sounds like German). Any comment on that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Free For All Posted February 27, 2004 Report Share Posted February 27, 2004 A Dutch friend of mine once used "neener-neener-neener" in a letter, and I wrote back that I hadn't the faintest idea WHAT she was talking about. She explained that it was a childhood taunt. I said I'd never heard that one, but that where I grew up "nyah-nyah-nyah-nyah-nyah-nyah" had the same function. It seems probable that both are sung to the same tune (they have the same meter). Can anyone confirm this? Yes, Alexander, I can report having heard the "neener" lyrics applied to the "nyah" melody. As well as "I know something you don't know", which requires an extra "nyah", bringing the syllabic total to seven. I guess you'd call those "contrafacts"............ Remember Spock's line on Star Trek? "Gitchy-gitchy goo, Captain?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
couw Posted February 27, 2004 Report Share Posted February 27, 2004 Care to translate? Are you Dutch and living in Germany, or German who happens to know some Dutch? I have heard tell of some antipathy between the Germans and the Dutch (I was once told that if you wanted to endear yourself to a Dutch host, don't tell them how much their language sounds like German). Any comment on that? I'm dutch, but have been living in Germany for 6 years now. sliep uit sliep is pronounced like sleep no problems there uit (meaning "out") has the uniquely dutch combination of vowels ui, which is pronounce something between oy and ow, very difficult for anyone not born and raised with it. anyhow, to the meaning of the expression. You should know that it is accompanied by a hand sign in which the index finger of one hand is repeatedly moved down the index of the other, the latter pointed towards the "victim." This is a simulation of sharpening a knife. And that's where it gets interesting. The verb [sliepen] means to sharpen (of knifes, scissors, etc), and the verb [uitsliepen] means to mock. The latter verb is archaic, though (the first one as well in the meantime, when was the last time you saw a knife-sharpener in the streets?). Anyhow, mocking one among them, kids make this sharpening sign and sing the song to accompany it. It means Sliep uit, sliep uit! mock, mock! Alle kinderen lachen je uit! all children laugh at you! or iedereen = everyone laughs at you. the nênnuh nênnuh nêê nêê is close to your nyah nyah nyah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
couw Posted February 27, 2004 Report Share Posted February 27, 2004 as for the antipathy between the Germans and the Dutch, it's about wartime occupation, bikes, and football (soccer for the non-initiated). It's difficult to explain, but I have tried in another thread buried here somewhere. I guess finding that back is easier as writing it all up once again so I'm off looking for it. Stay tuned! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
couw Posted February 27, 2004 Report Share Posted February 27, 2004 right, found it! start reading from this post by Aggie for some explanation on the matter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted February 27, 2004 Report Share Posted February 27, 2004 5-5-3-6-5-3 = "Ring Around The Rosey". So, which came first? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Rat Posted February 27, 2004 Author Report Share Posted February 27, 2004 (edited) 5-5-3-6-5-3 = "Ring Around The Rosey". So, which came first? This reminds me, There's a book on children's culture--arguing that many things like this get passed down over the generations from child to child withOUT MUCH (edit) intervention by adults. Does anybody know it? I can't rember the title or author. --eric Edited February 27, 2004 by WNMC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrome Posted February 27, 2004 Report Share Posted February 27, 2004 Are you thinking of "The Uses of Enchantment" by Bettelheim? I've got that on my bookshelf, waiting to be read, but from what I remember of the dust jacket it sounds kind of like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Rat Posted February 27, 2004 Author Report Share Posted February 27, 2004 Are you thinking of "The Uses of Enchantment" by Bettelheim? I've got that on my bookshelf, waiting to be read, but from what I remember of the dust jacket it sounds kind of like that. No, I think something more like the book in the photo, but I don't think this is THE one I was thinking of, but anyhow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maren Posted February 27, 2004 Report Share Posted February 27, 2004 5-5-3-6-5-3 = "Ring Around The Rosey". So, which came first? This reminds me, There's a book on children's culture--arguing that many things like this get passed down over the generations from child to child withOUT MUCH (edit) intervention by adults. Does anybody know it? I can't rember the title or author. --eric The Opies?! Iona and Peter Opie, a British couple, spent their lives studying folk tales, children's games and rhymes and songs. The Lore and Language of Schoolchildren is probably their most famous book. There are a ton of others, including The Oxford Dictionary of Nursery Rhymes, The Classic Fairy Tales, and Children's Game in Street and Playground. Plus collections of the things they've found. I have this one, which is good for reading with kids: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maren Posted February 27, 2004 Report Share Posted February 27, 2004 And HERE'S a page on "Ring Around the Rosie" variations, that cites the Opies and a lot of other children's-rhyme-fixated folks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maren Posted February 27, 2004 Report Share Posted February 27, 2004 sliep uit... anyhow, to the meaning of the expression. You should know that it is accompanied by a hand sign in which the index finger of one hand is repeatedly moved down the index of the other, the latter pointed towards the "victim." This is a simulation of sharpening a knife. And that's where it gets interesting. The verb [sliepen] means to sharpen (of knifes, scissors, etc), and the verb [uitsliepen] means to mock. The latter verb is archaic, though (the first one as well in the meantime, when was the last time you saw a knife-sharpener in the streets?). Wild -- all my life I've seen this finger gesture, usually with no words, but learned really early that it meant "shame on you" -- sometimes it would come with the word "shame", drawn-out with a rising intonation. Catholic nuns in Wisconsin (a lot German/Dutch immigrants there) used this one a lot. And kids would do it to other kids who got into trouble. I thought it meant something dirty was being put on you, or scraped off them. Here in NYC, when my son was little, kids would say "oooohhh" with that same rising intonation -- starts out low, ends high -- when a kid got in trouble with a teacher. Same inflection as "sha-a-a-ame" but I can't remember if I've seen the "sharpening" gesture here. I never realized it meant sharpening a knife! But now that makes sense, like raising a fist in a very symbolic way, just for a kid to look at, or pretending to cut your throat, to signify that someone's "cruising for a bruising" (as my father used to say). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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