Orange
[Well, the nostalgic trip back home didn't exactly ignite a firestorm of interest, so I'll leave that road for a while.]
Hame, commenting on Bert's blog this week, included a list of words (other than orange) that apparently don't rhyme. Given there are 9, 10, 14 types of rhyme or something in the English language (which is, in comparison to the romance languages bereft of rhyming words, I once learned somewhere) -- including the gloriously named male and female rhymes (has to do with final syllable stress) -- I immediately doubted the claim, and in fact Bert rhymed one of the words on the list. But , of course, Hame meant perfect or true rhyming words I suspect.
I'm sure that with all the rhyme types this is covered, but I've written at least one poem which relies on reading the poem(in one's head or out loud) with a Scottish accent if the rhythm and rhyme are to work. When I was a kid, and indeed she was at it again when I saw her a couple of weeks ago, my mother used to recite a wee bit of a rhyme that just doesn't work if spoken in broadcast English.
Here it is (rhyme AAAB):
Granny Walker had a cow
It was yellow black and blue
All the monkies in the zoo
Loved Granny Walker
Hame, commenting on Bert's blog this week, included a list of words (other than orange) that apparently don't rhyme. Given there are 9, 10, 14 types of rhyme or something in the English language (which is, in comparison to the romance languages bereft of rhyming words, I once learned somewhere) -- including the gloriously named male and female rhymes (has to do with final syllable stress) -- I immediately doubted the claim, and in fact Bert rhymed one of the words on the list. But , of course, Hame meant perfect or true rhyming words I suspect.
I'm sure that with all the rhyme types this is covered, but I've written at least one poem which relies on reading the poem(in one's head or out loud) with a Scottish accent if the rhythm and rhyme are to work. When I was a kid, and indeed she was at it again when I saw her a couple of weeks ago, my mother used to recite a wee bit of a rhyme that just doesn't work if spoken in broadcast English.
Here it is (rhyme AAAB):
Granny Walker had a cow
It was yellow black and blue
All the monkies in the zoo
Loved Granny Walker
posted by Heipel at
9:44 PM
6 Comments:
wonderful!! I had to do my "Heipel's mom impression" for that to work. and of course other than my Riverdance, that's my most favourite thing to do!!
and yes it brings up a thing about the difference between spoken and written english (and where it's spoken). as well as how it was written. Robbie Burns did the phonetic writing thing (was he one of the first? he must have been). to fully express the sound of the words he was writing (which to his meaning were as important as, well, the meaning).
I've NEVER liked poetry Heipel since grade eleven. It was all Mr. Murphy's fault, my english teacher. I always felt that poems were up for each individuals interpretation, like paintings. It pissed me off that if my interpretation was not the same as his,I got a poor grade. Very unfair and one subject where I couldn't take him to task. I was only 14, I graduated high school at 15. Smart but very insecure.
You are starting to make me appreciate poetry again and I thank you for that. :)
There's a like rhyme here:
http://www.glesga.ukpals.com/MemoryLane%20Songs.htm
that suggests it's a skipping song.
I wonder if your mother would know any of the other songs. Scroll down, there's a wonderful local blend of children's perception and irreverence.
Sounds the same in German, too (both sides of your heritage): Kuh.
Funny you bring up Burns, Mark, since it was with a nod to Burn's wee mousie that I played with accent to make rhyme and rhythm work in a poem about a computer mouse.
Maggie, stop interpreting poetry and you'll enjoy it more. But that comes from me, someone insulted by overly opaque verse.
Patricia, thanks for that. I'd done a cursory, too defined search and found nothing on it.
The one at the link certainly makes a bit more sense than the one my mother has retained for most of 80 years :) Have never figured out just what it is about cow ownership that so pleases zoo monkeys :)
I like your mother's version.
Whatever associations live on in Granny Walker, beloved of monkeys, with her motley cow, they seem to be happy ones.
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