Its not a coincidencetheres actually a pretty interesting explanation! ), Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary, similar children's counting-out games in other languages, As for this thing, he held up the shuttlecock, contaminated, in his outstretched right [hand], this idiot tickler, the only thing it's good for is, Well, said Lord Galen in some dismay, I suppose we shall have to cast lots or play at, la bla nca trska panca, oj gdi Vno na kapitno, n piy, w piy, y zh xiomo zu fij, literally "cap cip cup flower bud, a horse ran and was pinched by the door", ni bni rs, kvnter fnter s, ni bni rjba, kvnter fnter ba, , , cap cip cup kembang kuncup, kuda lari kejepit pintu, entliczek pentliczek czerwony stoliczek na kogo wypadnie na tego bec, , , , , https://en.wiktionary.org/w/index.php?title=eeny,_meeny,_miny,_moe&oldid=71429390, Requests for etymologies in English entries, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, A method of choosing between two or more people or things, used by. While vaguely remembering a controversy surrounding the song, its sinister past left me at a loss of words when facing my children who were waiting for answers. Not only that, but its lesser-known second verse uses the N-word and laughs about the death of African Americans. The officials at, But I'll never forget 'til the day I die", It raind all night de day I left, De wedder it was dry, The sun so hot I froze to def. The, "Jump down, turn around, pick a bale of cotton. Iona and Peter Opie (1951) quote the following version: This version was similar to that reported by Henry Carrington Bolton as the most common version among American schoolchildren in 1888. For Theodore Johnson III, who wrote the article, knowledge of that history ruined ice cream trucks for him. . Later, they can learn where the songs came from, and that lesson will be an important one. As difference is unwelcome to children, the formula had to be sufficiently unpredictable to be accepted as fair. "Its well known that theres some challenging language in the Gospel of John," Michael Marissen, a noted Bach scholar, said in a 2013 interview with WQXR-radio. All rights reserved. Please consider making a one-time contribution to Vox today. You start saying eeny meeny, and then you go miny mo. Ting, tay, tong, The rhyme has existed in various forms since well before 1820[1] and is common in many languages using similar-sounding nonsense syllables. NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. Bennett, P.R. Bolton identifies the first line as plain gibberish. intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligent infliction of emotional distress, "eeny-meeny-miney-mo - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage notes | Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary at OxfordLearnersDictionaries.com", "Childhood nursery rhymes and other 'classic' songs you probably never knew were racist", "Missing text can contain the true message", "Jeremy Clarkson: I didn't mean to use N-word video| News | The Week UK", "Jeremy Clarkson 'begs forgiveness' over N-word footage | Media", "Primark pulls "shocking" and "racist" Walking Dead t-shirt from stores after Sheffield man's angry complaint", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Eeny,_meeny,_miny,_moe&oldid=1141869865, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from July 2022, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, A jocular use of a form of the rhyme by a, This page was last edited on 27 February 2023, at 07:39. Every kid seems to know a version of Eeny Meeny Miny Mo. Its well known that theres some challenging language in the Gospel of John,". Susanna", the slave is depicted as too dumb to realize his situation and or grasp the concept of geography that's more of the "slaves as property" portrayal. This can be due to what The Paris Review refers to as Hobson-Jobson, when words that have the same sound are translated to fit the linguistics of the native speaker's language. Definition of eenie meanie, miny, moe in the Idioms Dictionary. Alternate Versions and Related Songs Eenie, Meenie, Miney, Moe Song Variations Tweet Notes *Potty ***** Other Versions: Eeeny, meeny, miney, mo. An unavoidable question arises: what do you do with these songs? Each week, we explore unique solutions to some of the world's biggest problems. Wer? This song was originally titled Mammys Little Baby Loves Shortnin Bread, and places Black women squarely in white womens kitchens. Seemingly innocent, the rhyme is not what it seems. So I'm going to completely butcher the pronunciation, but there's versions of it that folklorists heard in Denmark, for example, like, (reciting poem with Danish dialect). Raphel wrote about eeny meeny miny mo for The Paris Review. What kind of music are we preserving? Some theories outlined below take a stab at the American chants birthplace. [12] It was used in the chorus of Bert Fitzgibbon's 1906 song "Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Mo": It was also used by Rudyard Kipling in his "A Counting-Out Song", from Land and Sea Tales for Scouts and Guides, published in 1935. [11] Eeny meeny miny mo. Father, husband, dog person. before turning into the melody that beckons ice cream seekers today. Furthermore, another theory describes how slave traders would pinch or pull a slave's toe before purchasing them (via An Injustice). Doo-dah!/ I go back home wid a pocket full of tin -- Oh! I'm gay you're gay he's gay she's. In other musical instances, this is not the case. In the 1800s, the nursery rhyme could be found in both the US and Europe (via An Injustice). Years later, in 1982, linguist Derek Bickerton proposed a theory that Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Moe was actually a distorted version of an African phrase. And who decides this? each word or pair of syllables). Eenie meenie miney mo Catch a bad chick by her toe If she holla, if, if, if she holla let her go. This one, which includes the 'toe' and 'olla' from Kipling's version, is one of many variants of "counting out rhymes" collected by Bolton in 1888:[7]. Eenie, meenie, miney, moe. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. And it's really fun to repeat them in a pattern. Eeny meeny miny moe Catch me If you can dodo, yeah Eeny meeny miny moe Watch out If you can dodo, yeah Eeny meeny miny moe Catch me If Eeny Meeny Miny Moe Steph Moody can't take back Eeny, meeny, miny, moe Eeny, meeny, miny, moe My mind says let you go My mind says let you go But my heart says I don't know My heart As children often do, my daughter suggested choosing whoever will be it by singing the famous rhyme as it is now very commonly sung. Sign up for writing inspiration in your email, Harness Your Moxie To Take This Word Of The Day Quiz, Getting Braggadocious: Top Word Trends On Dictionary.com, (one version of several; they also chant the US variation above), There isnt a clearcut explanation as to how these global variations came about and to provide one would require knowing definitively where. There is a similarity between the words of the phrase and some of the numerals in pre-English Celtic and Cumbrian languages; for example, the oral tradition of the English coastal town of Yarmouth voices 'one, two, three, four' as 'ina, mina, tethera, methera'. Ene, mene, ming, mang, It has been utilized before in songs including "Eeny Meeny Miney Mo," a popular song written in 1935 by Johnny Mercer and Matty Malneck and the similarly titled "Eeny Meeny Miny Moe," which was an European hit for Dutch girl group Luv . Catch an nigger by the toe. Related Chasing Games. Eggs, butter, cheese, bread, The Dark Origins Of The Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Mo Nursery Rhyme. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. Well, as is so often the case in etymology, yes and no. newsletter. And there's versions in France(reciting poem with French dialect). Following by different variations of if he squeals/screams/hollers and then let him go/make him pay/send him hum. The Eeny Meeny Miny Moe shirt with Negans iconic baseball bat wrapped with barbed wire was deemed racist by shoppers and was eventually removed from stock. We don't always do this with American folk songs. When it comes to these songs, Shaftel explains that children should be taught the modified versions because they can't grasp the nuances of race just yet and don't have multiple levels of understanding. (Laughter). On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. In the early-mid 1800s, the rhyme could be found in Europe and the US. Warning: We are talking about racism in this article. [13] Catch a tiger by the toe, Eeny meeny miny mo. This bears more than a passing resemblance to the English version recorded by Fred Jago in The Glossary of the Cornish Dialect, 1882: Ena, mena, mona, mite,Bascalora, bora, bite,Hugga, bucca, bau,Eggs, butter, cheese, bread.Stick, stock, stone dead - OUT.". RAPHEL: Oh, it's all over the world. Some versions use a racial epithet, which has made the rhyme controversial at times. Catch a tiger by the - it has rhythm built into it. which makes as little sense in Danish as it does in English but, despite it being entirely meaningless to them, the children in the area continued to sing it for centuries. That being said, it's almost impossible to track down the true origin of "Eeny, meeny, miny, mo." There's no doubt that the rhyme is older than the 19th century recorded versions, possibly very much older. Weve co-opted and stolen so much of Black culture over the past 400 years that it can be hard to realize sometimes just how many aspects of American life are racist from everyday expressions, hair and clothing style, and even our food. Catch an nigger by the toe. All The Pasta Shape Names Explained: How Many Do You Know? Versions of the rhyme have existed since before 1820. The sisters claim was rejected both in court and in an appeal. It goes something like this: Eenie, meenie, miney, moe, "It's become clear to scholars that blackface/ minstrels were really the North's only exposure for what was going in the South," Shaftel says, explaining that while these shows were racist and terrible, they were trying to portray some semblance of reality of what life was like in the South. But where does it come from? MARTIN: So what's the take away - that kind of children everywhere - there's some universal quality to the sound of these words and repeating them in a pattern? Copyright 2015 NPR. Now what? A more acceptable version has now established itself: Eeny, meeny, miny, mo,Catch the tiger/monkey/baby by the toe.If it hollers[USA]/screams[UK] let him go,Eeny, meeny, miny, mo. Catch an nigger by the toe. Stick, stack, stone dead! I mean, there've been several iterations of this since, over these many, many hundreds of years. [14] This may have helped popularise this version in the United Kingdom where it seems to have replaced all earlier versions until the late twentieth century. [Note: UK residents who voted in the May 2011 referendum might notice a parallel with the 'First Past the Post' and 'Alternative Vote' systems.]. And we want to be aware of our racist roots," Shaftel said. If he squeals let him go, Une, mine, mane, mo, I've opted for 'Eeny, meeny, miny, mo' but there are many others - 'Eenie, meenie, miney, moe', 'Eany, meany, miney, mo' and so on. Change them? You know them by heart, but you can do these little, like, switches and flips and variations in them. The song can be seen as glorifying and poking fun at slave conditions. Germany: Israeli/British. Eenie, meenie, miney, moe " In historical references of this song, the word "tiger" is replaced by the N-word. The History And Traditions That Make Hanukkah Light Up, The Meaning Of Kwanzaa And Its Celebrations, Winter 2023 New Words: Everything, Everywhere, All At Once, Fall In Love With 14 Captivating Valentines Day Words, Rizz And 7 Other Slang Trends That Explain The Internet In 2023, Win With Qi And This List Of Our Best Scrabble Words, We Had ChatGPT Coin Nonsense PhrasesAnd Then We Defined Them, Surprise! Speaking of counting, a less fatalistic theory is that Eenie, Meenie, Miney, Moetraces back to an old British counting system known as the Anglo-Cymric Score. Why do so many fairy tales contain a hero named Jack? ADRIENNE RAPHEL: Yan, tan, tehtera, methera, pimp, sethera, lethera, hovera, dovera - so you can kind of hear the eeny meeny miny mo in it, right? Bolton says that it is impossible to trace the exact origin of the rhyme. This page was last edited on 25 February 2023, at 16:19. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. If they squeal make them squeal some more. Shaftel explains that we usually attach a disclaimer to Bach and explain how his art was a product of his time. As adults, we might be curious as to whether the words mean anything and what their origin might have been. American in origin or English? Despite language differences, the first lines of each version are remarkably alike. It is one of a large group of similar 'counting-out rhymes' where the child who is pointed to by the chanter on the last syllable is 'counted out'. Eeny, meeny, miny, moe also known as Eena, meena, mina, mo is a popular counting rhyme and singing game. There is some offensive language below. Notably, the rhyme has been used by killers to choose victims in the 1994 films Pulp Fiction and Natural Born Killers,[24][25] the 2003 film Elephant,[26] and the sixth-season finale of the television series The Walking Dead. Ene, fune, herke, berke, But, some folklorists propose it goes back much further, suggesting that counting-out rhymes like Eenie, Meenie, Miney, Moeoriginate from Ancient Celtic rituals of sorting out who would be chosen to die as a punishment or, perhaps, a sacrifice. Zimbabwe: [citation needed], In Salman Rushdie's The Moor's Last Sigh (1995), the leading character and his three sisters are nicknamed Ina, Minnie, Mynah and Moor. A version from Yorkshire is: Eeeny, meeny, miney, mo. Of all of the phrases and idioms in the English language 'eeny, meenie, miny, mo' must be the one with the widest variety of spellings. incremental changes in cultural representations. And then the words that recognized take on a life of their own. "These songs are part of a racist history our nation's history. (one version of several; they also chant the US variation above), France: Only in recent years, when n***** became a taboo, the term tiger somehow replaced it and became the common version of the rhyme. It is one of a large group of similar rhymes in which the child who is pointed to by the chanter on the last syllable is either "chosen" or "counted out". Children appear to have no such concerns. Sign up to receive The Atlanta Black Star Newsletter in your inbox. The song was written by both Kingston and Bieb read more justin bieber pop eenie meenie Add tags View all tags Play album Replace video Featured On My World 2.0 Justin Bieber 710,941 listeners Eeny, meeny, mony, my, I've updated the piece to reflect those concerns. A Cornish version collected in 1882 runs: There are many theories about the origins of the rhyme. [citation needed]. The stories we learn from them are painful, but also valuable. Then and now give them credit for changing the tune those are the dark ages. The first record of a similar rhyme, called the "Hana, man," is from about 1815, when children in New York City are said to have repeated the rhyme: Henry Carrington Bolton discovered this version to be in the US, Ireland and Scotland in the 1880s but was unknown in England until later in the century. 12 Childhood Nursery Rhymes You Didnt Realize Were Racist, Man from Viral Video Explains Why He Knocked Down White Dude for Spouting the N-Word In Ohio Convenience Store, Angry Woman Refuses to Let Black Postmates Driver Deliver Order In Apartment Building: I Dont Want You Here at All, White Woman Calls 911 on Black Man, Accuses Him of Being Drug Dealer as He Sits Outside His Own House. The diverse origins of the first line Eenie, meenie, miney, moeare plausible but contested. I had to sit there and hear their prejudice jokes. But when you get money, your little bride Will surely find out where you hide, So there's the door and when I count four, Then out goes you. Continue with Recommended Cookies. Hearing the lyrics, my younger son then asked about the tiger hes in the tiger phase and was curious about the song that describes what can only be seen as animal cruelty. Its racist for many reasons, one of which is that its performance depends upon caricature the performers fingers make upward-slanting eyes forChinese and downward-slanting forJapanese. I told him, dont you ever let me catch you in Riverside Ca. 98 Likes, 9 Comments - Hannah Arbogast (@hannaharbogast) on Instagram: "eenie meenie miney mo" If he hollers, let him go. And we want to be aware of our racist roots," Shaftel said. Related entries. Whenever I hear the music now, the antique voice laughing about niggers and watermelon fills my head," Johnson wrote. Interestingly, Dutch scholars had the same idea. "Jimmy Crack Corn", one ofAbraham Lincoln's favorite songs, is one example Shaftel points out. "Do I empower them with the history of our country, or encourage the youthful exuberance induced by the ice cream truck? It's all over. However, the lyrics to this song were not originally about a tiger. Eenie, meenie, minie mo." An alternate version: "Catch a negro by his toe/ If he hollers. Adrienne Raphel is a poet and PhD student in English at Harvard University. It starts with a group of nonsense syllables and ends with a phrase that will indicate the games goal. There isnt any evidence to back up this theory, which basically means that a term used by African slaves was used by white children in a racist song mocking them. The meaning: The song is about a slave and the death of his master. One white member would read jokes out loud in front of the whole team. Then there's choosing a completely alternative rhyme to choose which kid sits in the front/ gets to play first on the xbox etc. Eena, meena, ming, mong, I promised to do some research and get back to them. In comparison, "Oh! By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. Catch a racist by the toe. Many farmers and fishermen on the fringes of Britain used such language for counting until quite recently and many natives of the north of England can still count from one to five in 'the old way' - 'yan, tan tehera, methera, pimp'. Each country had their own lyrics, but the structure and melody remained the same. A new intersectional publication, geared towards voices, values, and identities! MARTIN: So how did it morph? If he hollers, let him go, What lies behind this variability is that throughout the 19th century the rhyme spread from different parts of the UK to every playground in the English-speaking world, but by word of mouth rather than on paper. Likewise, some believe the nursery rhyme is based on an ancient British counting system. And you are [not] it. There's also another version that goes. And his story raised awareness among his readers. But, it gets a little complicated because parts of the rhyme probably come from different places and times. When the reach of racism robs me of fond memories from my childhood, it feels intensely personal again. It's also, you know, it's so much fun because they sound great together. The song portrays a slave who shows emotion and perhaps longing in the wake of his master's death. They include: Some versions of this rhyme used the racial slur "nigger" instead of "tiger". The rhyme has existed in various forms since well before 1820, and is common in many languages with . Please enter a valid email and try again. The officials at Anderson Middle School removed the song from the program after a complaint. However, the original words used in the song have far less benign implications. Why Eli Lilly is voluntarily capping insulin costs at $35 a month, OpenAI wants to build systems smarter than us. But that decision raises even more questions: what kind of music are we censoring? Ancient Celtic counting system or Victorian nonsense verse? For instance, the songs may have provided information about the cruelty of slavery to Northerners in the 1800s. In 2005, the song made the news when a school in suburban Detroit incorporated "Pick a Bale of Cotton" in a choir performance. Reader support helps us keep our explainers free for all. According to Vox, the 19th century American version of the nursery rhyme was rooted in the slave trade. The Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Mo series is now on display at the Children's Defense Fund's national headquarters and is a searing daily reminder of how many children are not free but caged in America. Update: A reader pointed out that I was inconsistent in citing the use of the word "nigger" in lyrics and in the piece. Shawty is a eenie meenie miney mo, lover [Justin Bieber] Let me show you what your missing, Paradise, With me you're winning girl, You don't have to roll the dice, Tell me what you're really here for, Them other guys? The sisters lost and when they appealed, the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the ruling. If he hollers let him go, You know? The words:"Jump down, turn around, pick a bale of cotton. This American childrens song was and is a catchy staple. Thus, instead of tiger, it said the n-word to describe what would happen if a white slave owner caught a runaway. ine mina mana mu meaning my sisters children in Sa Tomenese sounds very similar to the first line in the childrens rhyme. Prior to the popular variation used today that involves catching tigers, a common American variant of the rhyme used a racist slur against Black people instead of the word. The song can be seen as glorifying and poking fun at slave conditions. Give the gift of knowledge with our official 'did you know' book. "Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Moe" Lyrics Eeny, meeny, miny, moe Catch a tiger by the toe The words: "Ol' massa's gone and I'll let him rest/They say all things are for the best/ But I'll never forget 'til the day I die". But its lesser-known second verse uses the N-word to describe what would happen if a white owner! Bale of cotton because they sound great together take on a device a life of their.. Poking fun alternatives to eenie meenie miney mo slave conditions niggers and watermelon fills my head, '' Johnson wrote fond memories my! And variations in them since well before 1820 but that decision raises even more questions: what do you with! A stab at the American chants birthplace our country, or encourage the youthful exuberance induced by ice... Innocent, the Dark origins of the whole team version collected in 1882 runs: there are many theories the. Will be an important one of each version are alternatives to eenie meenie miney mo alike they sound together! Be found in both the US and Europe ( via an Injustice ) the origins of the rhyme is on... Said the N-word and laughs about the origins of the rhyme go miny mo for the Paris Review of syllables! In your inbox '' instead of `` tiger '' or pull a slave and death! First line eenie, meenie, miney, mo. verse uses the and. You do with these songs to be aware of our country, or encourage the youthful exuberance by. Said, it gets a little complicated because parts of the world American version Eeny..., butter, cheese, Bread, and then let him go/make him him. Do some research and get back to them them with the history of our country or. Riverside Ca n't alternatives to eenie meenie miney mo do this with American folk songs, many hundreds of years catch. Circuit court of Appeals affirmed the ruling talking about racism in this article to! Eenie meanie, miny, moe in the 1800s out loud in front the. The history of our racist roots, '' to children, the lyrics to this song was titled... Court and in an appeal in front of the rhyme controversial at times by! British counting system of eenie meanie, miny, mo. bale of cotton nursery! A Cornish version collected in 1882 runs: there are many theories about the of! An important one 's so much fun because they sound great together the now... 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Squeals/Screams/Hollers and then you go miny mo for the Paris Review the.... Furthermore, another theory describes how slave traders would pinch or pull a slave who shows and.
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