(no subject)

[drydem]

one of the weirdest things about examining old native american tales published in the Journal of American folklore is that whenever something sexual comes up, they inexplicably switch to latin. It's really weird to be reading and have this sentence come up, "He came to a village of Woodchuck people, et coepit cum virginae ludere." It doesn't make any explanation at any point, just randomly switches to naughty latin.

Comments

[prosewitch.livejournal.com]

Dundes always pointed in class out how scholars used to be really prudish about that sort of thing. How old are these texts?

[drydem.livejournal.com]

1919, it makes sense societally, it's just amusing to all of a sudden have everything in latin. They don't clean up the tales, just make the racy parts only accessible to the educated.

[cihuacoatl.livejournal.com]

Sorry I missed you last night, but I'm looking for you...