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Post by patapin on Apr 6, 2016 10:17:46 GMT
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Post by MrB on Apr 6, 2016 11:25:28 GMT
These Peanuts cartoons are an interesting cultural as well as linguistic education. I'm a native English speaker, but not American, and have absolutely no idea what's going on in this strip. An interesting example of two countries divided by a common language.
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Post by patapin on Apr 6, 2016 17:18:53 GMT
Yes! And I believe that English and French were very close a few centuries ago. We have common roots (Latin and Greek, for instance). But even in my own country, there are different dialects (Corsican, Breton...). And I don't know all the words of my own language! I am a speck of dust contemplating infinity...
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Post by James on Apr 7, 2016 1:51:49 GMT
Hmm. I'm curious to hear one of the Americans speak up, too. I've heard of criss, cross applesauce, though I wouldn't remember all the words, just the title, really, which is used as an exclamation sometimes. Applesauce is a sweet, and children enjoy eating it. I think Snoopy is just relishing the fun of pushing Charlie Brown off the bench the way that people usually relish apple sauce, that's what I get out of it, anyway.
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Post by James on Apr 7, 2016 1:55:44 GMT
Also, you have to puree the apples to make applesauce, so it sort of reminds you of the squishing they're engaging in, which is probably why they made the connection to begin with.
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Post by Dil Bert on Apr 7, 2016 10:31:24 GMT
Sorry to not be of much help; perhaps the activity was on its way out when the strip was written or it was a regional activity. I could imagine an activity* with this much physical contact which resulted in children being pushed and falling dying out as the US became more diverse and litigious.
I think you are right that there's not a joke here other than it is the perpetual loser Charlie Brown who is the one ejected. Seems more like a comic intended to leave the reader with a pleasant feeling of remembering such activities.
Aside: I just had the thought that there is a lot of US TV from the 1950's. Watching those shows might also help with your English and give you more insight into the time and culture when these comic strips were created.
* And which wasn't an organized, well-recognized, single-gender sport such as wrestling or football.
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NewLaura
Dancing in the chorus
Posts: 28
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Post by NewLaura on Apr 9, 2016 3:10:23 GMT
Seems more like a comic intended to leave the reader with a pleasant feeling of remembering such activities. I'm not sure, but I suspect that Dil Bert is right. I vaguely remember that rhyme in your link (http://www.mamalisa.com/blog/criss-cross-applesauce-rhymes-and-sitting-style) from when I was in elementary school. It was something children did to each other when they were supposed to be sitting and waiting quietly (you drew the patterns on the other child's back as you said the rhyme, there was also a variation that included pretending to crack an egg on the other child's head). It was pretty innocent and peaceful. I also have vague memories of an informal game like the one in the comic strip...again, children sitting on a bench waiting and getting restless, and they basically start pushing each other to the rhythm of the rhyme. (And I suspect Dil Bert is right about that game dying out...children in the US don't get much opportunity to be boisterous like that anymore. I don't think any game that involved pushing children off a bench would be tolerated.) There might also be a suggestion that it was fun for Snoopy and made him feel better because he was the "victor" and not the one who got bumped off the bench.
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Post by patapin on Apr 11, 2016 9:25:03 GMT
Hi Dil Bert and New Laura,
Many thanks for your relevant and detailed remarks. I was born in the late 50's, so watching old shows might be a good help for me to understand this period.
I don't remember playing such a squeeze-squash game when I was young, but it was so long ago... Surely when we sere sitting on a bench, one of us would begin to push the other, then we would swing as waves, going stronger and stronger, until... until what? Was one of us the ejected Charlie Brown? Could be!
Well, see you soon in the Peanuts#7!
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