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Monday, June 28, 2010

Nursery (Non-)Rhymes

Recently, I have noticed how many nursery rhymes there are that possibly rhyme in some part of the English-speaking world, but most certainly do NOT in these here parts. A few examples:

Old Mother Hubbard
Went to her cupboard
To fetch her poor dog a bone.
But when she got there,
The cupboard was bare.
And so her poor dog had none.

Goosey Goosey Gander
Whither shall I wander
Upstairs and downstairs
And in my Lady's chamber.

Pussy Cat, Pussy Cat,
Where have you been?
I've been to London
To visit the Queen.

Old Mother Goose,
When she wanted to wander
Would ride through the air
On a very fine gander.

Mother Hubbard down the cellar
I spy Cinderella
(from Each Peach Pear Plum)

And I have also noticed that different members of our family approach these non-rhymes in different ways. JunkMale forces the rhyme and exaggerates it in a funny way ("Mother Hubbard down the cellar, I spy CinderellER"). I heard my mom reading the Old Mother Goose rhyme, and she also forced the rhyme, but in a much quieter way, almost shyly. I prefer just reading it the way that I would if I didn't know it was poetry.

I wonder which way other people handle nursery non-rhymes. Do you force the rhyme? Do you read it the "normal" way? Do you consider it an object of curiousity? And is there a right way to read them?

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2 have poured out their souls in electronic text:

  • Laura

    I only force the rhyme when I'm trying to be silly. But it seems that the silly streak hits me every time I'm reading Each Peach Pear Plum. :-)

  • Sam

    This is a really funny topic!

    I don't force the rhyme. Ultimately, I want my child to know what the real word sounds like. Changing the word in order for it to rhyme might be confusing.

    But listening to someone else read out loud and force the rhyme would crack me up!!