Coin culture | Culture corner

Coin culture | Culture corner

© Bianca Brandon-Cox

Even if your childhood has long passed, I am sure you’ll remember the little counting rhyme you used to use in order to make decisions. Does ‘Eeny, meeny, miny, moe…’ ring a bell at all? I bet it does. And I bet now you’ve remembered it you’ll be wishing you could use it as an adult from time to time when things get really compliqué*, non?*

Have you ever wondered (and I’m guessing not) how the French enfants* approach this decision-making process? Well, wonder no longer, because le voici*:

Am, stram, gram,

Pic et pic et colégram,

Bourre et bourre et ratatam,

Am, stram, gram.

As to the meaning of the ditty, speculation abounds, including having origins as a Teutonic saying used to decimate prisoners (not so nice) or even a Shamanic incantation (très mystérieux*). Ma version préférée* is that is simply a form of onomatopoeia, invented for the sheer pleasure children’s ears.

For those of you who are more visual, voici une vidéo*. It is très mignon*.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3jZmWdcebs

*complicated | *no? | *children | *here it is | *very mysterious | *My preferred version | *here is a video | *very cute