nyaa nyaa/ naa naa

[Laurence Horn]

On Feb 13, 2012, at 10:45 AM, Arnold Zwicky wrote:

> On Feb 13, 2012, at 5:00 AM, Benjamin Barrett wrote:
>>
>> I count one too few iterations. Either /nae/ or /naa/ is fine. Palatize if you want, too.
>>
>> Benjamin Barrett
>> Seattle, WA
>>
>> On Feb 13, 2012, at 4:54 AM, Jonathan Lighter wrote:
>>
>>> A while ago I indirectly called attention to the stereotyped childhood
>>> taunt melody, "Nyaa nyaa nyah  NYAA nyaa!"
>
> like BB's, the version from my childhood has 6 syllables in a line of tetrameter, with the metrical pattern:
>
>  SW | SW | S | S
>
> in 4/4 time, that would be one measure 8-8 8-8 4 4 (where "8" stands for an eighth note and "4" for a fourth note).
>
> the tune is minor: 3-3 1-4 3 1 (where "n" represents the nth note of the scale).
>
> the chorus for "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down is 4 trimeter lines, 3 with the metrical pattern:
>
>  SW | S | S
>
> and a final line
>
>  SW | SW | S
>
> and the tune (again in minor):
>
>  4-5 6 6
>  7-6 5 5
>  6-5 4 4
>  5-4 3-2 1
>
>
Agreed.  In fact a closer melodic match (than "The Night…") is the first two lines of "A tisket, a tasket/a green and yellow basket", but that's not a taunt.  Wonder if the tune played a role, though.  As for taunts, the opening lyrics of the

na na NA na
na na NA na
hey hey
goodbye

--sung by the fans in Comiskey Park in Chicago when a pitcher for the other team has been knocked out of the game by the White So--may be related, although the tune is different.  It's definitely a na-na taunt, in any case.

LH

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