"Nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah" is the lexigraphic representation of a common children's chant. It is a rendering of one common vocalization for a six-note musical figure [note 1] that is usually associated with children and found in many European-derived cultures, and which is often used in taunting. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]
The tune has many variations on how "nyah-nyah" is vocalized (e.g., "Nuh nuh nuh nuh nuh nuh"), [7] some examples of which include:
The tune is also heard in Canada, Australia, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Serbia, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, United Kingdom, and Iceland.[ citation needed ] Children in Korea use a different figure for teasing, la-so-la-so mi-re-mi-re with the vocalization 얼레리 꼴레리 (eol-re-ri kkol-re-ri)[ citation needed ] while a Japanese variant is so-so-mi-mi so-mi-mi[ citation needed ] and in Mexico a so-la-so-mi, so-la-so-mi figure is found.[ citation needed ]
The initial taunt is sometimes followed by further verses using the same tune, for instance in America "Nanny nanny nanny goat, cannot catch a billy goat" or following "Nanny nanny boo boo" with "Stick your head in doo-doo". French children might follow "Na na na na nère" with "Pouette pouette camembert". In Croatia, children sing "Ulovi me, ulovi me, kupit ću ti novine. Novine su skupe, poljubi me u dupe" (which means: "Catch me, catch me, [if you do that] I'll buy you a newspaper. Newspapers are pricey, kiss my tushie").[ citation needed ]
While the word "nyah" is now defined as being in and of itself an expression of contemptuous superiority over another, this is by derivation from the "nyah-nyah..." chant rather than vice versa [12] so the "nyah-nyah..." vocalization version of the chant is, at least in origin, an example of communication entirely by paralanguage. [7] Context-meaningful words are sometimes applied ad hoc , however, such as "Johnny is a sis-sy", "I got the blue one", or "I can see your underwear!". [4] Shirley Jackson referred to it as the "da da, da-da da" or "I know a secret" chant in Life Among the Savages. [13]
Non-taunting uses are also seen, also associated with children. Several playground songs use the "Nyah nyah..." musical figure, including A Tisket, A Tasket; It's Raining, It's Pouring;[ citation needed ] and some variants of Ring a Ring o' Roses, [6] Bye, baby Bunting [2] [5] [6] and Olly olly oxen free. [1] The tune has been used as an advertising jingle by the confectionery company Haribo. [14]
The figure is used in the Benjamin Britten opera The Rape of Lucretia (1946) for a scene where the Roman and Etruscan generals mock each other. [2]
Descendents centered the song "I Don't Want To Grow Up" around the figure in their 1985 album of the same name.[ citation needed ]
The tune (in both the "nah" and "nyah" forms) features as the chorus of the theme song 'It's Not Fair' from the 'Horrid Henry' animated TV series on CITV. [15]
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Research seems to indicate that this exact constellation of two notes [descending minor third], and its three-note variant, is the same all over the world, wherever children tease each other, on every continent and in every culture. In short, we may have here a clear case of a musical-linguistic universal., cited at Metzger, Patrick (2016-08-29). "The Millennial Whoop: The Simple Melodic Sequence That's Showing Up All Over Contemporary Pop". Browbeat (Slate's Culture Blog). Slate. Retrieved 2016-08-29.
Hon skriver bolet, 'bordet', fälas, 'färdas' och gålen, 'gården'. Den sistnämnda formen är odödliggjord i den här ramsan: "Skvallerbytta Bing-bong/går i alla gålar/slickar alla skålar"; det är alltså inget nödrim!