Timesuck with Dan Cummins

268 - The Dark History of Nursery Rhymes

Nov 1, 2021
Ask episode
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
INSIGHT

Rhymes As Subversive Memory Tools

  • Many classic nursery rhymes likely originated as subversive or mnemonic devices in medieval England to encode critique and memory of events.
  • Simple rhyme and melody made political commentary safer and easier for illiterate populations to remember and pass on.
INSIGHT

Why Rhymes Stick In Memory

  • Rhyme and rhythm aid memory via acoustic encoding and the phonological loop, making short verses ideal mnemonic devices.
  • This cognitive mechanism explains why nursery rhymes persist across generations as oral traditions.
ANECDOTE

Baa Baa Black Sheep And Wool Taxes

  • Dan explains 'Baa Baa Black Sheep' likely referred to medieval wool taxes where masters and dames took peasant wool.
  • The original ending suggested none for the little boy, reflecting unfair taxation rather than racial meaning.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
Get the app