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HelpJolene on a Danish baby!?
Over the holidays my brother told me about his friend (whom I have never met) who just had a baby girl named Jolene. With the English pronounciation and all...
What do you think of Jolene on a Danish baby?
I don't know what to think really...
But I'm afraid it falls in the slightly white trash-category and then there is the Dolly Parton song for reference...
At least it is not another Emma or Mathilde; we are drowning in those.
What do you think of Jolene on a Danish baby?
I don't know what to think really...
But I'm afraid it falls in the slightly white trash-category and then there is the Dolly Parton song for reference...
At least it is not another Emma or Mathilde; we are drowning in those.
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finally heard the song
Ok. So I finally decided to look the Jolene song up on the net and had a listen and found it's a more recent song and that's why I hadn't heard of it before this bulletin board (I didn't even know Dolly Parton was still doing albums). Honestly, it's the singer- not Jolene- who sounds like (desperate) "white trash" (I really don't like that term). Song says nothing about Jolene actually deliberately trying to take him away- just that the way she is has the singer's man (boyfriend? husband? Can't tell which from the song) paying some attention and Jolene might even be clueless that it's happening... Some women are like that. Just the way they are and the way they look gets the attention of numerous guys, but that doesn't mean the gal will go out with any of them (when I was in high school, my friend Chareen always had lists of guys who were interested, but she wasn't even inclined to date the ones she wasn't personally interested in and would never have gone for one who was already attached). Obviously, the people in the song who are the problems are the guy who's giving more attention to this other gal than the one he's with and the singer who lets her life revolve around a guy who would do that. For all we know, Jolene may just be sitting there with a choice to make over this guy who likes her and if she's smart, she'll see that he's with somebody and that if he'd leave this other gal for Jolene, he could just as well leave Jolene for some other gal. Guys like that are to be avoided... Maybe it's the guy who's the jerk and the singer whose mindset would fall into one of the categories in Dr. Laura's book "Top 10 Things Women Do To Mess Up Their Lives".
Guess that's what makes it a typical country song though... (but with horrible sound to it... yuck)
Ok. So I finally decided to look the Jolene song up on the net and had a listen and found it's a more recent song and that's why I hadn't heard of it before this bulletin board (I didn't even know Dolly Parton was still doing albums). Honestly, it's the singer- not Jolene- who sounds like (desperate) "white trash" (I really don't like that term). Song says nothing about Jolene actually deliberately trying to take him away- just that the way she is has the singer's man (boyfriend? husband? Can't tell which from the song) paying some attention and Jolene might even be clueless that it's happening... Some women are like that. Just the way they are and the way they look gets the attention of numerous guys, but that doesn't mean the gal will go out with any of them (when I was in high school, my friend Chareen always had lists of guys who were interested, but she wasn't even inclined to date the ones she wasn't personally interested in and would never have gone for one who was already attached). Obviously, the people in the song who are the problems are the guy who's giving more attention to this other gal than the one he's with and the singer who lets her life revolve around a guy who would do that. For all we know, Jolene may just be sitting there with a choice to make over this guy who likes her and if she's smart, she'll see that he's with somebody and that if he'd leave this other gal for Jolene, he could just as well leave Jolene for some other gal. Guys like that are to be avoided... Maybe it's the guy who's the jerk and the singer whose mindset would fall into one of the categories in Dr. Laura's book "Top 10 Things Women Do To Mess Up Their Lives".
Guess that's what makes it a typical country song though... (but with horrible sound to it... yuck)
This message was edited 12/31/2008, 9:27 PM
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The Dolly Parton song doesn't make it trashy unless you are one of those closed-minded fools who assumes that all country music is white trash. I think the song actually elevates the name somewhat and I would much rather see a Jolene than a Matilda.
On a Danish baby, it could be odd, but it could also be a cross-cultural reference. To me, it's the same as an American using a Danish name.
On a Danish baby, it could be odd, but it could also be a cross-cultural reference. To me, it's the same as an American using a Danish name.
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Maybe I should have explained myself better
I don't find the name trashy because of the Dolly Parton reference, but because it is usually a certain demographic here in Denmark that give their children English/American names. This have lead to a certain prejudice, if you will, that English/American name on Danish child = low-class and future criminal and/or on wellfare.
An example of this is Brian, which is now slang for a criminal and/or a generally bad person, who is uneducated and violent. He offentimes own a car, which he have 'pimped out' and he drives around in it playing very loud music and ignores practically all laws regarding speeding, decent driving etc.
What worries me is that little Jolene (who by the way, is a beautiful baby; I saw a picture) will suffer from this. She will grow up and will be branded because of her name. People will most likely think she is stupid/uneducated and a part of a demographic that live on the bottom of the Danish society.
To add to that, there is Dolly Parton song reference and it is the lyrics that worry me, not the fact that it is country music. "Jolene, please don't take my man" will come back to haunt little Danish Jolene big time once she is older!
Just for the record; I have a very varied taste in music, and no, I do not make the equation of country music equals white trash. Jolene by Dolly Parton is the only cultural reference most Danes have with the name Jolene and therefore I found it natural to bring it up in discussion of the name - it is important because it is an obvious cause for bullying/teasing/whatever.
I don't find the name trashy because of the Dolly Parton reference, but because it is usually a certain demographic here in Denmark that give their children English/American names. This have lead to a certain prejudice, if you will, that English/American name on Danish child = low-class and future criminal and/or on wellfare.
An example of this is Brian, which is now slang for a criminal and/or a generally bad person, who is uneducated and violent. He offentimes own a car, which he have 'pimped out' and he drives around in it playing very loud music and ignores practically all laws regarding speeding, decent driving etc.
What worries me is that little Jolene (who by the way, is a beautiful baby; I saw a picture) will suffer from this. She will grow up and will be branded because of her name. People will most likely think she is stupid/uneducated and a part of a demographic that live on the bottom of the Danish society.
To add to that, there is Dolly Parton song reference and it is the lyrics that worry me, not the fact that it is country music. "Jolene, please don't take my man" will come back to haunt little Danish Jolene big time once she is older!
Just for the record; I have a very varied taste in music, and no, I do not make the equation of country music equals white trash. Jolene by Dolly Parton is the only cultural reference most Danes have with the name Jolene and therefore I found it natural to bring it up in discussion of the name - it is important because it is an obvious cause for bullying/teasing/whatever.
This message was edited 12/31/2008, 4:51 AM
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Actually, Jolene is described as a beautiful and very attractive girl in the song. Did you not pay attention to that part...?
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Just out of curiosity... How many Danes actually listen to Dolly Parton or have heard the song? I have spent whole chunks of my life in towns where country music is grossly overplayed and NEVER even heard of this song until this year on this website...
Could be a regional thing though... I knew almost no Carpenters music until I moved to Japan where "Top of the World" is played quite frequently (and I'd never heard it before)... In Canada, the Carpenters are old news that very few people listen to anymore and if they do, it would prob'ly date them a little.
Could be a regional thing though... I knew almost no Carpenters music until I moved to Japan where "Top of the World" is played quite frequently (and I'd never heard it before)... In Canada, the Carpenters are old news that very few people listen to anymore and if they do, it would prob'ly date them a little.
This message was edited 12/31/2008, 5:54 AM
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Some English names are common in Denmark
Yes, some English names have become common in Denmark, but they are mostly associated with 'white trash'. It is a certain type of domographic that give their children English names, which have led to the common understandning that English name (usually with hideous pronounciation) = white trash/low class. An example is Brian (pronounced BREE-an) - it is now slang for a person who, how should I put it; have difficulty staying on the right side of the law and is generally a bad/violent/ignorant person.
Maybe that's what bugs me about Jolene - it is an English name on a Danish baby, which will probably lead to this little girl being branded by this prejudice (if you will) that she, because of her name, is bad/ignorant/low-class.
Also; the Dolly Parton song is the only reference most Danes have with the name; the whole "Jolene, please don't take my man"-thing will come back to haunt her big time!
Yes, some English names have become common in Denmark, but they are mostly associated with 'white trash'. It is a certain type of domographic that give their children English names, which have led to the common understandning that English name (usually with hideous pronounciation) = white trash/low class. An example is Brian (pronounced BREE-an) - it is now slang for a person who, how should I put it; have difficulty staying on the right side of the law and is generally a bad/violent/ignorant person.
Maybe that's what bugs me about Jolene - it is an English name on a Danish baby, which will probably lead to this little girl being branded by this prejudice (if you will) that she, because of her name, is bad/ignorant/low-class.
Also; the Dolly Parton song is the only reference most Danes have with the name; the whole "Jolene, please don't take my man"-thing will come back to haunt her big time!
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There's no such word as pronounciation (though that may have just emphasized your point). The word is proNUNciation... Sorry... It's just a pet peeve of mine.
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I LOVE Jolene on a baby girl of any ethnicity. Seems you've been listening to too much Dolly Parton then 'cause I've never met a trashy Jolene... spunky, fun, classy... yes... but not trashy. Besides, chances are most Danes don't listen to Dolly Parton much and even North Americans don't all listen to her. I don't. Amazing how 1 song or movie or book (or even real live person) can make or break a name in how people imagine it.
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