Among biologists, a frog’s croak is known as an advertisement call. It’s a male frog’s way of making himself known. A Wisconsin listener says children in her area learn that this sound is jugarum, jugarum. Poet and editor Willard Espy punningly immortalized the sound in his naughty poem, “The Serenading Frog.” This is part of a complete episode.
Transcript of “Jugarum, Jugarum, A Frog’s Advertisement Call”
We heard from Diane Dalton who told us that where she lives in Wisconsin, when they teach little kids the sound a bullfrog makes, they say jugger rum, jugger rum, jugger rum.
So these are the big boys, right?
The ones with the bulging throats, like they’re hefty in your hand if you pick them up.
Right, right.
And juggerum is what biologists refer to as an advertisement call, that is, you know, the male of the species sort of making himself known to all the ladies out there.
Oh right.
So if I were a female bullfrog, I would find that very attractive.
If you were, yeah.
Yeah.
And it’s interesting to me that Jug O’Rum also appears in a poem by the writer and editor Willard Espie.
He once wrote this sort of naughty little ditty called The Serenading Frog, and it ends with the bloated bullfrog calls his mate by booming on his drum, but gladly settles if she’s late for juggerum.
Juggerum, juggerum, that’s our advertisement for you to call with your language questions, stories, and ideas, call or text toll free in the United States and Canada 877-929-9673 or email words@waywordradio.org.
