Formulette of elimination

A formulette of elimination is a counting rhyme making it possible to nominate a person by the chance in a group.

Splash-splash

Geographical framework

  • France
In the anglophone countries, the same process seems to exist with dip , and in the Spanish-speaking countries with plom plom plom

Description

The splash-splash (or pouf-pouf , or ploum-ploum , etc) makes it possible to choose a player by eliminating all the others successively. One of the participants plays the part of leader. All the children put themselves in circle, often squatted, with a foot in the center so that the points of the shoes are touched.

The leader starts with plouffer , by pointing finger twice of continuation towards the center of the circle, and by saying “splash-splash”.

He sings then a counting rhyme, by pointing finger successively all the children of the circle to each time of the counting rhyme. The child designated in the last is eliminated, and the process starts again with the remaining participants.

Stakes

The leader has a central role since it can influence the result by changing the counting rhyme which it uses. Certain counting rhymes are well-known besides for the multiple bounces which they can comprise. In general, after the 8 years age the cheating seems to be less frequent.

Examples of counting rhymes

    • a ball out of gold you leave
    • a match on fire (with a pchit! possibly at the end)
    • It will be you the cat…
    • … but like the queen and the king it will not be to it you…
    • … at the end of three…
    • does not want… one, two, three!
  • Other melodies
    • a small pig hung with the ceiling draw him to it tail it will lay eggs
    • I make pulp for my small pigs: for one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ox!
(a child designated with each figure)
    • a cow which pisses in a barrel it is funny but it is bastard/not beautiful

Cat-déli-délo

Geographical framework

  • France

Description

The children are in circle with their helping hand flat towards the center, all the hands are piled up. The leader sings the counting rhyme, and at the end the players raise or lower the arm: those which are side where they are fewer are eliminated, and the remaining participants start again.

This formulette does not go any more when there are only two players: one finishes the selection with a method Blue-white-red : the group chooses in secrecy a color (blue, white or red), and the two remaining players must guess it. That which finds gained.

Stakes

The players whose hands are about the middle have to be able more to tip the scales on a side or other.

Examples of counting rhymes

  • Cat - déli - délo
  • Companion - sausage - ham
  • bi- bichon - bichette
  • Guy - zag - zoug

Cauliflower

Geographical framework

  • France

Description

This method makes it possible to decide between two children. they position upright, face to face, at a certain distance. They advance then one towards the other by posing a foot in front of the other, the heel touching the point, and by stating the words “cabbage” and “flower” each one its turn. When the two players are rather close, the point of the foot of the one of them crushes the foot of the other: it then gained.

Alternatives authorize the positioning of a foot transversely (so that it is less long) or to advance on the point of the feet.

See too

Random links:Colondannes | Special organization (Ottoman Empire) | He Me sior | Sup' Research-UNSA | Battle of Walcourt | Langue_de_Saraiki