Talk:Simon Says

The http://www.games2go.co.uk/game/simon link reproducibly crashed my Firefox (1.0.6, Flashblock,Googlebar extensions). So I'll delete the link. I hope noone minds.

Origins

Any evidence that this game derives from the Biblical character of Simon Magus, who bewitched the people of Samaria? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_Magus Nile577

I came on to try and find out why the game is called "Simon" Says but was surprised to find there's no explanation here. I can't seem to find any information about this in other places either. Also I find the suggestion that "Simon Says is probably a childhood simulation of Soviet Russia" very unlikely as a quick search on Google News Archive (here) turns up pre-Soviet Union articles that appear to refer to the game. (Besides I'm not really sure how saying Simon and omitting to say Simon before an order is in anyway a simulation of Soviet Russia?!?) --Thetriangleguy 20:05, 26 October 2006 (UTC)[reply]

• My guess is that it was probably put in as a joke. Either way, since it is unverifiable I agree with its removal. -- Satori Son 20:13, 26 October 2006 (UTC)[reply]
• In Soviet Russia, Simon says you! Yeah, unsourced claim, most likely a joke. I've removed it from the article. As to the actual reason why 'Simon', I'd guess that it relates to Simple Simon (nursery rhyme), but haven't yet found much proof. Ziggurat 20:32, 26 October 2006 (UTC)[reply]
• I have heard it is because some king somewhere was called Simon, and he did like to ordre his people about...

I've hidden this section with the idea that it should be removed as it doesn't seem to add much to the article except perhaps to provide an example of the play. I don't think it's necessary, but feel free to discuss or disagree. Flyguy649 17:25, 4 January 2007 (UTC)[reply]

The game, Simon Says, is a Biblcial reference to the story of Simon Peter, one of Jesus' disciples.

Simon Peter (who ordinarily went by the name "Peter") was one of Jesus' most aggressive and trustworthy disciples. Yet, on the day Jesus was crucified, Peter denied knowing Jesus. Later, after Jesus' resurrection and return to Earth, Jesus specifically asked Peter, "Do you love me?" Peter answered "of course I love you."

Simon Peter's response after the resurrection did not match Peter's actions on the day of Jesus' crucifixion. Thus, Simon Peter is known as a man who asked people to "do as I say, not as I do." Actions speak louder than words.

Thus, the game, Simon Says was invented to epitomize the fact that humans' innate desire was to focus on actions as opposed to mere speech.

Unlikely. Using Simon to refer to Simon Peter is really a stretch, people don't think of Peter when they think of Simon. And the game has nothing to do with "do as I say, not as I do". The game is about do as I say when I say the magic words "Simon says". In any case, Peter's actions before and after the resurrection also have nothing to do with "do as I say, not as I do".--RLent (talk) 20:54, 28 October 2010 (UTC)[reply]

It's more oftenly "Hamelekh Amar" (The king said) than "Hertzel Amar"

I’ve lived in Israel my whole life (I’m 28) and I’ve never heard anyone use your version. The only time it has been relevant to childhood games is in the Israeli version of eeny-meeny-miney-moe, which ends with, ‘The King said to count to 10: 1, 2, 3…’ שונרא (talk) 23:35, 26 October 2019 (UTC)[reply]

I guess there must be different regional variants. I lived in Israel for the first 22 years of my life and have never heard the "Hertzel Amar" version, only "Hamelekh Amar". I grew up in the Sharon region. 130.44.146.234 (talk) 04:59, 6 September 2022 (UTC)[reply]

Added a stub section for etymology, as I believe it's important to be included, though at the moment, I have no data specifying the etymology. _→AzaToth 12:04, 12 April 2008 (UTC) Its game in Serbian[reply]

why doesn't this game mention the electronic game Simon being inspired by this? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 67.164.63.178 (talk) 00:26, 28 April 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Removing the piped link to ObL. I can't imagine that "Saman says" is named after him.GordyB (talk) 11:39, 30 July 2011 (UTC)[reply]

There is no such Romanian variant of the game as "Răzvan spune". You can google for that. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 79.112.90.227 (talk) 13:32, 5 October 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Simon Says is a proper noun and therefore should be capitalized. Red Slash 04:38, 8 April 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Swedish children play Gör si, gör så (Do this, do thus) which is similar to Simon Says. It's better in a way since the leader also performs the required action while saying "gör si" or "gör så." A child has to stand down if the action is performed when the improper command, gör så, is used. The game instills a sense of correctness. --Jbergquist (talk) 22:10, 6 June 2014 (UTC)[reply]

In Swedish "si och så" is used in the way "this and that" is used in English. It's vague and contrasting, something like seesawing. --Jbergquist (talk) 22:23, 7 June 2014 (UTC)[reply]

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That first reference 'here' does not appear to meet the criteria for WP:RS, an archived yahoo blog with no references or evidence of any kind whatsoever.219.88.68.195 (talk) 00:15, 29 January 2019 (UTC)[reply]

While this is also a blog, here, it does cite all its sources, I can't find anything that collaborates the source at the past link, but a search of newspaper archives such as this one confirms the points made there, such as that the game was originally named "Simon Says Wiggle-Waggle" and/or "Simon Says Thumbs Down" or variations on those like "Simon Says Thumbs up, Thumbs down, Wiggle-Waggle". I'm going to go ahead and remove the speculation about Simon de Montfort (and the supporting blog source) as dubious and unsupported, everything I can see online that cites it all seems to be from the same source, which mentions "Cicero dicit fac hoc" as well, for which I can't find any older uses of that phrase. There should be something added to the history section that references those other phrases (wiggle-waggle etc) though since they're confirmed and cited, heck would citing the original newspaper articles work? I'm wondering if the authors/researchers Iona and Peter Opie ever wrote about it, seems in their area of work, I've got a copy of their book The Lore and Language of School Children somewhere I'll try to remember to check if I see it, but if anyone else has any of their other books they could be checked. -Found a recording of her talking to some kids here in the 70s, I can only just hear it, but they're calling the game 'Simple Simon Says' so that recording could be used as a reference for the mention of that in the lede perhaps.219.88.68.195 (talk) 02:32, 29 January 2019 (UTC)[reply]

Earliest reference online for the "Cicero Dicit Fac Hoc" claim appears to be this person adding it to this article way back in 2009, looking at the handful of other edits it seems likely the person was just mucking around.219.88.68.195 (talk) 22:09, 29 January 2019 (UTC)[reply]