Proverbs

PROVERBS

  A proverb is a saying which imbibes wisdom in it. It is defined as " a short pithy saying in general use. " It is used in everyday speech and writing.

The word ‘proverb’ is derived from Latin word  ‘proverbium’.

A proverb is a simple and concrete saying, popularly known and repeated, that expresses a truth based on common sense or the practical experience of humanity.

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Paremiology: The study of proverbs is called paremiology (from Greek paroimía, "proverb, maxim, saw") and can be dated back as far as Aristotle.

 Paremiographyis the collection of proverbs.

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Sources of proverbs:

Proverbs are taken from many languages and cultures. Almost every culture has examples of its own unique proverbs.

Proverbs come from a variety of sources. Others are taken from such diverse sources as poetry, songs, commercials, advertisements, movies, literature, etc.A number of the well known sayings of Jesus, Shakespeare, and others have become proverbs, though they were original at the time of their creation, and many of these sayings were not seen as proverbs when they were first coined. Many proverbs are also based on stories, often the end of a story.

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Definitions of "proverb"

A common definition is from Lord John Russell (c. 1850):

“A proverb is the wit of one, and the wisdom of many.”

More constructively, Wolfgang Mieder has proposed the following definition:

 “A proverb is a short, generally known sentence of the folk which contains wisdom, truth, morals, and traditional views in a metaphorical, fixed, and memorizable form and which is handed down from generation to generation.”

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Uses of proverbs:

Proverbs are frequently used in conversation, literature, advertising. Proverbs have also been used in drama and films and cartoons. Proverbs are often poetic in and of themselves, making them ideally suited for adapting into songs. Proverbs have been used in music from opera to country to hip-hop.

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Some proverbs with their meanings are listed here. Knowledge of these proverbs will enable the students to learn good English.

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