12/17/2023 0 Comments Japanese proverb about tidiness![]() While “a stitch in time saves nine,” “don’t count your chickens before they’ve hatched,” and “don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater” are common proverbs, few of us stitch clothes, count chickens, or throw out bathwater. ![]() Proverbs are often used metaphorically and it is in understanding their metaphorical nature that we can unravel their meaning.Proverbs are passed down through time with little change in form.Clichés often have their origins in literature, television, or movies rather than in folk tradition. Proverbs are not clichés Clichés are widely used, even overused, phrases that are often metaphorical in nature. Proverbs are used to support arguments, to provide lessons and instruction, and to stress shared values. For instance, island cultures such as Hawaii have proverbs about the sea, Eastern cultures have proverbs about elephants, and American proverbs, many collected and published by Benjamin Franklin, are about hard work bringing success. ![]() And because they are folk wisdom, they are often strongly reflect the cultural values and physical environment from which they arise. Proverbs function as “folk wisdom,” general advice about how to act and live. For instance, the proverb “penny wise, pound foolish” is a holdover from when America was a British colony and used the pound as currency. Because most proverbs have their origins in oral tradition, they are generally worded in such a way as to be remembered easily and tend to change little from generation to generation, so much so that sometimes their specific meaning is no longer relevant. Proverbs are popular sayings which contain advice or state a generally accepted truth.
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