proverbs are never out of season

Proverbs are short and pithy sayings that express some traditionally held truth. 

They are usually metaphorical and often, for the sake of memorability, alliterative. 

                   Learn these 6:

1.     Without wisdom, wealth is worthless. 
2.  Fight fire with fire.
3.     Better bend than break.
4.  Manners make man.
5.    Speech is silver, silence is golden.
6.  What is worth doing is worth doing well. 

 

    proverbs

PART1. 

Nothing defines a culture as distinctly as its language, and the element of language that best encapsulates a society's values and beliefs is its proverbs.

It's interesting to note that the two most common words in English proverbs are 'good' and 'never'. 

A bit of armchair psychology leads to the conclusion that, if proverbs really do reflect belief, then the English are (or at least were when these proverbs were coined) inclined to be virtuous but negative - not so far from the truth perhaps?

PLUS: For a funny way to end proverbs,   

see what 6-year-old kids did to English beliefs here

PART2. 

Now, ready for a ..... proverbs quizz

a-z> aphorism-witticism

   According to Wolfgang Mieder, author of the book "Proverbs Are Never Out of Season," the definition of a proverb is 

 "a phrase ... which contains above all wisdom, truth, morals, experience, lessons, and advice concerning life and which has been handed down from generation to generation." 

A proverb can help you perfect your conversational English skills, as proverbs often come up in conversation. 

An example is 

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it."

Read more: How to Learn English Proverbs




PART3. Follow-up 

Click on ... SMART-Words

Communication: Synonyms for words related to speech -

This collection of synonyms and antonyms also explains the meaning of synonyms to learn how to use them in in spoken words or writing. The meaning of synonyms is highly important in writing essays, papers, abstracts, etc. 

Life, time and proverbs

  1. Some metaphores to think over (= ponder):

• Tranquil mind
• Sit like a tortoise
• Walk sprightly like a pigeon
• Sleep like a dog

  2.  Wisdom from the east:

. A yarn (= story):

In China where Age means something he was a great man. By his own story Li Ching-Yuen was born in 1736, had lived 197 years. By the time he was ten years old he had traveled all the area gathering herbs and went on for the rest of his first 100 years. He lived on herbs and plenty of rice wine.

To be aware of your time clock during your lifespan, we should consider Li Ching-Yuen's answer to the secret of a long life in the province of Szechwan in China, Li lived until last week as told to TIME magazine in 1932.

 Reading bonus track: 

   If it picks your interest, have a glimpse at some LONGEVITY aspects:

•  Myths and Claims 

  3.  A couple of ageless classics:

• "You, yourself, are the time; your senses are your clocks."

                        – Angelus Silesius (German mystic – 17th century)

"There is a right time for everything:

A time to be born; A time to die;

A time to plant; A time to harvest;

A time to kill; A time to heal;

A time to destroy; A time to rebuild;

A time to cry; A time to laugh;

A time to grieve; A time to dance;

A time for scattering stones; A time for gathering stones;

A time to hug; A time not to hug;

A time to find; A time to lose;

A time for keeping; A time for throwing away;

A time to tear; A time to repair;

A time to be quiet; A time to speak up;

A time for loving; A time for hating;

A time for war; A time for peace."

             – Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8

  Navigate at your peril: 

• When did counting time start?

 4.  An all-time favourite literary English pieces:

Last but not least  my  CODA on life. 

Three writers who delivered on TIME anarchy rules:

4.1. Life is .... a chaos between two silences

                          (S. Beckett) ...  

4.2. They lived und laughed ant loved end left

                            ( J. Joyce)

4.3. “Tomorrow, And Tomorrow, And Tomorrow” Soliloquy

Spoken by Macbeth,      at  Macbeth  Act 5 Scene 5 

There would have been a time for such a word. 

Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow, 

Creeps in this petty pace from day to day 

To the last syllable of recorded time, 

And all our yesterdays have lighted fools 

The way to dusty death.

Out, out, brief candle!Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player

That struts and frets his hour upon the stage

And then is heard no more: it is a tale 

Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,Signifying nothing.

                 ( Willm Shakp / William Shaksper / Wm Shakspe /               

           William Shakspere / Willm Shakspere)                      

       “Tomorrow, And Tomorrow, And Tomorrow” Soliloquy Translation:

How the days stretched out – each one the same as the one before, and they would continue to do so, tediously, until the end of history. 

And every day we have lived has been the last day of some other fool’s life, each day a dot of candle-light showing him the way to his death-bed. 

Blow the short candle out: life was no more than a walking shadow – a poor actor – who goes through all the emotions in one hour on the stage and then bows out. 

It was a story told by an idiot, full of noise and passion, but meaningless.

FOLLOW UP:

https://ma-serendipity.blogspot.com/2019/10/a-hard-time-is-gotta-fall-proverbial.html

EXTRA :

• Shakespeare's six surviving signatures are all from legal documents.

Willm Shakp - 

William Shakspēr - 

Wm Shakspē - 

William Shakspere

Willm Shakspere

William Shakspeare

Proverbs - According to 6 year olds

Mary taught first grade. She had a class of twenty-five adorable 6yr olds. 
 One day Mary gave each child the first half of a well known proverb and asked them to write in the remainder of the proverb. It's hard to believe these were actually done by first graders. 

 While reading the results, keep in mind that these are only first graders, just 6 years olds.

1. No news is............................ impossible.
2. Love all, trust....................... me.
3. An idle mind is....................... the best way to relax.
4. Strike while the...................... bug is close.
5. Better late than...................... pregnant.
6. A penny saved is...................... not much.
7. Don't change horses................... until they stop running.
8. A miss is as good as a ............... Mr.
9. Happy is the bride who................ gets all the presents.
10. Two's company, three's................ the Musketeers.
11. Don't bite the hand that.............. looks dirty.
12. It’s always darkest before............ Daylight Saving Time.
13. There are none so blind as ........... Stevie Wonder.
14. Where there's smoke there's .......... pollution.
15. The pen is mightier than the.......... pigs.
16. If at first you don't succeed......... get new batteries.
17. When the blind lead the blind ........ get out of the way!
18. Children should be seen and not ...... spanked or grounded.
19. You can't teach an old dog new ....... math.
20. Don't put off till tomorrow what...... you put on to go to bed.

      Some natural answers:         

1 No news is..............................good news
2 Love all, trust......................... a few, do wrong to none.
3 An idle mind is.........................the devil's workshop.

4 Strike while the ....................... iron is hot.
5 Better late than........................ never.
6 A penny saved is....................... a penny earned.

7 Don't change horses.................... in midstream.
8 A miss is as good as a ................. mile.
9 Happy is the bride who................ the sun shines on.

10 Two's company, three's................ crowd.
11 Don't bite the hand that................ feeds you.
12 It’s always darkest before............. the day dawns.

13 There are none so blind as ............ those, that will not see.
14 Where there's smoke there's .......... fire.
15 The pen is mightier than the.......... sword.

16 If at first you don't succeed............ try, and try again.
17 When the blind lead the blind ......... both fall into the ditch.
18 Children should be seen and not ...... heard. 

19 You can't teach an old dog new ....... tricks.
20 Don't put off till tomorrow what....... you can do today.