Tag Archives: sow

Irish Proverb

Text

“You cannot make a silk purse out of a cow’s ear”

Context

This proverb was told to my informant by his Irish mother when he was a child, in regards to a poor job he did after completing his chores. The proverb itself speaks to how low-quality material cannot present itself to be more than it is, and cannot mask its inferiorities. So when my informant did a poor job doing his chores, his mother reprimanded him using this proverb to express that a half-assed cleaning job won’t make the stove look like a brand new model. With my informant’s parents being Irish, they communicated to my informant that it was an Irish proverb that they had heard growing up as well. My informant spoke of it as being typical of the “even-headedness of the Irish” and their “hard work ethic.”

Analysis

I found this proverb to be quite interesting and humorous, and I agreed with my informant that to my knowledge it seemed very reminiscent of the Irish spirit. When looking for other examples of this proverb in use, I found that nearly everywhere else the word “cow” is actually replaced with “sow.” I found this rather funny, and wondered if it were my informant’s parents erroneously using the wrong word or my father hearing the proverb incorrectly. Either way though, the message of the proverb is quite clear and timeless.

Another reference to this proverb:

“Dictionary.com.” Www.dictionary.com, 2016, www.dictionary.com/browse/can-t-make-a-silk-purse-out-of-a-sow-s-ear#:~:text=Be%20unable%20to%20turn%20something,proverb%20in%20the%20mid%2D1500s.. Accessed 28 Apr. 2022.

Proverb on Success

Nationality: Danish
Age: 18
Occupation: Student
Residence: Los Angeles
Performance Date: 20 Apr

Danish

English

18, student

20 April 2011

“Reap what you sow”

To Christina this is particularly important because she has always felt like she does things without thinking. She describes this proverb as “the way I get my dues” meaning she uses this proverb to justify when things go wrong. Christina’s Dad taught her this phrase, he is very wealthy and has “reaped” a lot in this life. She learns a lot from her father and considers his life an inspiration. When things don’t go her way, she says, “I just gotta try hard, I know I screwed up but I’ll try again.”

This folk proverb has been passed down to Christina like most proverbs are—from word of mouth. This proverb means a lot to Christina because she works hard and desperately wants to succeed. Even though the tone in the proverb with words like “reap” makes it sound very fatalistic, the message is positive and one that Christina treasures.

Annotation: This quote also showed up in the popular novel Kite Runner written by Khaled Hosseini

Tim Perille

18

1027 W. 34th St. Los Angele CA