“Bebe que no llora, no mama”

“Baby that does not cry, is not breastfed”

“He/She who does not speak, will not be heard” or “the Squeaky wheel gets the oil.”

Adrian told me that he learned this proverb about one year ago, he was talking to his friends about wanting to apply for an internship and he was unsure if he should apply or not. One of his friends responded with the proverb trying to say that in order to be heard and get a job, one must apply and make noise so companies know that they are there. He told me that he thinks that this proverb is great as it gives you a lesson in a funny form. He said that this proverb is usually told to someone that is quiet in order to make them realize that they need to make noise to be noticed in this world.

I agree with Adrian, this proverb is kind of funny and gives you an important lesson. If a baby does not cry, the mother will not be able to figure out that he is hungry. In order to achieve attention, one must make sure that they are putting themselves on the line. I have also heard the same proverb from my mom and my aunt. My aunt told me this proverb when I was denied some scholarships because I am considered an international student and one needed to be an American citizen. She told me the proverb in order to show me that if I don’t fight for the money, I will never get the scholarships I need. I think this proverb can be used with anyone that is quiet when they should be fighting for their rights. It is a good lesson to shows that some fighting is good.

There are many variations to the same proverb within El Salvador and also the United States. In El Salvador, we don’t only have the baby one, but also one that is more religious. It goes something like: “In you don’t pray, God will not hear you.” In the United States, there is the one that appears as the translation “the Squeaky wheel gets the oil.” In my opinion, the Proverb is very powerful so it is adapting to different cultures.