Category Archives: Proverbs

Raman Grewal

Nationality: Persian
Age: 30
Occupation: Businessman
Residence: San Diego
Performance Date: April 1st
Primary Language: English

Main Piece: “He who cannot handle the thorns cannot have the rose”- Raman Grewal

Background information: For the informat, he learned this from his parents who learned it from their parents. His parents learned this saying from their parents when they immigrated from Iran into the United States. When the informats parents were struggling to make a living and felt overwhelmed, their parents back in Iran told them this proverb that is common in the Persian community, especially upon immigrating to the United States and other countries. The basic premise behind the proveb is that something so beautiful will always have rough edges, and that  you can not have a good thing if you can’t handle the negative aspects of what come with it. This can apply to people but also also relationships as well. For the informat, he now lives by this and realizes that hardships are always unevitable when you are trying to achieve something you want.

Context of Performance: Outside of a gas station in San Diego

Thoughts: I think that this proverb is interesting because it is important for people in situations of people immigrating to another country, like the informants family. This means that people from other cultures realize that the “American Dream” might be very hard to achieve and might not be easy. Especially with the debate of immigrants and if they should be let into America and other countries, this proverb can be applicable in many different cultures because it demonstrates the reality of achieveing an appealing dream. 

 

 

Rouhmi Cryus

Nationality: Persian
Age: 29
Occupation: Businessman
Residence: San Diego
Performance Date: April 9th
Primary Language: English
Language: Farsi

Main Piece: “Do not be around people who cannot fan your flames.” Rouhmi

Background Information:  The informat learned this saying from his grandparents in Iran when he was having trouble making friends in school. The informat says that this is a typical persian saying that most grandparents or parents tell their children when they are adolescents. The main message behind this is to be around people that can calm you down and ease your nerves. The informat says he takes this into consideration every time he is trying to meet new people and new friends.

Context of Performance: In the informant’s house in San Diego

Thoughts: This proverb seems telling of the Persian culture, especially of who you should surround yourself with. This is different from most proverbs because it is saying to surround yourself with people who can calm your down vs other proverbs that say be around happy upbeat people. This also relates to the Persian value of being humble, and being arround people who can ground you instead of always praise you.

 

 

Opportunities is everything

Nationality: Chinese
Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Residence: Los Angeles
Performance Date: April 19th
Primary Language: Chinese

Main Piece: 机不可失，时不再来 jī bù kě shī, shí bú zài lái – Opportunity knocks at the door only once

Background Information: The informant frequently heard this saying from his parents and grandparents when he lived in China. The informant also said that this proverb hung on his math teachers’ classroom door and he would notice it everytime he would walk in. To the informant, he has taken this proverb to heart and wants to work hard so he can repay his parents who have given him so much by sending him to University in the United States. The informant describes this proverb as a typical Chinese proverb that teaches kids to be the best of the best and seize any opportunity even if it may seem out of reach.

Context: In the streets of downtown Los Angeles

Thoughts: This proverb might play a role in the competitive learning nature in China. Chinese kids are taught at a very young age to seize a lot of opportunities, as the informant stated and that education is the way of doing this. But I wonder if this creates a negative atmosphere for young  children since there has been an increase of attention surrounding the academic environment in Asia/China and if it is healthy for kids. 

 

 

Lying & Stealing Proverb

Because most proverbs I know of tend to be incredibly well known and overstated in America, I decided to search online for unusual proverbs I would not recognize and research those proverbs’ meaning and origins. I found the most unique one to have Slovenian origins.

Proverb:

Lying a little and stealing a little will get you nicely through the world.

Translation:

Perhaps synonymous with “rules are made to be broken,” this proverb suggests that a little white lie and a little harmless stealing will lead to a smoother, easier life than avoiding these inevitabilities at all cost.

Context:

Originating in Slovenia, I discovered this proverb on the website ExpatFocus, on a page entitled “10 Unusual Proverbs from Around the World.”

Analysis:

I think this proverb is distinctly intriguing because it slightly contradicts the essential purpose of proverbs: to give resounding advice that suggests universal truths of the world. Instead, this proverb is almost meant to not be taken too seriously because it advocates criminal activity. It also holds a considerable amount of humor, in my opinion, which also could be argued it is a mix between a proverb and a folk joke. Typically, I do not come across humorous proverbs, so this one stood out to me because it is unique and incomparable to others.

 

Website Citation: For more references, visit the URL for other similarly unusual and unique proverbs with specified explanations and origins: https://www.expatfocus.com/c/aid=2408/articles/general/10-unusual-proverbs-from-around-the-world/

Cincinnati Proverb

Nationality: American
Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Residence: USC
Performance Date: 4/16/2018
Primary Language: English

The following was recorded from a conversation I had with a friend marked HL. I am marked CS. She shared with me a proverb she was told growing up from her Grandmother.

 

HL: “If you get on the bus to Cincinnati, don’t be surprised when you get to Cincinnati.”

CS: “And how would you translate this proverb?”

HL: “Basically, if you have sex outside of marriage and you’re not on the pill, don’t be surprised when you have a kid.”

CS: “Was this proverb said often in your house?”

HL: “So like my grandma used to say that to my mom when she was a teenager, and now that I’m getting older she says it to me. And of course my mom always says it to make fun of her.”

CS: “Do you think she really believes in that proverb?”

HL: “Yeah. 100%.”

CS: “Do you think you’ll tell your kids that saying?”

HL: “No. Only to give them more information about their great grandma. I’ve also never been to Cincinnati and don’t plan on it.”

 

Background:

HL is currently a freshman at the University of Southern California. She grew up in Mission Viejo, California in a family with a strong Catholic background.

Context:

An in person conversation at a local coffee shop.

 

Analysis:

What I found so fascinating about this proverb was merely that I completely misinterpreted it until HL further explained its meaning. Initially, I would have translated the proverb to simply being if you make a choice, or have a wish, don’t be surprised when that decision has consequences or the wish comes true. However, I was clearly way off from its actual meaning, or at least the meaning has for her family. I also found this proverb to be unique in the sense that I haven’t heard of a saying quite like that before that seems to have such a true-to-life and almost blunt, candid undertone.