Category Archives: Proverbs

Spanish Proverb 4

Nationality: Spanish
Age: 21
Occupation: Student
Residence: Madrid, Spain
Performance Date: 8 April 2018
Primary Language: Spanish
Language: English

Transcription: “El hábito no hace al monje.”

English Transcription: “The habit doesn’t make him a monk.”

The “habit” in the phrase does not refer to a repeated action but instead to the dress or uniform of a monk. “Monk” usually refers to an individual of high morals who took religious vows and lives in a monastery. This phrase is not always applied to a man. The proverb could be made feminine if “el monje” was changed to “la monja,” which means “nun.” However, the gender of the phrase does not change its meaning: clothing can become a form of deception.

Regardless of which religious order is used in the phrase, it refers to an individual who is not who they seem on the outside. The habit becomes a metaphor for someone who uses their clothing to disguise their true character. A person who dresses like a monk is not necessarily a good person. In more common day terms, a person who wears athletic clothing is not always an athlete, and a person who wears classes is not always intelligent. Appearances can deceive, and this proverb is used when one learns the true identity behind the disguise.

This proverb could be used casually in a conversation. For example, “I was wrong about John. He dresses nicely and seemed like a good person, but he turned out to be a jerk.” To which a friend might respond, “Well, the habit doesn’t make him a monk.” The proverb is a cautionary phrase that encourages the deceived to be more careful in the future.

 

You Don’t Ask

Nationality: American
Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Residence: Los Angeles
Primary Language: English

Main Piece:

Participant – “You don’t ask, you don’t get”

Context:

I asked the participant if she grew up hearing any common proverbs or life lessons from the people around her.

Background:

The participant was born and raised in Mill Valley, California and is currently a second semester freshman engineering student at the University of Southern California. She informed me that this proverb was extremely common in her household and told to her by her mother repeatedly.       

Analysis:

As a child, the participant was told this by her mother as a remind to use her words to get what she wanted rather than whine or pout. As time went on and the participant got older, the proverb gained more meaning and now stands as a piece of advice to work for the things you want and try your best because if you don’t fight for something and ask for it, it will never be yours.

El Pez Muere

Nationality: Columbian
Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Residence: Los Angeles
Primary Language: Spanish
Language: English

Main Piece:

Participant – “Growing up my mom’s always been very out there and has always expressed her opinion through her fashion and through what she wears and everything, so she’s always been very out there, she doesn’t care what people thing but she’s always told me that you have to be careful what you say because, essentially in Spanish you say…

 

‘el pez muere por la boca’

 

…which means ‘the fish dies through the mouth’ which is kind of like think before you speak and watching what you say. She’s always said you don’t want to do things to other people that you don’t want to be done to you. Like taking everyone into consideration and essentially like don’t be a mean person, and just thinking about everything before you say it.”

Context:

I asked the participant and some friends if they grew up hearing any common proverbs or life lessons from the people around them. The participant shared this with me after some of our other friends shared proverbs as well.

Background:

The participant has grown up in many parts of the world, she was originally born in Columbia but moved to the California Bay Area and grew up there until she was 12. After that, her family moved to Paris, France where she went to high school until at age 16 her family moved to Hong Kong. Now the participant is a second semester student at the University of Southern California in the School of Dramatic Arts. Both of her parents were born in Columbia and her family goes back every Christmas and Summer. This proverb has been told to the participant her entire life by her mother and it has always stuck with her.          

Analysis:

Proverbs are a simple and easy way to share and remember life lessons. Extensive meaning is packed into a little phrase that can effortlessly be passed from person to person. The participant learned this proverb from her mom making it more personal and leaving a lasting impression. The participant now utilizes this message in her day to day life, the way proverbs are intended to be thought of.

Nigerian Wings Proverb

Nationality: Nigerian
Age: 21
Occupation: Student
Residence: Los Angeles, California
Performance Date: 24 April 2018
Primary Language: English

Context:

Stanley Kalu was raised in Nigeria. Since then, he and his family have lived in various African countries. He currently studies screenwriting at the University of Southern California. He is a friend of mine, and he has often told me stories about growing up in Nigeria. I asked him for folklore, and without even needing to ask for Nigerian folklore, he offered up several pieces, including two proverbs. When I asked why he gave me two proverbs, he said that his mother often said them to him, and that mothers and their proverbs are so infamous that there are meme websites dedicated to them that he visits when he feels homesick. Stanley only speaks English, and told me the folklore in English.

Transcript:

Stanley: Yo, it’s Stanley. Ummmm, so, when you’re misbehaving, you come home past your curfew, your Mom or your Dad will say, “oh, so you have grown wings, eh? We will cut them off.”

Owen: When did you hear this?

Stanley: Every time I went out, throughout my teenage years.

Owen: Where?

Stanley: In Kenya. But my parents are Nigerian. So they, and actually just everywhere we lived. Basically. Yeah.

Owen: So you think it’s a traditional Nigerian proverb?

Stanley: Yes. It is very traditional. Everybody says it.

Interpretation:

Stanley explained to me that Nigerian mothers are full of reproachful proverbs. This one essentially means that if you’re misbehaving, there’s an assumption that you think you’re above the rules, that you literally have wings–ie. too much pride. Even though this is a Nigerian proverb, Stanley’s family took it with them as they moved several times. Stanley only speaks English, and this is how he told me the proverb.

Nigerian Thief Proverb

Nationality: Nigerian
Age: 21
Occupation: Student
Residence: Los Angeles, California
Performance Date: 10 April 2018
Primary Language: English

Context:

Stanley Kalu was raised in Nigeria. Since then, he and his family have lived in various African countries. He currently studies screenwriting at the University of Southern California. He is a friend of mine, and he has often told me stories about growing up in Nigeria. I asked him for folklore, and without even needing to ask for Nigerian folklore, he offered up several pieces, including two proverbs. When I asked why he gave me two proverbs, he said that his mother often said them to him, and that mothers and their proverbs are so infamous that there are meme websites dedicated to them that he visits when he feels homesick. Stanley provided the proverb in English.

Transcript:

Stanley: This is a great Nigerian proverb. “Every day is for the thief. One day is for the owner of the house.”

Owen: Could you explain what this proverb means to you?

Stanley: It means that while you can do all the crimes that you want, every day, one day you will get caught and you will get found out.

Owen: Did someone used to say this to you repeatedly?

Stanley: Nah, my Mom just said it one time.

Interpretation:

This is a great example of a proverb that makes little sense to an outsider. When he told me the proverb, I could barely guess what it meant. It is his following explanation that is necessary for understanding. It was also interesting that I had to ask him for the explanation–he stated the proverb so obviously at first.