Category Archives: Proverbs

Hudavaoff kinder

Nationality: American
Age: 56
Occupation: Retired; Former Attorney
Residence: Baltimore, MD
Performance Date: May 2, 2021
Primary Language: English

Context: This is a Jewish proverb (spoken in Yiddish). It was said to my father (a fifty-six year old man) growing up, and when he began raising children, he started saying it to us. It is used to treat an otherwise tense situation comedically, a way to blow off steam, and promise their children that one day they will be saying it to their own kids (more as a warning than as actual advice). It is almost always said to the child when they are misbehaving or generally being a nuisance. Children never use the saying, and it is not spoken by people who are not parents or guardians of those children. 

  • Hudavaoff kinder 
    • Transliterated proverb. 
      • Hudavaoff: go raise
      • Kinder: children

Full translation: Go raise children. 

Explanation: When a child is being annoying, disrespectful, or irritating their parents, the parents tell them “go raise children”. Part of the proverb works as an incredulous “Why am I raising these brats?” and the other is “Wait until you have your own children. See how much you like it.” 

Analysis: Hudavaoff kinder works to both let the parents laugh off a situation where their kids are being annoying (this proverb is never spoken in full anger, but rather have annoyance/half incredulity) and lets them tell their children it is time to stop misbehaving before they have to get truly upset with them. On occasions, the parents use the saying to acknowledge that the children are being irritating, but don’t want/need to punish them, and instead use it to laugh along with them. Hudavaoff kinder almost works as a form of delayed revenge; the threat that one day the child is going to become the parent, and they will be the one using the saying on them. As someone who has been on the receiving end of this proverb often, I know it means that I need to dial down whatever I am doing before I get myself in real trouble. However, the threat that one day I will be equally irritated by children of my own has little to no emotional impact. 

बंदर क्या जाने अदरक का स्वाद (How can a monkey appreciate the taste of ginger?)

Nationality: Indian
Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Residence: Irvine, CA
Performance Date: May 1, 2021
Primary Language: English
Language: Hindi

Context:

My informant, AS, is a 19-year-old Indian male who grew up in Mumbai, though he has lived in Southern California for the past three years. He now attends UCI. He is fluent in both English and Hindi. This piece was collected during a facetime call, when I asked him to share a typical Hindi proverb with me.

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Main Text:

Proverb: बंदर क्या जाने अदरक का स्वाद 

Phonetic script: bandar kya jaane adrak ka swaad

Transliteration: Monkey what knows ginger(‘s) taste

Translation: How can a monkey appreciate the taste of ginger?

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Informant analysis:

“It’s basically used when someone doesn’t appreciate something of quality. For example, if I don’t like the taste of something like caviar, you’d use this proverb.”

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Analysis:

This proverb would appear to show that in Indian culture there is a healthy respect for the finer things in life, and a negative attitude towards those who don’t appreciate quality goods or work. It’s interesting because I can’t think of a direct English equivalent, beyond possibly “enjoy the finer things in life.” This might point to very different cultural values between Hindi-speakers and English-speakers

You Catch More Flies with Honey than with Vinegar

Nationality: American
Age: 52
Occupation: Homemaker
Residence: Lancaster, CA
Performance Date: May 1, 2021
Primary Language: English

Context: My informant, RW, is my mother. She grew up in Texas in the 1970s. I asked her to tell me proverbs she heard during her childhood. This piece was collected during an informal interview at home.

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Main Text: “You catch more flies with honey than vinegar”

Informant analysis:

SW: “When would you say that?”

RW: “When would you say that? When you’re trying to persuade someone or you’re upset with someone. Mostly trying to persuade someone… usually someone you’re upset with and you really wanna tell them to piss off.

SW: “Where did you learn it?”

RW: “My grandmother.”

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Analysis:

This proverb shows a general American value of politeness, but how that value can also come from a place of trying to get what you want and not pure altruism. The fact that my mom associates it with when you’re upset with someone is interesting to me, because I’ve usually heard the proverb in reference to business proposals or other things like that, not necessarily when you’re upset with someone. The fact that it was the first proverb my mom thought of shows that she is always more concerned with being polite and winning people over through sweetness, something I’ve noticed in her everyday life.

Out of Salt, Out of Money

Nationality: American
Residence: NJ
Primary Language: English

Text/Interview:

BR: “I have always lived by the saying, ‘Out of Salt, out of money.”

Context:

BR heard this for the first time when he got his first paycheck but remembers a similar saying from even before that. BR truly believes that you are never out of money until you have no salt. He always keeps salt around his house and has even given salt as a housewarming gift for people. BR believes that salt is a comfort level and it goes deeper than simply seasoning your food.

BR: “Salt gives both food and life flavor. When you run out, your life will go bland.”

My Interpretation:

I think this is a very interesting proverb and BR really touched upon its deeper meaning. This proverb lends an excellent insight into American life. Although you may be down, you are never truly desolate unless you have no salt. This gives people agency, as salt is the easiest thing to possess. Thus, if you possess this basic element of daily life, you have a shot.

Mother-Daughter Proverb

Main Piece:

“Absence makes the heart grow fonder”

Background:

“Your nonna [informant’s mother] used to say this to me often when I was younger and especially as I got older and moved away from her. In 2008 when my family and I moved to London and then didn’t return to Chicago for  like, what, 13 years, the proverb became more powerful as it became more relatable to not being around your loved ones. I don’t know where she first heard it.”

Context:

The informant is my mother. I acquired this information during a Facetime call with her, on which I asked if she had any folk knowledge or beliefs.

My Thoughts:

I think that this a lovely proverb that shows how different phrases can affect you at different phases of your life. It does not mean as much until you actually are physically far away from someone. I assume the proverb would’ve been popularized in eras where families or couples were more prone to be separated. I also think that is shows the global nature of our world, with it being common for closely related or connected people to go far away from each other geographically.