Category Archives: general

Uun yi agbalagba ri n’oiho joko, omoiton le ri un n’oiho uduo – Proverb

Nationality: Nigerian
Age: 20
Occupation: College Student
Residence: Los Angeles, CA
Language: Yoruba

Text:

Uun yi agbalagba ri n’oiho joko, omoiton le ri un n’oiho uduo

Translation:

“What an elder can see when sitting down, a child cannot see when standing up”

Context:

My informant told me that this proverb is “usually invoked when a child is trying to get smart with an adult or an older person” (his words). He said this proverb can also be used as a warning even when there is no act of disobedience. He told me that there are different versions of this proverb, one ending with “a child cannot see when climbing the tallest tree,” but the one above, in Yoruba, was the version he was told growing up.

Analysis:

When my informant shared this proverb with me, I realized that the idea of “respect your elders” is a somewhat universal idea. I interpreted that the elder seeing more while sitting down is because they have literally seen/experienced more in their life than the child. The child, while standing, cannot see/experience everything the elder sees due to their lack of life experience. Growing up, and even still to this day, I received a similar sentiment from the older people around me. It is interesting how Western cultures, similarly to African cultures, deem elders as “wiser” than children because they have lived longer, and therefore, there is an expectation placed that children need to respect and listen to their elders.

Actions speak louder than words – Proverb

Nationality: American
Age: 57
Occupation: Dance Studio Owner
Residence: Downers Grove, IL
Language: English

Text:

Actions speak louder than words

Context:

My informant told me she used to say this a lot when she worked in management. She would tell other employees this proverb so they would have agency with their work and towards their careers. In those instances, she wanted her employees to understand that them saying they will get a task done is not the same as them actually getting the task done. She nows says this proverb to her children as a way to inspire them to take action in their lives.

Analysis:

The metaphor within this proverb is really powerful. Someone can say they are going to do something, but until their actions align with their words, their words hold no power. This is especially true when someone’s actions directly oppose what they’re saying. Although actions do not speak, they signal the person’s intention to others. Many people say things they do not mean or make promises they never follow through. People’s actions and decisions give meaning to the words they say.

You can’t always get what you want – Folk Speech

Nationality: American
Age: 22
Occupation: College Student
Residence: Los Angeles, CA
Language: English

Text:

You can’t always get what you want

Context:

My informant told me that her parents used to tell her this as a kid. A scenario she provided was when she and her sister disagreed on how to do something and my informant did the task her own way with no regard for what her sister wanted. Her parents said this phrase to her to help her understand that not everything in life will go her way, and therefore she needed to learn how to compromise and adjust accordingly.

Analysis:

This phrase became popular when The Rolling Stones released the song “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” in 1969. There is a legend that Mick Jagger heard this phrase at a bar after a concert in Minnesota, although it was never verified. For people who know this song, this phrase would be considered a reference to The Rolling Stones. What I find interesting, though, is that when I used to hear my parents use this phrase, I was not aware that they were quoting a song. I thought this phrase was a proverb/a kind of folk speech, and I’m probably not alone in that thought. It will be interesting to see how as time goes on, if younger generations will know this phrase as a “reference to that one Rolling Stones song” or if it will only be known as a phrase that parents/older people use with children.

Hang around the barbershop and you’ll end up with a haircut

Nationality: American
Age: 50
Occupation: Home Renovator
Residence: Los Angeles
Language: English

Text:

Hang around the barbershop and you’ll end up with a haircut

Context:

My informant likely learned through American television shows, as the informant moved to America in his teenage years. The informant frequently says this to his children, especially when it comes to warning them about spending too much time with people who are not a good influence. In particular, he uses it to warn his daughters not to spend too much time with guys who would not be a good boyfriend, because he feels that the more time you spend with someone, the harder it will be to not develop feelings or forming a relationship. My informant changes the way he says this phrase occasionally, with the addition or omission of a few words, but the sentiment remains the same. 

Analysis:

The exact origin of this saying is unknown. It is typically used as a form of advice, warning people about the company they keep or the environments they put themselves in. This saying would likely be most appropriate in culture where people are taught to be wary of their surroundings. Barbershops are where men go to get a haircut, therefore going to the barbershop and not getting a haircut is seen as unlikely and illogical. The proverb warns individuals that even if you think you are immune to being influenced or changed by your surroundings, spending more time will increase your chance of such. While the connotation is typically negative or used to scare people, it can possibly be used in a positive manner to encourage persistence at a certain task or goal.

Don’t Bite the Hand That Feeds You

Text: Don’t Bite the Hand that Feeds You

Context: The subject often heard this proverb when he was being scolded by his mother as a young kid. Whenever he was being disrespectful or ungrateful, she would tell him off using this phrase.

Analysis: This proverb is very old and has been a staple of Western proverbial wisdom for millenia. It is featured in the Bible’s Book of Proverbs, which gives it a terminus ante quem of 1500 years. Despite its age, the proverb has maintained its relevance, teaching countless generations about relationship and power dynamics.  In the modern day, it is often used to calm an inferior party that is acting out of line, just like how the subject described his mother using it. In this case, its use is quite ironic since the mother literally feeds the son. In practice, its use is far more widespread. Whether it is a boss paying your salary or a coach giving you a spot on his team, this proverb reminds many hotheaded (and often young), people that it is never advisable to disrespect those who help provide your livelihood. For, if you bite the hand that feeds you, it is unlikely to return again with your food.