Tag Archives: proverb

“Slow and steady wins the race”

Nationality: American
Age: 20
Occupation: College Student
Residence: San Luis Obispo, CA
Performance Date: 4/25/13
Primary Language: English

“Slow and steady wins the race.”

The informant explains that he remembers first hearing this proverb in his first grade class in elementary school when his teacher was reading the story of the tortoise and the hare.  The informant explains that after learning this at a young age the moral behind the proverb stuck in his head.  The informant explains that he tries to think of this proverb whenever he feels he is acting too quickly or is not giving things enough thought.

It is interesting to note that the informant learned this proverb at an extremely young age within a classroom setting.  The location of learning this can tell one a bit about the morals and ideas that his teacher and school promoted and on a larger scale what education in the United States tries to promote.  It is also interesting to compare this proverb to proverbs with contradicting ideas such as, “the early bird gets the worm.”  It is common to see contradicting proverbs and on the surface it shows that different people hold different ideals and different ideals at different times.

This proverb is widespread throughout the U.S. and is seen in many published works.  Recently, on May 1st, 2013 the Nyngan Observer had the title of an article as “Slow and Steady Wins the Race.”  The article discussed different planting techniques in Southern Australia.  Here is a citation of the article:  “Slow and Steady Wins the Race.” Nyngan Observer. N.p., 1 May 2013. Web. 1 May 2013.

“French Children’s Proverb”

Nationality: French-American
Age: 50
Occupation: Professor
Residence: Los Angeles, CA
Performance Date: April 2013
Primary Language: French
Language: English, Spanish

            A current professor of French at USC, the informant first learned this proverb from her grandmother when she was in grammar school. Now that she has a daughter of her own, the informant has repeated the proverb to her, and explained that most French parents say the proverb to their children from time to time after the child has had a rough day.

           In fact, the proverb was actually appropriated by the Countess of Ségur, a 19th century French children’s book author, for the title of a novel. Published in 1871, her novel Après la pluie, le beau temps is about the trials that befall a dysfunction French family.

 

            “Après la pluie, le beau temps” is a French proverb that means, literally, “After the rain, better weather.” Of course, as you can imagine, we use it to mean that, after a bad time, there will come a better time. There is a reason that adults say it to kids a lot, you know? Because kids are not used to bad times, they need to learn how to deal with them, really, they do. Maybe, then, the ending of the proverb is too optimistic? I don’t know. But to them, bad times and problems are like mountains, so the proverb gives a little perspective.

 

            The informant concisely unpacked much of the meaning that lies behind the proverb. It is true enough that children are often unsure of how to handle and overcome negative experiences, and so the proverb addresses not only the fact that we must all acknowledge the existence of bad times, but also that better times are waiting on the other side. The proverb does not say “When there is rain, there is better weather,” instead just stating rain as a given fact: “After the rain, better weather.” This way, children know to expect hardships and obstacles in their lives.

            However, the proverb also relies on an analogy to weather, introducing the theme of cyclicality and unpredictability. For one, the proverb suggests that rain will come in waves, time and time again; the bad times are just that―plural. Thus, children understand that, like the weather cycle, difficult times will arise periodically throughout life.

“Pray for what you want but work for what you need”

Nationality: Indian American
Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Residence: Los Angeles, CA
Performance Date: April 2013
Primary Language: English
Language: Bengali

“Pray for what you want but work for what you need”

The informants mother constantly tells her this, and she says that it has followed her from childhood and it is something she still uses today. The phrase promotes appreciating the things you can work for like food and shelter, while seeing everything else as something extra. It is okay to have desires, but if you’re constantly working for something better and bigger you’ll never be satisfied. By combining praying and working the phrase puts equal responsibility on the individual as well as the God that they are praying to. God can’t provide everything, but if you work hard for what you need he may reward you with the things you want.

“Good things come to those who wait”

Nationality: American
Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Residence: Santa Barbara, CA
Performance Date: April 2013
Primary Language: English

“Good things come to those who wait”

Informant Analysis: “My parents actually didn’t tell me this one, our teachers at school would tell us all the time, like, probably before snack time or something to calm us down because we were impatient kids, but I remember it even though that was a long time ago. I don’t really follow it as a motto or anything because I think you usually have to put some effort in if you want something to happen, but I guess patience is important as well”

Analysis: This proverb, which I would say is pretty well known in America, seems to promote passivity, which goes against the usual future and action oriented American proverbs like “actions speak louder than words” and “he who hesitates is lost.” The idea behind this proverb relies on our ideas of “fate” or “luck” in which patience, or inaction, somehow magically leads to some kind of success, whether that be personal or professional. It is probably best used, and more effective, when told to children, as the informant describes. It gives them reason to slow down or wait because they are guaranteed a reward in the end. Past childhood, it may not be the best method to ensure success because not everything is based on luck, and without some kind of effort or work one won’t get far.

The Turkey and The Tree

Nationality: American
Age: 22
Occupation: Student
Residence: Pacific Palisades
Performance Date: April 21 2013
Primary Language: English

Matt’s dad told him this joke once he started working the summer before going to college. The joke was meant to be a funny story that provided Matt with a moral.
“There was a Turkey who really wanted to get to the top of a tree, but he didn’t have the strength to climb the tree. The Turkey walked around trying to figure out what he should do. He came across a Bull and began to explain that he really wanted to get to the top of the tree, but he needed more strength. The Bull told the Turkey that he should eat some of his droppings because they would provide the Turkey with some nutrients that would give him strength to get to the top of the tree. So, the Turkey ate a little bit of the Bull’s droppings and climbed up a few branches in the tree. The next day the Turkey ate a little bit more of the Bull’s droppings and climbed a few more branches of the tree. Within four days, the Turkey made it to the top of the tree. The Farmer walked outside that day and saw the Turkey standing on top of the tree. The Farmer shot the Turkey and then ate him for dinner.”
Moral of the story: “Bullshit might get you to the top, but it won’t keep you there.”
The joke provides a truth that in order to be successful, you need to understand your job as much as possible. Pretending to know how to do something or know something might work for a little bit, but once you have to perform it or talk about it you won’t be able to succeed.