Tag Archives: proverb

You always do kind things with expecting nothing in return.

Age: 22
Language: Spanish/English

Text: You always do kind things with expecting nothing in return.

Context: The participant remembers hearing this saying a lot around his family, especially coming from his mother. Although originally the phrase was said to him in Spanish, he does not remember the original Spanish phrasing; as such, he only remember this translation. He recounted that in his youth, his mother enjoyed volunteer work and would always encourage his entire family to volunteer and help out their local community. To the participant, this saying reminds him that he should be doing good “not as a means to something but for the act of doing good”. 

Analysis: This saying is meant to convey an ethical lesson in support of altruism. In other words, it’s meant to encourage the helping of others without the expectation of any reward – monetary, praise, or otherwise. This proverb feels pretty universal in its applicability – although the participant has been told the saying in Spanish, the main message of selflessness transcends language.

Character is what you are in the dark 

Age: 59
Language: English

Text: Character is what you are in the dark 

Context: The participant believes he heard this saying on a show (“Buckaroo Banzai”) while he was in college. In the show, the main antagonist is addressing his followers (who are aliens) in a speech, and recites this phrase while trying to rouse them to work harder so that they can all return to their planet. Despite the fictional context of the show, the participant found great importance in truly considering and adhering to this phrase. It is a phrase he says he uses frequently to hold people responsible for their actions – in arguments, critiques, or even in jest.      

Analysis: This saying refers to one’s actions, and how they are a reflection of their true personality or character. It alludes to how your actions – even when performed in “the dark” or out of public view – are seen as a testament to the kind of person you are. Even though one might say they have good intentions, this categorization is wholly performative; one’s character can only truly be measured by what they do when no one is around to see. This proverb is very similar to others that speak to moral qualities and character such as “Actions speak louder than words”. By grappling with this idea of conscience and character, this saying should be taken as encouraging good behavior and morals even if one is not in public or being rewarded for doing so.

Family Proverb for Stressful Situations

Nationality: American
Age: 22
Occupation: Student
Residence: New York City, NY
Language: English

Text: “Sit down and think”

Context: C. shares how her mom often said this to guide her in stressful situations. Her mom learned it from her own father, who told her during a snowstorm when they were stuck in a car. C.’s mom also recalled it when she missed her stop on the German subway, getting separated from her friends and lost in a foreign country. Now, C. repeats it to herself in times when panic isn’t helpful, reminding her to pause and think instead.

Analysis: This is a family proverb and folk speech passed down through multiple generations now as a way to navigate stressful situations. The wisdom evolves through each lived experience, like survival knowledge. The knowledge has been helpful in many different situations.

TC Love

Age: 22
Occupation: Student
Residence: Rochester, Minnesota
Language: English

Story: “In this organization that I’m in, Troy Camp, we have this saying: TC Love. It’s something we use to appreciate each other and the work that we do. In Troy Camp, we do mentorship programs for kids from elementary school to seniors in high school. I love the work that I do in this organization, and I adore the people and kids that I get to work with. So, to show appreciation for these people, we love giving each other shoutouts, and we like to say that TC Love is different than any other kind of love. Just the other day, another member of Troy Camp shared with me her cousin’s embroidery business so that I could get my name embroidered on one of my Troy Camp quarterzips .. so at our next meeting, I made sure to share the TC Love with her by giving her a shoutout! Typically we say, “TC Love to …” and then the person’s name, and then why we are giving them TC Love. Out of all the traditions in this org, this one is my favorite.

Analysis: After speaking with this informant, I could tell that this organization and this tradition means the absolute world to them. Community builds community, and I could tell that this person and this organization fosters such a great community for both the people and the kids in it. Love is such a strong word, and it’s beautiful how different cultures and communities can take that word and adapt it to make it mean something entirely new, but just as special–I could tell this is something that took place for Troy Camp. After our conversation, this informant shared TC Love with me, and just from that, I could feel the weight that the phrase carries.

What would a monkey know of the taste of ginger?

Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Residence: Naperville, Illinois
Language: English

Story: “There is this proverb in Hindi that my mom used to say to me to let me know that I wasn’t smart enough to appreciate certain things. Basically she would use this proverb to roast me. The proverb is: Bandar kya jaane adrak ka swad. Which in English translates to “What would a monkey know of the taste of ginger?” But yeah, basically my mom would say this to me if I wasn’t appreciating something she did for me. If I didn’t love the dinner she made for me one night, she would say “What would a monkey know of the taste of dinner?”

Analysis: This is a phrase that really means a lot to this informant. Growing up they said, it kind of annoyed them, hearing their mom yell this at them, but now when they hear it, it carries a sense of nostalgia for them. Cultural folk phrases carry such deep meaning already, but its the people who use it that increase that meaning tenfold. Without context, “What would a monkey know of the taste of ginger?” is a totally random question–but to this informant, they know exactly what this means. This is the importance of cultural folk phrases: they create bonds amongst families, they bring nostalgia, and they have much deeper meaning than what meets the eye.