“A horse a piece”
Informant’s family is from Erie, Pennsylvania, used and heard the saying “a horse a piece” which worked similar to “six of one, half dozen of another.” This saying was used when debating between two objects that were described as being compatible to use either way, hence… a horse a piece – a measurement of 1:1.
“Red sky at night, sailor’s delight. Red sky at morning, sailor’s warning.”
The informant heard this story growing up in Southern California, it was told by sailors, teachers, and family members all throughout San Diego. Many kids in San Diego were often told this story at the beach or by adults because the whole city in somewhat close to the ocean. This warned people of storms and the conditions of the beach, especially around summer time as many kids flocked to the beach practically everyday and wanted to plan for the next day by checking the sunset.
“Crooked as a dog’s hind leg”
This saying came from the informant’s grandparents and parents using it to describe someone or their actions. It is the opposite to “straight as an arrow” which is used to describe someone’s truth and honesty. “Crooked as a dog’s hind leg” can also be used to physically describe something, which creates a double use to the saying. This was mostly heard in North-East United States, but the informant began hearing it out West through time, usually from people who had roots in the Northeast.
“As old as Methuselah’s cat”
The informant often heard the saying “as old as Methuselah’s cat” from their family who said the saying was often used around Irish crowds, as well as commonly in Ireland. It can be used to state a rule is “as old as Methuselah’s cat,” when talking about someone’s age, and so on. The origin is not concretely said to be Irish but used by Irish people as they are often very religious and Methuselah is an old figure in Christian and Catholic religion. Multiple variations are also used by changing the name of Methuselah to something else.
Nationality: Korean
Primary Language: Korean
Age: 50
Occupation: Country Branch Manager
Residence: Seoul, South Korea
Performance Date: 16 February 2024
Tags: green beans, red beans, seeds, agriculture, South Korea, proverb, saying, result
Text:
“콩심은데 콩나고, 팥심은데 팥난다.”
Literal: “You get green beans where you plant green bean seeds and you get red beans where you plan red bean seeds.”
Meaning: ‘Every result has its own reason.’
Context:
R is a born and raised South Korean. This is one of the sayings R taught me when growing up in Korea, along with a plethora of other proverbs and lessons. Apparently he had heard it from his father before him and so on, and it’s a pretty common Korean saying. R once said this to me when I forgot to bring my coat out one chilly winter afternoon and came down with a cold a few days later.
Analysis:
The English saying “You reap what you sow” might be a variant of this saying, as both are about agriculture and acquiring the direct result of your actions. Perhaps the cultural differences influence the way the saying is said (with Koreans using beans in many dishes and Western cultures liking simple, easy-to-say proverbs), while the meaning behind the sayings are shared worldwide.