Proverbs are short sentences drawn from long experience.
wrote Miguel Cervantes, Spanish poet, novelist and playwright.
All cultures have proverbs and sayings which are considered to be profound and wise. Many of them express unquestionable wisdom while others, on close inspection, show themselves to be only partially true, sometimes true but not always true. They often make enjoyable reading and are good subjects for discussion.
The use of English in the UK is full of proverbs, often used in conversation without thought because they are deeply embedded in culture. It is good to consider the meaning of some of those sayings, asking whether they are wise and whether we agree with them or not. It is also interesting to recognise similar proverbs in your culture.
The proverbs we might discuss are:
- A chain is no stronger than its weakest link.
- A change is as good as a rest.
- A bad workman blames his tools.
- A drop of ink may make a million think.
- A fool and his money are easily parted.
- A friend in need is a friend indeed.
- A leopard cannot change its spots.
- A problem shared is a problem halved.
- A rotten apple spoils the whole barrel.
- Absence makes the heart grow fonder.
- All that glitters is not gold.
- Learn to walk before you run.
- Look before you leap.
- The proof of the pudding is in the eating.
- Two wrongs do not make a right.
Come and join our Talk About on Monday 26 April at 7.30 pm, share your idea and make friends.
The Zoom ID and passcode are:
ID: 981 9526 9164
Passcode: letstalk