英语谚语来源
『壹』 英语谚语10句,要有翻译,有来源的,或者出自哪本书也可以
Waste not,want not. 俭以防匮。
2. From saving comes having. 富有来自节俭。
3. A penny saved is a penny gained. 省一文是一文。
4. Take care of the pence and the pound will take care of themselves. 金钱积少便成多。
5. Frugality is an estate alone. 节俭本身就是一宗财产。
6. He that regards not a penny,will lavish a pound. 小钱不知节省，大钱将滥花。
7. Small gains bring great wealth. 积小利，成巨富。
8. Many a little makes a mickle. 积少便成多。
9. As the touchstone tries gold,so gold tries man. 试金之石可试金，正如黄金能试人。
10. Courage and resolution are the spirit and soul of virtue. 勇敢和坚决是美德的灵魂。
『贰』 英语谚语大全
1.爱屋及乌 Love me, love my dog.
2.百闻不如一见 Seeing is believing.
3.比上不足比下有余 worse off than some, better off than many; to fall short of the best, but be better than the worst.
4.笨鸟先飞 A slow sparrow should make an early start.
5.不眠之夜 white night
6.不以物喜不以己悲 not pleased by external gains, not saddened by personnal losses
7.不遗余力 spare no effort; go all out; do one's best
8.不打不成交 No discord, no concord.
9.拆东墙补西墙 rob Peter to pay Paul
10.辞旧迎新 bid farewell to the old and usher in the new; ring out the old year and ring in the new
11.大事化小小事化了 try first to make their mistake sound less serious and then to rece it to nothing at all
12.大开眼界 open one's eyes; broaden one's horizon; be an eye-opener
13.国泰民安 The country flourishes and people live in peace
14.过犹不及 going too far is as bad as not going far enough; beyond is as wrong as falling short; too much is as bad as too little
15.功夫不负有心人 Everything comes to him who waits.
16.好了伤疤忘了疼 once on shore, one prays no more
17.好事不出门恶事传千里 Good news never goes beyond the gate, while bad news spread far and wide.
18.和气生财 Harmony brings wealth.
19.活到老学到老 One is never too old to learn.
20.既往不咎 let bygones be bygones
21.金无足赤人无完人 Gold can't be pure and man can't be perfect.
22.金玉满堂 Treasures fill the home.
23.脚踏实地 be down-to-earth
24.脚踩两只船 sit on the fence
25.君子之交淡如水 the friendship between gentlemen is as pure as crystal; a hedge between keeps friendship green
26.老生常谈陈词滥调 cut and dried, cliché
27.礼尚往来 Courtesy calls for reciprocity.
28.留得青山在不怕没柴烧 Where there is life, there is hope.
29.马到成功 achieve immediate victory; win instant success
30.名利双收 gain in both fame and wealth
31.茅塞顿开 be suddenly enlightened
32.没有规矩不成方圆 Nothing can be accomplished without norms or standards. 33.每逢佳节倍思亲 On festive occasions more than ever one thinks of one's dear ones far away.It is on the festival occasions when one misses his dear most.
34.谋事在人成事在天 The planning lies with man, the outcome with Heaven. Man proposes, God disposes.
35.弄巧成拙 be too smart by half; Cunning outwits itself
36.拿手好戏 masterpiece
37.赔了夫人又折兵 throw good money after bad
38.抛砖引玉 a modest spur to ince others to come forward with valuable contributions; throw a sprat to catch a whale
39.破釜沉舟 cut off all means of retreat；burn one‘s own way of retreat and be determined to fight to the end
40.抢得先机 take the preemptive opportunities
41.巧妇难为无米之炊 If you have no hand you can't make a fist. One can't make bricks without straw.
42.千里之行始于足下 a thousand-li journey begins with the first step--the highest eminence is to be gained step by step
43.前事不忘后事之师 Past experience, if not forgotten, is a guide for the future. 44.前人栽树后人乘凉 One generation plants the trees in whose shade another generation rests.One sows and another reaps.
45.前怕狼后怕虎 fear the wolf in front and the tiger behind hesitate in doing something
46.强龙难压地头蛇 Even a dragon (from the outside) finds it hard to control a snake in its old haunt - Powerful outsiders can hardly afford to neglect local bullies.
47.强强联手 win-win co-operation
48.瑞雪兆丰年 A timely snow promises a good harvest.
49.人之初性本善 Man's nature at birth is good.
50.人逢喜事精神爽 Joy puts heart into a man.
51.人海战术 huge-crowd strategy
52.世上无难事只要肯攀登 Where there is a will, there is a way.
53.世外桃源 a fictitious land of peace away from the turmoil of the world;
54.死而后已 until my heart stops beating
55.岁岁平安 Peace all year round.
56.上有天堂下有苏杭 Just as there is paradise in heaven, ther are Suzhou and Hangzhou on earth
57.塞翁失马焉知非福 Misfortune may be an actual blessing.
58.三十而立 A man should be independent at the age of thirty.At thirty, a man should be able to think for himself.
59.升级换代 updating and upgrading (of procts)
60.四十不惑 Life begins at forty.
61.谁言寸草心报得三春晖 Such kindness of warm sun, can't be repaid by grass. 62.水涨船高 When the river rises, the boat floats high.
63.时不我待Time and tide wait for no man.
64.杀鸡用牛刀break a butterfly on the wheel
65.实事求是seek truth from facts; be practical and realistic; be true to facts
66.说曹操,曹操到Talk of the devil and he comes.
67.实话实说speak the plain truth; call a spade a spade; tell it as it is
68.实践是检验真理的唯一标准Practice is the sole criterion for testing truth.
69.山不在高，有仙则名'No matter how high the mountain is, its name will spread far and wide if there is a fairy; '
70.韬光养晦hide one's capacities and bide one's time
71.糖衣炮弹sugar-coated bullets
72.天有不测风云Anything unexpected may happen. a bolt from the blue
73.团结就是力量Unity is strength.
74.“跳进黄河洗不清”'eve if one jumped into the Yellow River, one can not wash oneself clean--there's nothing one can do to clear one's name '
75.歪风邪气unhealthy practices and evil phenomena
76.物以类聚，人以群分Birds of a feather flock together.
77.往事如风'The past has vanished (from memory) like wind.; What in past, is pas
78.望子成龙hold high hopes for one's child
79.屋漏又逢连阴雨Misfortunes never come singly. When it rains it pours.
80.文韬武略military expertise; military strategy
81.唯利是图draw water to one's mill
82.无源之水,无本之木water without a source, and a tree wiithout roots
83.无中生有make create something out of nothing
84.无风不起浪There are no waves without wind. There's no smoke without fire. 85.徇私枉法bend the law for the benefit of relatives or friends
86.新官上任三把火a new broom sweeps clean
87.虚心使人进步,骄傲使人落后Modesty helps one go forward, whereas conceit makes one lag behind.
88. 蓄势而发accumulate strength for a take-off
89.心想事成May all your wish come true
90.心照不宣have a tacit understanding; give tacit consent; tacit understanding 91.先入为主First impressions are firmly entrenched.
92.先下手为强catch the ball before the bound
93.像热锅上的蚂蚁like an ant on a hot pan
94.现身说法warn people by taking oneself as an example
95.息事宁人pour oil on troubled waters
96.喜忧参半mingled hope and fear
97.循序渐进step by step
98.一路平安，一路顺风speed somebody on their way; speed the parting guest
99.严以律己,宽以待人be strict with oneself and lenient towards others
100鱼米之乡
101.有情人终成眷属'Jack shall have Jill, all shall be well.'
102.有钱能使鬼推磨Money makes the mare go. Money talks.
103. 有识之士people of vision
104.有勇无谋use brawn rather than brain
105.有缘千里来相会Separated as we are thousands of miles apart, we come together as if by predestination.
106.与时俱进advance with times
107.以人为本people oriented; people foremost
108.因材施教teach students according to their aptitude
109.欲穷千里目，更上一层楼'to ascend another storey to see a thousand miles further; Ascend further, were you to look farther; Would eye embrace a thousand miles? Go up, one flight.' a land of milk and honey
110.欲速则不达Haste does not bring success.
111. 优胜劣汰survival of the fittest
112.英雄所见略同Great minds think alike.
113.冤家宜解不宜结Better make friends than make enemies.
114.冤假错案'cases in which people were unjustly, falsely or wrongly charged or sentenced; unjust, false or wrong cases'
115.一言既出，驷马难追A real man never goes back on his words.
116.招财进宝Money and treasures will be plentiful
117.债台高筑become debt-ridden
118.致命要害Achilles' heel
119. 众矢之的target of public criticism
120.知己知彼,百战不殆Know the enemy and know yourself, and you can fight a hundred battles with no danger of defeat.
121. 纸上谈兵be an armchair strategist
122.纸包不住火Truth will come to light sooner or later.
123.左右为难between the devil and the deep blue sea
『叁』 英语谚语有来自中文的吗
优择雅思为您解答：
.Bird
(1) Kill two birds with one stone. 一箭双雕;一举两得。
(2) A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. 双鸟在林不如一鸟在手。
(3) Birds of a feather flock together. 物以类聚，人以群分。
(4) It’s an ill bird that fouls own nest. 家丑不可外扬。
(5) Fine feathers make fine birds. 人要衣装，马要鞍。
(6) A bird is known by its note, and a man by his talk. 听音识鸟，闻言识人。
(7) Each bird loves to hear himself sing. 鸟儿都爱听自己唱。(自我欣赏)
(8) You cannot catch old birds with chaff.(粗糠). 用粗糠捉不住老鸟。(有经验的人难骗。)
(9) Birds in their little nests agree. 同巢之鸟心儿齐。
2. Cat
(1) A cat has nine lives.猫有九条命;吉人天相。
(2) Cats hide their claws. 知人知面不知心。
(3) All cats are grey in the dark.. 黑暗之中猫都是灰色的。(人未出名时看起来都差不多。)
(4) A gloved cat catches no mice. 戴手套的猫，老鼠抓不到。(不愿吃苦的人成不了大事业。)
(5) When the weasel and the cat make a marriage, it is a very ill presage.
黄鼠狼和猫结亲，不是好事情。)
(6) Who will bwll the cat? 谁去给猫系铃?(谁愿意为大家冒风险?)
(7) The cat shuts its eyes when stealing cream. 帽偷吃奶油的时候总是闭着眼睛。(掩耳盗铃)
(8) There are more ways of killing a cat than by choking it with butter.
杀猫的办法很多。(达到目的的途径很多。)
(9) Care kill a cat. 忧虑愁死猫。
3. Chicken
(1) Don’t count your chickens before they’re hatched.
鸡蛋未孵出，先别数小鸡。(不要过早乐观。)
4. Crow
(1) A crow is never the whiter for washing herself often. 江山易改，本性难移。
5. Dog
(1) He who would hang his dog gives out first that it is mad.
欲加之罪，何患无词.
(2) A staff is quickly found to beat a dog with. 欲加之罪，何患无词.
(3) Love me, love my dog. 爱屋及乌.
(4) Too much pudding will choke a dog. 布丁太多噎死狗。
(5) Every dog has his day. 人人皆有得意时。
(6) Barking dogs don’t (seldom) bite. 爱叫的狗很少咬人。
(7) Let sleeping dogs lie. 勿惹事生非。
(8) Dead dogs bite not. 死狗不咬人。
(9) All are not thieves that dogs bark at. 狗见了叫的不一定都是贼。(不要以貌取人。)
(10) Every dog is a lion at home. 狗在家门口就成了狮子。
(11) Don’t be a dog (lying) in the manger. 莫学狗占马槽不吃草。(不要占着茅坑不拉屎。)
(12) Dog does not eat dog. 同类不相残。
(13) Scornful dogs will eat dirty puddings. 狗再傲慢也会吃脏布丁。
(14) A son never thinks his mother ugly,and a dog never shuns its owner’s
home however shabby it is.儿不嫌母丑，狗不嫌家贫。
6. Frog
(1) The frog in the well knows nothing of the great ocean. 井底之蛙，不知大海。
7. Fox
(1) The fox may grow grey, but never good. 狐狸毛色可变灰，但是本性难移。
(2) The fox preys farthest from his hole. 狐狸捕食，远离洞府。(兔子不吃窝边草。)
(3) When the fox preaches, then take care of your geese. 每当狐狸说教，当心鹅群被盗。
(4) When the fox says he is a vegetarian, it’s time for the hen to look
out. 狐狸说它吃素的时候，母鸡就得注意。
8. Fish
(1) The best fish swim near the bottom. 好鱼常在水底游。
(2) Never offer to teach fish to swim. 不要班门弄斧。
(3) Go to the sea, if you would fish well. 不入虎穴，焉得虎子。
(4) There’s as good fish in the sea as ever came out of it. 海里的好鱼多的是。
(5) It is a silly fish that is caught twice with the same t.
智者不上两次档。
(6) If water is noisy, there are no fish in it. 咆哮的水中无鱼。(夸夸其谈者无真才实学。)。
9. Hare
(1) You cannot run with the hare and hunt with the hounds(猎狗).
不能既和野兔一起跑又和猎狗一起追。(人不应两面讨好。)
(2) The tortoise wins the race while the hare is sleeping. 兔子睡懒觉，乌龟跑赢了。
10. Horse
(1) You can take a horse to the water, but you can’t make him drink.
带马到河边容易，逼马饮水难。
(2) Don’t ride the high horse. 勿摆架子。
(3) A good horse cannot be of a bad colour. 好马不会毛色差。
(4) A horse may stumble on four feet. 马有四条腿，亦有失蹄时。
(5) A running horse needs no spur. 奔马无需鞭策。
(6) Don’t put the cart before the horse.
不要将大车套在马前面。(处理问题应按先后次序，不要本末倒置。)
(7) The common horse is worst shod. 公用之马，掌子最差。
(8) Lock the barn door after the horse is stolen. 失马之后锁马厩。(亡羊补牢)
(9) Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth. 馈赠之马，勿看牙口。
(10) Hair by hair you will pull out the horse’s tail.
一根一根拔，拔光马尾巴。(水滴石穿)
11 . Mouse
(1) It is a poor mouse that has only one hole. 狡兔三窟。
(2) The mouse that has but one hole is quickly taken. 只有一个洞的老鼠，很快就被抓住。
(3) A speck of mouse ng will spoil a whole pot of porridge.
一粒老鼠屎，坏了一锅粥。
12. Sheep
(1) If one sheep leaps over the ditch, all the rest will follow.
榜样的力量是无穷的。
(2) A lazy sheep thinks its wool heavy. 懒羊嫌毛重。
(3) He that makes himself a sheep shall be eaten by the wolf.
甘心做绵羊，必然喂豺狼。
13.Swallow
(1) One swallow does not make a spring. 孤燕不报春。
(2) One swallow does not make a summer. 一燕不成夏。
14. Tiger
(1) If you don’t enter a tiger’s den, you can’t get his cubs.
不入虎穴，焉得虎子。
15. Wolf
(1) Don’t trust a goat with the kitchen-garden,or a wolf with sheepfold.
不能请羊管菜园，不能请狼管羊圈。
(2) Who keeps company with wolves, will learn to howl. 和狼在一起，就会学狼叫。
(3) Man is a wolf to man. 人对人是狼。(人心狠，人吃人)
(4) A growing youth has a wolf in his belly. 年轻人，在成长，吃起饭来像饿狼
『肆』 求英文谚语和谚语形成的背后故事
谚语形成的背后故事
条条大路通罗马
背后故事：
在古代，确实条条回大路都可以通往罗马答。罗马人共筑8万公里（5万英里）公路，西起英国，途经西班牙和北非，东至多瑙河和幼发拉底河。第一条大道是亚壁古道（the Appian Way），修筑于公元前312年。凯撒大帝（Emperor Caesar Augustus）在罗马中心广场竖了一块纪念碑，叫做“金色里程碑”（Milliarium Aureum），那8万公里的公路就是以此碑为中心向四周修建延伸的。
如今，“条条大路通罗马”用来形容“要达到同一目的，可以有多种途径和方法”，而这个寓意早在12世纪就已经开始使用了。
『伍』 英语谚语 附上其来历 英语介绍
1 The only way to have a friend is to be one
2 all are not friends that speak us fair
3a man is known by his friends.
4Better an open enemy than a false friend.
1.交友的唯一方法是自己必须够朋友
2.说好话的不一定都是朋友。
3.人以群分
4.公开的敌人胜于虚假的朋友。
A
爱情是盲目的 Love is blind.
B
被打得青一块紫一块 be beaten black and blue
不劳则无获 No pains ,no gains.
不怕迟只怕不做 Better late than never.
C
此路不通 Blocks！
D
当断不断，必受其患 He who hesitates is lost.
F
发光的并不都是金子 All is not gold that glitters.
G
过着吵吵闹闹的生活（夫妻） lead a cat and dog life
J
金窝，银窝，不如自己的草窝。 East,west，home is best．
酒好不必挂幌子 Good wine needs no bush.
L
良好的开端是成功的一半 Well begun is half done.
N
牛饮 drink like a fish
Q
情人眼里出西施 Love blinds a man to imperfections.
R
认识从实践开始 Knowledge begins with practice.
S
上气不接下气 out of breath
T
天亮了 Day breaks;Day dawns.
X
信不信由你 Believe it or not.
行动胜于空谈 Actions speak louder than words.
需要是发明之母 Necessity is the mother of invention.
Y
一只耳朵进，一只耳朵出 go in at one ear and out at the other
有其父必有其子 Like father,like son.
Z
这怪不着谁 No one is to blame for it.
真是活一天学一天 Live and learn.
拙匠常怪工具差 Bad workmen often blame their tools.
A
爱不释手 can’t bear to part with it / stand parting with it / putting it down (back, aside) / leaving it aside
B
笨鸟先飞 the early bird catches the worn
彪炳史册 make/create history
博览群书 browse through/over some books be well/widely read
不尽人意 be not all roses
不惜费用 spare no expense
不遗余力 to the best of one's power
不在话下 let alone
不知所措 to be at a loss/at sea
C
初出茅庐 to be young and inexperienced/to be a green hand
出神深思 be buried in thought
吹毛求疵 find faults with/be particular about
纯属偶然 purely by accident
从头到脚 from head to foot
从头至尾 from beginning to end
粗枝大叶 to be crude and careless/to be careless
D
大智若愚 still waters run deep
呆若木鸡 to be mbstruck/mbfounded
东张西望 look around
独具匠心 be original
独立无援 (all) on one's own
对牛弹琴 to cast pearls before a swine/to play the lute to a cow
G
敢作敢为 be aggressive
隔墙有耳 Walls have ears.
公事公办 Business is business.
固执己见 stick to one's own opinions
刮目相看 look at sb differently/with new eyes/regard sb in a totally different light
寡廉鲜耻 be shameless
H
毫无怨言 without complaint
画蛇添足 to plant the lily/to draw a snake and add feet to it
黄粱美梦 a dream/a fond dream
挥金如土 to spend money like water/dirt
悔过自新 turn over a new leaf
J
坚持不渝 hold on/out
坚如磐石 as solid as a rock
艰苦奋斗 fight one's way
贱买贵卖 buy cheap and sell dear
焦躁不安 be restless
精力充沛 be full of energy
酒肉朋友 fair-weather friend
九死一生 a narrow escape
居高临下 be commanding
K
开门见山 to come/get to the point
空中楼阁 a castle in the air
M
毛遂自荐 to offer to do sth./to volunteer one’s service
没精打采 feel blue
每况愈下 go from bad to worse
P
旁敲侧击 beat around/about the bush
平安无恙 safe and sound
平易近人 be approachable
Q
恰好相反 just on the contrary/just the opposite
恰到好处 to the point
巧舌如簧 to have a smooth tongue
千方百计 try every means
倾国倾城 to be extremely beautiful
全心全意 heart and soul
R
仁至义尽 do our best
如释重负 take a load/weight off sb's mind
S
三思而行 look before you leap
深思熟虑 turn over
生动逼真 true to life
生机勃勃 look alive
生死攸关 between/of life and death
世世代代 from age to age
首屈一指 second to none
熟能生巧 Practice makes perfect.
数以百计 by hundreds
水泄不通 be blocked with crowds of people
随机应变 rise to the occasion
T
挑挑拣拣 pick and choose
W
玩忽职守 neglect one's ty
无论如何 in any case
无与伦比 beyond compare
勿庸置疑 no doubt
X
洗耳恭听 be a good listener
喜形于色 One's face brightened/lit up.
小心为妙 One cannot be too careful.
相差甚远 not nearly
心安理得 feel at ease
悬梁刺股 to be very/extraordinarily hard-working
血浓于水 Blood is thicker than water.
Y
妖魔鬼怪 evil spirits
一箭双雕 Kill two birds with one stone.
一举双得 Kill two birds with one stone.
一事无成 accomplish nothing
一笑了之 laugh off
易如反掌 to be a piece of cake/to be as easy as turning over one’s hand
引人入胜 be attractive
引人注目 be attractive
犹豫不决 beside over/hesitate over
有福同享 有难同当 for better or (for) worse
Z
掌上明珠 an apple in one’s eye/a pearl in the palm
直呼其名 call a person by name
自吹自擂 boast
自高自大 look big
『陆』 求一句英语谚语，并且要用英语解释由来和意思
an apple a day keep a doctor away
『柒』 关于英语谚语
15条经典英语谚语
1． Pain past is pleasure. （过去的痛苦就是快乐。）[无论多么艰难一定要咬牙冲过去，将来回忆起来 一定甜蜜无比。]
2． Wisdom in the mind is better than money in the hand.
（脑中有知识，胜过手中有金钱。）[从小灌输给孩子的坚定信念。]
4． Nothing is impossible for a willing heart.
（心之所愿，无所不成。）[坚持一个简单的信念就一定会成功。]
6． All things are difficult before they are easy.
（凡事必先难后易。）[放弃投机取巧的幻想。]
7． Great hopes make great man. （伟大的理想造就伟大的人。）
8． God helps those who help themselves.（天助自助者。）
9． Four short words sum up what has lifted most successful indivials above the crowd: a little bit more.
（四个简短的词汇概括了成功的秘诀：多一点点！） [比别人多一点努力、多一点自律、多一点决心、多一点反省、多一点学习、多一点实践、多一点疯狂，多一点点就能创造奇迹！]
10． In doing we learn.（实践长才干。）
11． East or west, home is best.（东好西好，还是家里最好。）
13． Two heads are better than one.（三个臭皮匠，顶个诸葛亮。）
14． Good company on the road is the shortest cut.
（行路有良伴就是捷径。）
15． Constant dropping wears the stone.（滴水穿石。）
『捌』 英语谚语的形成及渊源
起源于 民间口语,也有一部分源于 文化典籍或 宗教文献。它们源远流长,在历史长河里兼收并蓄,得到不断的丰富和发展。经过千锤百炼,终成为简洁生动、意味深长、富有哲理的英语的精华。本文主要从 民间口语、 文化典籍和 宗教文献3 个方面对英语谚语的 起源进行了探讨,旨在揭示谚语所反映的社会的发展进程、人民群众的思想观念、价值取向及其超越时空的价值和意义。恩格斯在《自然辩证法:劳动在从猿到人转变过程中的作用》中指出:“语言是从劳动当中并和劳动一起产生出来的⋯⋯”[1 ]语言是一种社会存在物,是随着人类的实践而形成发展起来的交流系统,是人类社会实践的共同创造物。作为日常口语的一部分,谚语的 起源十分悠久。其源头是人类先民的生产劳动,他们的实践、感知和经验,经过漫长的历史进程,不断积累、概括和提炼,并随着社会的发展和人们活动范围的扩大,传播开来。始于 民间口语的英语谚语,在传流的过程中,伴随文字的出现,逐渐进入到书面文献中。 文化典籍中的“雅谚”有些可追溯到民间流传的“俗谚”,有些已不可考,但萌生于 民间口语或是由某些大众化说法提炼而来应是不争的事实。本文主要从 民间口语、 文化典籍、 宗教文献3 个方面对英语谚语的 起源进行探讨,旨在揭示谚语所反映的人类生产、生活历程和超越时空的价值和意义。一、 民间口语谚语是在群众中流传的固定语句,用简单通俗的话反映出深刻的道理。英语谚语绝大多数来自民间,是人民群众生活经验的总结,凝结着人民大众的智慧。英语谚语中有大量关于农业生产、气象、渔牧、狩猎的谚语,如气象谚语、节令谚语、农事要诀等,通常称为“农谚”。 Evening red and morning grey are the signs of a fineday. (晚霞红,晨雾蒙,天会晴。) A red sky at night is the shepherds’delight . (向晚天发红,羊倌喜盈盈。) Rain from the east ; wet two days at the least . (风雨东方起,至少两天雨。) 这几个谚语反映的都是气象常识,如热冷的交替,晚霞、晨雾主晴等,都是从事农业生产的先民长期的经验积累形成的对天气的认识。 Ill weeds grow fast . (杂草长得快。) Out of old field comes new corn. (老田出新谷。) A year of snow , a year of plenty. (瑞雪兆丰年。) After a rainy winter follows fruitful spring. (今冬雨水足,来春果满枝。) 这几条谚语反映了人民群众对田地、庄稼特点的认识,还表达了他们对五谷丰登的祈盼。先民们生产工具落后,生活条件恶劣,随时面临着毒蛇猛兽的侵袭和疾病带来的死亡,加之当时交通不便,隔山隔水,交流少,活动范围窄,所以“家”的观念在人们心中非常强。面对严酷的大自然,他们唯有在“家”里才能得到慰藉,找到安全感。下面的几条谚语正是“家”或乡土观念的反映。 East or west , home is best . (东好西好,家里最好。) There is no place like home. (没有什么地方能像家里一样。) Better at home than a mile away from it . (在家万般好,出门时时难。) Every one seeks his own house. (家是自己的好先民们除从事繁重的农业生产劳动外,还会打猎或捕鱼以弥补生活的匮乏,这方面的经验在英语谚语中也有所反映。 Hunger drives the wolf out of the woods. (饥饿引狼出森林。) Great fish are caught in great waters. (要抓大鱼,就下大海。) The fish will soon be caught that nibbles at the everyt . (爱咬钩的鱼逃不掉。) A bird in hand is worth two in the bush. (一鸟在手胜过二鸟在林。) An old fox is not easily snared. (老狐狸难上圈套。) Two dogs will kill a lion. (两狗可杀一狮。) If you run after two hares , you will catch neither.(一人追二兔,难免两手空。) 人类早期的生产劳动,由于生产工具原始,完全靠体力,靠长时间的辛苦劳作,翻土、播种、收割都有时间、季节限制,耽误不得,正所谓“农时不可误”;又由于渐渐意识到生命无常,生命短暂,因而感叹时光短促、劝人珍惜时间的英语谚语不少。 All time is no time when it is gone. (光阴一去不复返。) Time is money. (时间就是金钱。) Time flies. (时光如梭。) 早期的人类势单力薄,无论是农耕或狩猎,都以群体出动、集体协作为主,有些英谚正是反映集思广益、共同协作这方面生活的。 So many heads so many wits. (三个臭皮匠,抵个诸葛亮。) Many hands make light work. (人手多,好办事。) Two eyes see more than one. (两只眼睛比一只眼睛看得清。) Drop by drop the oceans are filled ; stone by stonethe walls are built . (涓滴之水汇成海;一石一石筑成墙。) 英语属于印欧语系,印欧语系的原创型文化滥觞于古希腊文化。古希腊所处的地理位置正居于尼罗河、两河、小亚细亚和南欧之“要冲”,生活在希腊半岛和爱琴海诸岛的先民从海中取食,靠海吃海,久而久之,便形成了海洋型文化特点。后来的英伦三岛又为大海环抱,受之于古希腊的海洋文化因子得以传承、光大。英语谚语中有大量涉及海上航行、经风受雨、捕鱼捉蟹的内容,这正是英语民族,以及整个西语民族地理位置和海洋型文化的反映。 In a calm sea , every man is a pilot . (在平静的海上,人人都是领航员。) The good seaman is known in bad weather. (坏天气才能识出好水手。) A great ship asks deep water. (大船行深水。) In the deepest water is the best fishing. (最深的水里好捕鱼。) Hoist sail when the wind is fair. (趁着风好扬起帆。) He that would sail without danger , must never comeon the main sea. (谁在航行时不冒险,就永远不要来到大海上。) The great fish eat up the small . (大鱼吃小鱼。) The sea refuses no river. (江海不拒细流。) 这些谚语是濒海居民或水手的经验之谈,有些已超出了航海的经验范围,而具有更为深广的含义,如The sea refuses no river. 就有“聚沙成塔,集腋成裘”的内涵。源于 民间口语的谚语,除反应人民群众生产劳动中的经验外,还表现了他们在社会斗争中的经验和道德、伦理、是非等观念。If you would not be cheated , ask the price at threeshops. (货比三家不吃亏。) There is a black sheep in every flock. (害群之马到处有。) Pride goes before a fall . (骄兵必败。) 这几条谚语都是人们实际生活斗争经验教训的总结。自然界的所有生物都有求生存的本能,作为有高级智慧的人更是如此。几千年来,丰衣足食、健康长寿一直是人们的追求与渴望。有关饮食、锻炼、健康、长寿方面的英语谚语非常丰富。 Eat at leisure , drink with meas
ure. (饭菜尽情吃,饮酒须节制。) Gluttony kills more than the sword. (暴食杀人胜刀剑。) He that eats least eats more. (饮食有节可长寿。) Many dishes , many diseases. (猛吃猛喝,疾病必多。) 这几则谚语强调饮食节制的重要性。 Rest breeds rust . (人不活动,百病丛生。) Difficulties strengthen the mind , as labor does thebody. (劳动强身体,艰难励意志。) Dry feet , warm head , bring safe to bed. (脚干头暖,睡觉平安。) After lunch , rest ; after supper , walk. (午饭后要休息,晚饭后要散步。) 这几条谚语告诫人们要多运动, 锻炼,要学会自我保健,以强身健体。 Good health is above wealth. (健康金不换。) Happiness lies , first of all , in health. (幸福首先在于健康。) Health is jewel . (健康是钻石。) In sickness health is known. (患病方知健康好。) 这几条谚语告诫人们要珍惜健康,方能过上高质量的生活,才能享受幸福快乐。有些英语谚语,强调人的精神、心理、环境对身体的重要性。 Laugh and grow fat . (笑口常开,心宽体胖。) Care killed the cat . (忧能伤人。) A light heart lives long. (心胸坦荡寿命长。) Cheerfulness is health ; its opposite , melancholy isdisease. (欢乐益健康,忧郁致病痛。) 欢笑、坦荡的心胸都有利于健康,相反,忧虑、抑郁则对身心有害。当人类的原始积累达到一定程度,随着物质的丰富,人口的增多,交流的频繁,进行物质交换,互通有无,已成为必然,不可或缺。最早的交换应是以物易物,后来慢慢发展到使用钱币。由于金钱的重要价值、作用及其稀缺特点,人们对金钱有着强烈的占有欲望,并产生了独特的感受和认识。在英语谚语中,关于金钱的很多,正是人们深刻的金钱观的反映。Money makes the mare go. (有钱能使鬼推磨。) Money governs the world. (金钱统治世界。) Money is the key that opens all doors. (钱是打开所有门的钥匙。) 这些谚语反映的是拜金主义的金钱观。 Gold will not buy everything. (金钱并非万能。) Money is the root of all evil . (金钱乃万恶之源。) Riches do not always bring happiness. (金钱不总能带来幸福。) The love of money and the love of learning rarelymeet . (爱财不好学,好学不爱财。) 这几条谚语反映了对待金钱的不同的价值观,揭示了人们对客观事物的不同认识和理解。源自 民间口语的“俗谚”,以世态人情为材料,以经验知识为依据,是人民大众生活和生产的缩影,也是他们经验的积累和总结,揭示了他们对客观世界的认识和感悟,也表露了他们的心理诉求和祈望。二、 文化典籍流传于 民间口语中的谚语,伴随着文字的产生,开始出现在各种文学作品和 文化典籍中。英语谚语有一部分来自书面文献,主要出自希腊罗马神话、寓言故事、莎士比亚戏剧以及一些名家作品中。这些源自 文化典籍的“雅谚”,有些是在 民间口语说法的基础上提炼打磨而成,而有些则属独创,有着鲜明的文化色彩、语体特色和教育警策作用。莎士比亚不愧是语言大师,其戏剧成了产生谚语的沃土,这从一个侧面反映了莎士比亚的作品由于真实地反映了社会现实而为人民所喜爱,也反映了其在文学殿堂上的地位。莎士比亚生活的十六七世纪,正是资本主义兴起的时代,莎剧中的有些谚语正反映了新兴资产阶级的世界观,如物质至上,金钱至上等。The world is an oyster. (世界是一只牡蛎。)这条谚语首见于莎士比亚的喜剧《温莎的风流娘儿们》(The Merry Wives of Windsor) ,意思是说,如果你有很多钱,你可以想要什么就有什么,整个世界都由你摆布。 Lend your money and lose your friend. (借出你的钱,失掉你的朋友。) 这条谚语出自《哈姆雷特》(Hamlet) 1 幕3 场。出现在莎士比亚戏剧中的谚语,有一部分并非莎翁的独创,而是先前就已存在。这类谚语,莎翁或直接引用,或加以改造,以符合剧中的人物个性。Even a worm will turn. (甚至连一只虫子也会翻翻身。) 这则谚语原收录在英国诗人、剧作家约翰•海伍德的《谚语集》里,莎士比亚在《亨利六世》(Henry Ⅵ) 中予以引用: The smallest worm will turn being drodden on. (最小的虫子,被踩一脚,也要扭动一下。) All cats love fish but fear to wet their paws. (所有的猫都爱鱼,但又怕湿了猫爪。) 这是一句英国古谚,莎士比亚在《麦克白》(Macbeth) 1 幕7 场中直接引用。 You set an old man’s head on young shoulders. (你不要指望年轻的肩膀上长老年的头。) 莎剧中的这条谚语是由下面一条谚语改变而来:You must not expect old heads on young shoulders.Silver will have a sliver sound. (银子发出的是银子的声音。) 这则谚语源出于莎剧《罗密欧与朱丽叶》(Romeo and Juliet ) 4 幕5 场中的一句话: Silver hath a sweet sound. (银子发出甜蜜的声音。) 古希腊罗马神话是西方文学的源头之一。与古希腊罗马神话有关或涉及古希腊罗马神话中诸种和英雄的英语谚语有相当数量。 There were brave men before Agemenmnon. (阿加门农之前也有勇士。) 阿加门农(Agmenmnon) 是希腊神话中的迈锡尼王,他在特洛伊战争中担任希腊联军最高统帅,以勇猛善战著。Not even Hercules could contend against two. (即便赫尔克利斯,也是一不敌二。) 赫尔克利斯(Hercules) 是罗马神话中的英雄,是主神宙斯之子,力大无穷。个别英语谚语,其源头可追溯到古希腊诗人荷马、古罗马诗人奥维德或亚里士多德等古希腊罗马诗人、作家或哲学家的作品。如下面3 则:Choose the lesser of two evils. (两害相权取其轻。) 荷马史诗中写有: The most preferable of evils ⋯(更可取的坏事⋯⋯) The grass is often greener on the other side of thefence. (篱笆那边的草总是更绿。) 奥维德曾写过这样的诗句:The harvest is alwaysmore fruitful in another man’s fields. (别人地里的庄稼总比自家的多产。) Don’t kill the goose that laid the golden eggs. (不要杀死下金蛋的鹅。) 这条谚语可上溯到古希腊寓言作家伊索的一个著名寓言故事《生金蛋的鹅》( The Goose with theGolden Eggs) 。有一个农民的鹅突然生出金蛋来,但农夫非常贪心,想一下子得到很多金子。伊索写道:Thinking to get at once all the gold the goose could give ,he kill
ed it and opened it only to find —nothing. 这条英语谚语的含义与汉语成语“杀鸡取卵”十分接近。 One may go wrong in many different ways , but rightin one. (歧路万千条,正路只一条。)这条谚语源于古希腊哲学家、科学家亚里士多德的著作。英语谚语来自其他英语诗歌、戏剧、小说、散文等的为数不少。 People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throwstones. (住玻璃房子的人不该扔石头。) 这则谚语可上溯到英国诗人乔叟的《特洛伊罗斯与克瑞西达》(Troilus and Criseyde) 。Make hay while the sun shines. (趁着晴天晒干草。) 这句谚语来自英国诗人亚历山大•巴克莱的讽刺作品《愚人船》(The Ship of Fools) 。Variety is the spice of life. (变化多姿是生活的调味品。)这则谚语可追溯到英国诗人威廉•柯珀的长诗《任务》(The Task) 。The child is father of the man. (三岁看到老。)英国诗人威廉•华兹华斯在《我的雀跃》(MyHeart Leaps Up) 一诗中曾使用过这句谚语。这首诗的首句是:My heart leaps up when I behold/ A rainbowin the sky. (每见到彩虹横贯长空,我心涌动不已。)诗中谈到这是诗人从小就有的感受。每个人都由童年而及成年,而成年人性格中美好的一切都来自纯洁的童心。 Never say die. (永远不要说“死定了”。)出自英国小说家的《匹克威克外传》( PickwickPapers) ,表达了一种永不言败的豪情。He that hath wife and children hath given hostage tofortune. (有妻室子女之人已将自己押给了命运。)出自英国哲学家培根的散文《论婚姻与独身》。另有个别英语谚语,源起于某个历史事件,有一定的文化历史背景。如:Nero fiddled while Rome burned. (罗马失火,尼禄弹琴作乐。) 这条谚语就与一段罗马历史有关。尼禄是罗马皇帝,恺撒家族的最后一个统治者,自公元59 年后施暴政。在公元64 年,尼禄命人火烧罗马城,以便能看看“特洛伊城陷入火海会是什么样子”,并以大火为背景,朗诵自己的诗篇,还拿着竖琴为自己伴奏。这个谚语比喻一个人在危难中不负责任、不恤民情的行为。源自 文化典籍的“雅谚”,很好地反映了西方社会普遍的社会心理和价值取向,如崇尚独立与个性,崇尚理性,推崇平等观念以及私有财产神圣不可侵犯等。 文化典籍类谚语在用词上较“俗谚”更为正式,带有很浓的书卷气,这也正符合文人著作的语言、文体特点。三、 宗教文献西方英语国家主要信仰基督教。基督教在其悠久的发展过程中已经超出了狭隘的宗教意义,形成了一种对西方人的生活方式、价值观念和伦理原则产生巨大影响的文化现象。基督教教典《圣经》,是西方文化的另一个源头,对英语的影响堪比莎士比亚的著作,对英语谚语的丰富和发展起了很大作用。英语中有许多谚语就是源自圣经故事或是反映宗教思想的,这也是宗教思想深入人心,影响并操纵着人们精神世界的体现。基督教的共同人性和博爱思想也都反映在英语谚语中。《圣经•旧约全书》中有一章《箴言篇》(The bookof proverbs) ,记录的是智者格言,十分丰富,都是规劝警示性的,在流传过程中成为精美的谚语。 A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband. (贞洁的妇女是她丈夫的冠冕。) A good name is better than riches. (美名胜过财富。) 英语谚语还来自《圣经》中的其他篇章,如《约伯记》、《传道书》等。All rivers run into the sea. (条条河流归大海。) (《传道书》) The love of money is the root of all evil . (贪财是万恶之源。) (《提摩太前书》) The price of wisdom is above rubies. (智慧的价值高于珠宝。) (《约伯记》) Love begets love. (爱产生爱。) 有些源自《圣经》的谚语,还保留着一些词的古代形式,如thou , thy , doeth , doest 等。 When thou doest alms , let not thy left hand knowwhat the right hand doeth. 当你施舍的时候,不要让左手知道右手所做的。(《马太福音》)《圣经》最早是用希伯来语写的,后来译成多种语言。英语《圣经》有多个版本,相同的语义内涵有时会有不同的译文变体。比如: Stolen waters aresweet . (偷来的水是甜的。) 就有几种变体[2 ] :Stolen sweets are always sweeter. (偷来的糖总是格外甜。) Stolen pleasures are sweet . (偷欢是甜蜜的。) Stolen fruit is sweeter. (偷来的水果分外甜。) 某些英语谚语源出《圣经》,但用词已不同于原文,语言形式上有所改变,或利用《圣经》语句的创意,产生出新的谚语。 As you row , so shall you reap. (种瓜得瓜,种豆得豆。) 这条谚语源自《圣经•加拉太书》中的Whatsoevera man soweth , that shall he also reap. 原句中的大词、古词whatsoever 和soweth 已不再出现。《圣经•以西德书》中有一句是这样说的: Thussaith the Lord God :An evil , an only evil , behold , iscome. 主耶和华如此说:有一灾祸,独有一灾祸,看哪,它临近了。有几条英语谚语就是由这个句子演化而来。 Misfortunes never come single. (祸不单行。) One misfortune rides upon another’s back. (一个灾祸骑在另一灾祸的背上。) Hardships never come alone. (苦难从不单独来。)英语中有些谚语,与圣经故事有关。圣经中的一些含有浓厚宗教色彩的词常出现在英谚中,如cross(十字架) ,forbidden fruit ( 禁果) , God ( 上帝) ,Devil (魔鬼) 等。 Forbidden fruit is sweet . (禁果是甜的。) Every man must carry his cross. (每个人必须背他自己的十字架。) Evil and good are God’s right hand and left . (善与恶是上帝的左右手。) The Devil take the hindmost . (落后者遭殃。) The cross on the breast , and the devil in the heart .(十字胸前挂,恶念心中藏。) Hell is wherever heaven is not . (不是天堂的地方,即是地狱。) 一种民族语言所吸收的来自 宗教文献的词语与他们所信仰的宗教有关,众多英语谚语源自《圣经》,就很好地说明了这一点。除了 民间口语、 文化典籍和 宗教文献这3 个主要来源外,英语谚语还有些源自外来语。由于地理位置和历史的缘故,英语在其发展过程中不断受到外来语的影响和冲击,使得英语中吸收了大量来自外国文化的词语,英语谚语也不例外。有相当一部分英语谚语来自拉丁语、法语、德语、西班牙语、汉语等。这部分谚语有些还保留着外文的原形,有些则已译成英语。如cherchez la femme (找出祸水) 是一句法文谚语,但却以法文原文形式保留在英文中,译成英语为find the woman ,表示不论发生什么麻烦,其背后总有女
人牵涉其中。其他如: Familiar paths and old friends are the best . (熟路易走,老友易处。) (来自德语) Those who know don’t speak ; those who speak don’t know. (知者不言,言者不知。) (源自老子的《道德经》) Give a helping hand to a man in trouble. (对危难者应授之以手。) (来自拉丁语) 这些外来的谚语已为英语国家人民所接受,成为其文化宝库中不可分割的一部分。弗兰西斯•培根曾经说过:“一个国家的智慧、风趣和精神均体现在它的谚语之中。”在几千年的形成流变过程中,英语谚语从不同源头汇聚而来,并得到不断的丰富和充实,终成为璀璨的颗颗宝石。这些谚语以其令人们熟知的形象和比喻体现了人们世代积累的经验和形成的价值观,它们作为社会共享的口头文学的袖珍版本,被成百上千次地引用,成为说服他人的论据,并用以指导日常生活。各个民族的文化有其各自的特点和赖以产生的历史背景,所以各自的谚语都带有其自身的文化烙印,反映了不同的思想观念和价值取向。因此,学习英语谚语并了解其产生的源头,有助于正确理解其内在含义,并且有利于了解英语民族,以致整个西语民族的思想方式、风俗习惯和感情品德,这为了解和 研究西方文化打开了一扇窗口,对促进跨文化交际和中西文化的沟通和借鉴都是大有裨益的。参考文献: [1 ] 赵蓉晖. 普通语言学[M] . 上海:上海外语教育出版社,2005 :10. [2 ] 於奇. 语言 起源(第四版)[M] . 郑州:郑州大学出版社,2008 . [3 ] 王德春. 汉英谚语与文化[M] . 上海:上海外语教育出版社,2003 :74.
『玖』 急！！！有谁有 英语谚语的来历 的相关资料，谢谢大家
好多谚语是圣经里的
还有就是宗教里演化的，战争中也会有
自己去google找找看啊
『拾』 急！哪位能给我简要说一下英语谚语的起源和发展中文说就行了。先谢谢了
ARCHER TAYLOR
THE ORIGINS OF THE PROVERB*关于英语谚语起源与发展的文章!
THE definition of a proverb is too difficult to repay the undertaking; and should we fortunately combine in a single definition all the essential elements and give each the proper emphasis, we should not even then have a touchstone. An incommunicable quality tells us this sentence is proverbial and that one is not. Hence no definition will enable us to identify positively a sentence as proverbial. Those who do not speak a language can never recognize all its proverbs, and similarly much that is truly proverbial escapes us in Elizabethan and older English. Let us be content with recognizing that a proverb is a saying current among the folk. At least so much of a definition is indisputable, and we shall see and weigh the significance of other elements later.
The origins of the proverb have been little studied. We can only rarely see a proverb actually in the making, and any beliefs we have regarding origins must justify themselves as evident or at least plausible. Proverbs are invented in several ways: some are simple apothegms and platitudes elevated to proverbial dignity, others arise from the symbolic or metaphoric use of an incident, still others imitate already existing proverbs, and some owe their existence to the condensing of a story or fable. It is convenient to distinguish as "learned" proverbs those with a long literary history. This literary history may begin in some apt Biblical or classical phrase, or it may go back to a more recent source. Such "learned" proverbs differ, however, in only this regard from other proverbs. Whatever the later history may be, the manner of ultimate invention of all proverbs, "learned" or "popular," falls under one or another of the preceding heads.
It is not proper to make any distinction in the treatment of "learned" and "popular" proverbs. The same problems exist for all proverbs with the obvious limitation that, in certain cases, historical studies are greatly restricted by the accidents of preservation. We can ordinarily trace the "learned" proverb down a long line of literary tradition, from the classics or the Bible through the Middle Ages to the present, while we may not be so fortunate with every "popular" proverb. For example, Know thyself may very well have been a proverb long before it was attributed to any of the seven wise men or was inscribed on the walls of the temple of Delphic Apollo. Juvenal was nearer the truth when he said it came from Heaven: "E caelo descendit " (Sat., xi, 27). Yet so far as modern life is concerned, the phrase owes its vitality to centuries of bookish tradition. St. Jerome termed Don't look a gift horse in the mouth a common proverb, when he used it to refer to certain writings which he had regarded as free will offerings and which critics had found fault with: "Noli (ut vulgare est proverbium) equi dentes inspicere donati." We cannot hope to discover whether the modern proverb owes its vitality to St. Jerome or to the vernacular tradition on which he was drawing. St. Jerome also took The wearer best knows where the shoe wrings him from Plutarch, but we may conjecture that this proverb, too, was first current on the lips of the folk. Obviously the distinction between "learned" and "popular" is meaningless and is concerned merely with the accidents of history.
PROVERBIAL APOTHEGMS
Often some simple apothegm is repeated so many times that it gains proverbial currency: Live and learn; Mistakes will happen; Them as has gets; Enough is enough; No fool like an old fool; Haste makes waste; Business is business; What's done's done. Characteristic of such proverbs is the absence of metaphor. They consist merely of a bald assertion which is recognized as proverbial only because we have heard it often and because it can be applied to many different situations. It is ordinarily difficult, if not impossible, to determine the age of such proverbial truisms. The simple truths of life have been noted in every age, and it must not surprise us that one such truth has a long recorded history while another has none. It is only chance, for example, that There is a time for everything has a long history in English,--Shakespeare used it in the Comedy of Errors, ii, 2: "There's a time for all things,"--and it is even in the Bible: "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven" (Omnia tempus habent, et suis spatiis transeunt universa sub caelo, Eccles. iii, I), while Mistakes will happen or If you want a thing well done, do it yourself have, on the contrary, no history at all.
The full text of this article is published in De Proverbio - Issue 3:1996 & Issue 4:1996, an electronic book, available from amazon.com and other leading Internet booksellers.
PROVERBIAL TYPES
New proverbs have often been made on old models. Certain frames lend themselves readily to the insertion of entirely new ideas. Thus the contrast in Young . . ., old . . . in such a proverb as Young saint, old devil yields a model for Junge Bettschwester, alte Betschwester. A methodical comparison would probably reveal the proverb which gave the original impulse to the formation of the others; but no one has ever undertaken a study of this sort. Martha Lenschau conceives the development as follows: Young angel, old devil (Jung Engel, alt Teufel, thirteenth century); Young soldiers, old beggars (Junge Soldaten, alte Bettler, seventeenth century). The first form made no distinction for sex. When the substitution of "knight" or "soldier" made the distinction, a by-form for women was invented on the same model: Junge Hure, alt Kupplerin appears to have been the first of such by-forms, although Jung Hure, alt Wettermacherin must also be ancient, since the notion involved in "Wettermacherin" reaches far back. The most recent development is probably the Low German Young gamblers, old beggars (Junge Späler, ole Bedler), and the corruption Young musicians, old beggars (Junge Musikanten, alde Beddellüde), which arises from the misunderstanding of "Späler," 'players' (i. e. gamblers), as 'players of music' and the later substitution of a synonym.
It is not always easy to recognize or identify the earliest form which provided the model for later developments; and until several proverbs have been minutely examined from this point of view and our methods of study have been improved, it is hard to say which arguments are safe to use and which are unsafe. In all probability, we may trust to the general principles which have been worked out for märchen, i. e. those employed in the so-called Finnish or historico-geographical method. The relative age and distribution of the various forms of a proverb will throw much light on the development. In the present instance, for example, we might regard the old and widely known Jung gewohnt, alt getan ('What one is accustomed to in youth, one does in old age') as a possible model, even of the whole group. Certainly it has given us Jung gefreut, alt gereut (' Rejoiced in youth, repented in age') and as a secondary development: Jung gefreit, alt gereut ('Married in youth, repented in age'). Since, however, Young saint, old devil is even older and more widely known, I am inclined to consider it the parent of all later forms. Often other arguments than age and wide currency may be brought into court. Usually, a dialectal variation which is essential to a particular form and which limits it to a narrow area is secondary in origin, e. g. Jung gefreit, alt geklait ('Wed in youth, bewailed in old age') can have arisen only in a region where 'geklagt' is pronounced "geklait." So, too, Jung gefreit, alt gereut originated in a region--somewhat larger, to be sure, than the one just mentioned--where the dialectal pronounciation of "gereut" made the rhyme tolerable.
A few more illustrations of the creation of new proverbs on the model of old ones will suffice. A familiar German proverbial type employs the notion that the essential qualities of an object show themselves the very beginning, e. g. Was ein Häkchen werden soll, krümmt sich beizeiten (' Whatever is to be a hook, bends early'). English representatives of this type are rare, but we may cite Timely crooks that tree that will be a cammock (i. e. 'gambrel,' a bent piece of wood used by butchers to hang carcasses on) and It pricketh betimes that shall be a sharp thorn. A German derivative of the type is Was ein Nessel werden soll, brennt beizeiten ('Whatever is to be a nettle, burns early'). This proverb has found rather wide currency. Although the evidence is not all in, the type or at least its ready employment in new proverbs is German. The form characteristic of Es sind nicht alle Jäger die das Horn blasen ('They are not all hunters who blow horns'), a form which appears to have been first recorded by Varro ('Non omnes, qui habent citharam, sunt citharoedi'), enjoyed a remarkable popularity in mediaeval Germany and gave rise to many new proverbs, e. g. They are not all cooks who carry long knives (Es sind nicht alle Köche, die lange Messer tragen); They are not all friends who laugh with you (Zijn niet alle vrienden, die hem toelachen). Outside of Germany and countries allied culturally, the form appears to have had no notable success, except in All is not gold that glitters, which refers to a thing and not a person. Seiler thinks that" Many are called, but few are chosen" (Multi enim sunt vocati, pauci vero electi, Matt. xx, 16; xxii, 14) was the ultimate model for these proverbs, but the similarity is one of thought and not of form. Possibly one could imagine a class based on simple balance and contrast, of which the young-old type and the called-chosen type might both be derivatives, but the fundamental differences in syntactical structure speak strongly against a development of this sort. Young saint, old devil is an old proverbial form which has no verb; Many are called, but few are chosen consists of balanced, antithetical sentences; All is not gold that glitters uses a subordinate clause. The syntactical differences are so great that an influence from one of these types on another does not seem likely.
The full text of this article is published in De Proverbio - Issue 3:1996 & Issue 4:1996, an electronic book, available from amazon.com and other leading Internet booksellers.
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