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浅谈英语谚语的来源、功能及其修辞

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  浅谈英语谚语的来源、功能及其修辞[Abstract]Proverbs,incolorfulandvividlanguage,reflectimportanttypicalculturalvaluesofeveryculture.Simpleandpopular,conciseandpithy,theyarepassedonfromgengerationtogenerationinthereadableoralformandhavegraduallybeeaponentindispensabletothedominantcultureofthatnation.Thispapercontainsthreeparts:thesourcesofEnglishproverbs、thefunctionsofEnglishproverbsandtherhetoricaldevicesofEnglishproverbs.Firstly,itintroducesthesourcesofEnglishproverbs.Proverbshavealonghistory.Theyarebriefandbeddedinphilosophicalideasconcerningdifferentaspectsoflife.Theyarethesummaryofpeopleexperienceineverydaylife,sotheyoriginatedfrompeople’sdailylifeandexperience.Tobespecific,theyefromfolklife,religion,mythology,literaryous,anation’shistoryandsoon. Secondly,itmentionsthefunctionofEnglishproverbs.Itsfunctionistoteachandadvisepeopleeotherproverbstellpeoplethem,peoplemaybroadentheirknooftheEnglishproverbs,therearemanydifferentreasons.Themostimportantoneistheextensiveuseofrhetoricaldevicesandrhythmaticalageandvividnessandhasastrongartisticbeautyandpoofakesthemeasytoremember.Becausetheproverbsaresobrief,theyhaveuniversalappeal.Manypeoplelovetopickupproverbs.Theuseofoneortinorvictoryforthebeginningforeignlanguagelearners.Proverbsmayprovideinterestinglittleglimpsesorcluestoapeople’sgeography,history,socialorganization,socialvieoftheelders.Andinsocietiesen’sstatusisloberofsayingsdemeaningthem.Proverbstellmuchaboutapeople"straditionalstheelderspressonthemindsoftheiryoung.Theimportantcharacterofproverbs‘theshorterthebetter’makesiteasytomitthemtomemoryfor readyrecallorousmentorblefolkandgreatauthors,borroancientorneighboringcultures,proverbshavebeenaccumulatingovermanycenturies.SomeareonlylocallyknoanyaresharedaroundtheiliarfolklifeProverbsarethesummaryofpeopleexperienceintheireverydaylife.Thesummarizedexperienceandreasonareabstractedfromthepracticeofpeople’slifeandpleandhealthythoughts,feelingsandsentiments.Moreoftenthannot,itrevealsauniversaltruthfromaparticularpointsoastoenlightenpeople.Agreatnumberofproverbsen,hunters,farmers,en,houseiliartermsthatple,Livingislikesailingen;Ifyourunafterters;Nesanycooksspoilthebrothbycooks,etc.Suchexpressionsalandonceconfinedtoalimitedgroupofpeopleengagedinthesametradeoractivity.Buttheyulating,solatertheybrokeoutoftheirboundsandgraduallygainedeanyhaveetobeepartofthemoncoreoflanguage,noeproverbsarerelatedtosomefolkpracticeandcustoms.Forexample,Goodanancient popularEnglishpractice.Inthepast,Englisherchantstendedtohangsomeivybushesorapictureofivybushesontheirdoorsasasymbolofemerchant’sonpracticethatmerchantsofdifferenttradespleisinvolvedostprobablyenjoyahappymarriagelife.Otherisfortunesandtragedies,EnglishpeoplehavegotaproverbHappyisthebridethatsunshineson.[2]ThisproverboriginatedfromthemonpracticeinancientChina.Inthepast,younggirlsdidn’thavetherighttodecidetomarry.Theirparentshadthefinaldecisionintheirmarriage.Usually,theparentsatchmakerforhelp.Thematchmakeriliesandpassedonthemessages.Finally,thegirl’sparentsmadethefinaldecisionarrythechosenboyornot.Thisisknoarriage.Suchamarriage,moreoftenthannot,orevenneversaanners,letalonehis/herpersonalityorvirtues.Itarriage.Someproverbscamefromancientpeopledeeplyrootedbeliefssuchastheirsuperstitioustendencyandbelief.Inthepast,Englishpeoplebelieved thatifapersonspoiledsaltfromthesaltbottle,misfortuneandbadluckustscatterthespoiledsaltfromtheirleftshoulderssoastodriveofftheirillluck.Inturn,EnglishpeoplehavegottheproverbHelpmetosaltandyouhelpmetosorroeproverbsefrompeople’sdistinctionbetinationagainsten.Itesfromadeeplyrootedtraditionalvieenandagoosemakeamarket;Longhairandshortoreenlookintheirglass,thelesstheylooktotheirhouse.2.2OriginatingfromreligionBibleisessentialforBritishandAmericancultures.ItissaidthattheirculturesarenotintegratedanysayingsandsentencesinBiblehavebeenpopularlyaccepted.Theyhavebeendeeplyrootedamongpeopleandpeoplefrequentlyusethemtociteatruthorexpresstheirideasore.ThesesayingsarenolongeronlyconfinedtoreligionandtheyhavebeeproverbsanmustcarryhisoBible,Mattheainideaislikethis:“AsthesoldierseuponamanfromCyrenenamedSimon;theypelledthismantocarryJesus’cross.Andetoaplace calledGolgotha(eansPlaceofaskull),theyofferedJesusixed,theydividedhisclothesamongthemselvesbycastinglots;thentheysatdo.Overhisheadtheyputthechargeagainst,this,eanssufferings.Theproverbtendstotellusthateveryoneshouldputupiseryindailylifeandundertakethelife’sburden.AnotherproverbisalsofromtheBible:Onedoesn’tliveonlybybread.ItisfromtheBible,Deuteronomy,thegeneralideais:“Rememberthelongbleyou,testingyoutoknoandments.Hehumbledyoubylettingyouhunger,thenbyfeedingyouakeyouunderstandthatonedoesnotlivebybreadalone,butbyeverythemouthoftheLord.”[5]Fromthis,aterialisnottheonlythingthatisindispensabletomen.Spiritisalsoveryimportant.Isoneisonlysearchedformaterial,heals,forthemostdistinctivecharacteristicbetenandanimalsisthatmenhavepursuitofspiritbutanimalshaven’t.Manyimagesintheseproverbshavedidacticmeanings. EnglishpeoplebelieveinChristianity,ostinfluentialreligioninthean’slifeistouchedbythisreligion,sothatithasbeepartofentandtheNeent,isregardedasthescriptures.AlmosteveryfamilyhasaversionofBible,soithasetobeoneofthemajorsourcesofEnglishculture.ManyEnglishproverbsshople,Letnotthylefthandknoanbeingsarebrothersandsisters,andtheyshouldhelpeachother.Soemorythatyouhavehelpedthem.Anotherexample,Iftheblindleadtheblind,bothshallfallintotheditch.[7]Itimpliesthatifonehaslittleknototeachotherssomeusefulthings.Evenifhetriedtohelpothers,he.2.3OriginatingfromliteraryShakespeare.Shakespeare’sinsightintohumanbeings,hissensitivitytotheproblemofstate,andhisgeniusarkontheEnglishlanguageandthethinkingofEnglish-speakingpeopleallovertheanyEnglishproverbsfromhisplaysarecitedmonlyindailyEnglish.Shakespeare’sostcolorfulliteratureoriginof proverbs.Forexample,Allisnotgoldthatglitters.Thisproverbisfromthegreatple,Patienceperforceismedicineforamaddog[8]isfromShakespeare’sperlikesamaddog.ManyEnglishproverbsarealsofromTheFablesofAesop.Theseproverbsareveryconciseandhumorous,andtheyreflecttheessenceandthetruemeaningoflife.Itisveryeasyforpeopletounderstandthemandtoputthemintopractice.Manyofthemarepasseddople,Thecamelgoingtoseekhorns,losthisears.[9]Thegeneralideaoftheallusionis:acoel.Thecamel.ZeuseladeadecisionthatheletthecamelhavehornsbuttheFablesofAesop.“Thegrapesaresour”,asthefoxsaid.[10]Theallusion,efrom,isgenerallylikethis:oneday,ahungryfoxsaself,“Thegrapesaresour”,thefoxsaideoneethingwithallhiseffortbutfailstogetitwilllowerthevalueofthisthing.Therearealsootherproverbs,suchas:Abarleycornisbetterthanadiamondtoacock.[11] Theallusion’smainideais:ond.Thecocksaidtothediamond:“Tosomeoneiresyou,youareapreciousthing;buttome,youhavenovalueatall,forallvaluablethingcannotmatchonsense,adiamondisfarmorevaluablethanabarley-corn.Buttoahungryman,especiallytosomeoneach.Sothisproverbtendstoimplythatdifferentpeoplehavedifferentvieething.Thesubmittingtooneefrom,isgenerallylikethis:asnakethatifhebitsomeonepledonhim,thenextoneplehim.Itshoistakehemadeatthefirsttime,heakeanothersimilarmistake.Sotheaboveallusionsoastoavoidmakingthesamemistakes.2.4OriginatingfromGreekandRomanmythology“anyideasnoan.GreekandRomanmythologiesareonsourceofEnglishproverbs.”[13]SomeproverbsarefromGreekandRomanmythology.Eachofthemhasanallusion.Forexample,TheDeviltoohasAchilles’heel.[14]AccordingtotheHomer,anisabsolutelypoilarexamplefromRomanmythology.NotevenHerculescouldcontendagainsttanmythology.Hehadincredibleforce,gaintents. Althoughheberofenemiesonhisoan’senergyislimitednomatterhople,angoddessofgrainandagriculture;BacchusistheGreetgodofthis,aterialsupport.2.5Originatingfromotherlanguagesentofsociety,alanguagecannotavoidcontactingeproverbsfromothers.anyotherlanguagesincludingGreek,Latin,German,Italian,Spanish,Dutch,Hebreongotenessoftime,havealreadyassimilatedormergedintotheEnglishlanguageostimpossibletofollow.ManyEnglishproverbsoriginatedfromFrench.[17]anyEnglishproverbscamefromLatin.[18]BecauseoftheintroductionofChristianityintoBritain,theinfluenceoftheNormanConquestandtheRenaissanceonEnglish,LatinadetheirongtheseLatinanyproverbs,famousFamousostproverbs,regardlessoftheirinitial,havebeenpolishedandpreservedandpopularizedby famousousaxims.ManysentencesinBacon’songpeople.Forexample,Readingmakesafullmantellspeoplethatonlybyreadingcanapersonbeelearnedandprofound.AnotherproverbKnophasizestheimportanceofknooreandlearnmore.PopeisanothercelebratedfigureinEnglishliterature.Heemphasizeseducationandknouch.Somesentencesfromhisongpeople.TakeAlittlelearningisadangerousthingforexample.ThisdidacticproverbisasentenceinPopeAnEssayonCriticismanditreflectshisideasaboutknoinFranklinisafamousAmericanstatesman,scientistandhisple,Littlestrokefellgreatoaks.[19]Ittellsusthatonenevergivinguppursuingknoindedcanbehighlyintellectual.Anotherexample,Godhelpthemthathelpthemselves.[20]Ittendstotellusthatsolongasonevaluesself-relianceandindependence,hecancreateopportunities,seekpetitionandbereadyfortherisks.3.ThefunctionofEnglishproverbsThefunctionsofEnglishproverbsarethattheyexpresssomerulesofconductandquiteoften conveysomeadviceorcounsel.InotherostEnglishproverbspossessphilosophicdepthorinstructivefunction.ForthousandsofyearstheyhavebeeninstructingandinspiringEnglishpeople,sotheyhavebeenregardedastheguidelineofpeople’sthoughtsanddeeds,eansEnglishpeoplearethinkingordoingthingsbyfolloportantsourcesofinspirationjustbecausetheycontaintruth,,counsel,ruleofconduct,etc.Folloentionteproverbsareintendedtopersuadeandteachpeople.Topersuadeistopraisejustice,tofightagainstthebully.Toteachistoguidepeopletoadoptacorrectattitudetople,Betterdiee;Don’thavecloaktomakeandresoluteandtheycanstrengthenpeopleconvictionandaethods.Theyareveryhelpfulforpeopletomakedistinctionbetanypeopletaketheseproverbsastheirlifemotto.Someotherproverbsrevealandcriticizethedarksideoftheagesorsociety.Theyattackthedirtypracticesofthesocietysoastoremindpeopletokeepconsciousandmaintainsharpple,Thefoxchangeshisskin,butnothishabit;Aleopard cannotchangeitsspots.Peopletendtorecitesuchproverbsindingotherstokeepalert.3.2Thefunctiontospreadexperiencesandknomarizeknoakessalt.Aspeople’sdailylifeisplicatedandextremelytrifling,suchproverbsarenumerous.Theysummarizepeople’sknothem,peoplemaybroadentheirknoakingmistakes.Someproverbsofthistypeareconcernederproverbsandmeteorologicalproverbs.Peasantsofdifferentages,intheiroveryears’ingexperienceandproductiverules.Fromgenerationtogeneration,theysumuptheirexperienceandthefarmingrulesintosomevivid,conciseandlivelysentences.Thesesentencesarefarmerproverbsandtheyarepracticedandtestifiedyearafteryearandtheyhavebeenprovedtrueandaccurate.Theyreflectthepeasants’farmingexperienceandagriculturalla.Farmerproverbsareapreciousandvaluablepartofagriculturaldata.Peasantsofdifferentageshavesomeofthemasguideintheirfarming.Andmeteorologicalproverbs,marizethefundamentalmeteorologicalknople,Aprilshoakesafullbarn andafindy;DryAugustanddoesharvestnoharm;Afairdayinotherofastorm;Amistymorningmayhaveafineday;Cloudymorningsturntoclearevenings.4.TherhetoricaldevicesofEnglishproverbsIfakefulluseofthem.Englishproverbsarealakethemeasytomemorizeandpleasanttoears.Folloind.(2)Foolslearnnothingfromen,butenlearnmuchfromfools.(3)Oneboyisaboy,tanthinksallthathesays;afoolsaysallthathethinks.Fromtheaboveexamples,eaynoticethatthemainpointofthesentencebeesclear.Itcanalsobeusedtoexpressstrongemotionandgiveusanaestheticfeelingandasenseoflogicalprogressionofideas.[21]4.2Phonology4.2.1Alliteration(5)Heakesconstantplaintsgetslittlepassion.(6)Afairfacemayhideafoulheart. (7)Thefairestfloeandtidean.Fromtheaboveexamples,.Becauseofrhythm,alliterationisagreathelptomemory.Itcancatchtheattentionofthereadersandmaketheideaimpresseddeeplyonthereaders,sotheproverbsareeasiertoremember.4.2.2Consonance(9)Inyouththehoursaregolden,andinmatureyearstheyaresilvern,andinoldagetheyareleaden.(10)Hopeforthebest,prepareforthetheabove-mentioned,consonancemakestheproverbsmorerhythmicandmoreappealing.Itisalsogoodforsoundrhyme,musicaleffectandsignificantemphasis.4.2.3Assonance(12)archesinlikealionandgoesoutlikealamb.(16)Truefriendshipislikesoundhealth,thevalueofknobisasdearasdearastoapoormanasanoxtotherich.Astheaboveexamples,simileexplainsabstract, plicatedideasinsimpleandconcreteaster.(19)Knoan’sbread.Astheaboveexamples,animpliedparisonbeton.4.3.3Metonymy(21)Alightheartliveslong.(22)Asoftansouthcatchesnoflies.Astheaboveexamples,unlikesimile,theparisoninmetaphorisimplied.Itrequiresgreaterabilityonthepartofthereadertomakeoutthehiddenassociationorinsight,sometaphorisgenerallymoreplicatedandmoreinvolvedthansimile.Theaboveproverbsenrichandstrengthenthereader’sexistingassociationandbringingaboutgreaterrhetoricaleffectiveness.[22]4.4Personification4.4.1Inanimateobjectspersonalizing(25)oneymakesthemarego.(27)Thepotcallsthekettleblack.4.4.2Animalspersonalizing(28)Thefoxkneuch,that’shoakeanillagreement. 4.4.3Plantspersonalizing(32)Agreattreeattractstheakeaspring.4.4.4Abstractideaspersonalizing(34)Truthconquersallthings.(35)Opportunityseldomknockstakestheproverbsmorevividandmoreattractive.Itcanimpressthereadersdeeply.4.5Parallel(37)Inforapenny,inforapound.(38)Inyouththehoursaregolden,andinmatureyearstheyaresilvern,andinoldagetheyareleaden.(39)Theleastsaid,thesoonestmended.Astheabove,parallelstructurecancreateagoodvisualimageandhelpreadersmovequicklyfromoneideatothenext.Parallelismgivesemphasis,charityandcoherenceofideas,anditalsogivestherhythmoftheproverbs.Ithelpsthereaderstocatchtheideaofthespeakersorindsthinkalike.Heretheind”arebothrepresent“aperson”.4.7Hyperbole(42)Athousandyearscannotrepairamoment"s lossofhonor.(43)Theanonlyusedasignofgreatemotionasshoples.Thereisnointenttodeceivethereader,instead,inthespeaker’smindheistrulydescribinghisintensefeelingatthetime.4.8Pun(45)Measureyourselfbyyouroeanings:onemeanshuman’heel,theotherisdimensionalunit.Sotheaboveproverbhasteanings,egroeanings:oneisthenameofkingoffloeansregret.Thee”andthee”havethesamepronunciations.Thesetakeapun.5.ConclusionProverbsaretheouteoflanguage.Theyefrompeopleandareusedbypeople.“Proverbs,asaprominentscholaroncesaid“themirrorofanation”and“thelivingfossilofalanguage”,doplayanimportantroleindifferentlanguagesandcultures.IntheostallEnglishspeakersarefamiliarup,themajorsourcesofEnglishproverbsaretheexperienceofthemonpeople,literaryythology,translatedloans,andhistory. 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