Proverbs

Hello all! Today I will be sharing with you the unexplored aspects of the English language, where roads are few, people are sparse and little have explored. Famous English proverbs will be the subject of today's post. I'm sure you know many of them, such as "Once bitten, twice shy." But do you know their origins? And what I think of some of them? Nope. So join me as I delve into the world of proverbs!

1. Beware of Greeks bearing gifts

I'm sure you know the story of the Greeks and the Trojan Horse. This proverb was captured by Virgil in his book Aeneid, Book 2, 19 BC. As we all know, the Greeks sent a gift of a giant horse to the Trojans. They presented it as a gift, but in fact there were Greek soldiers concealed in the horse. When nightfall came, the Greeks sprang out and massacred the Trojans. The city of Troy was destroyed in the process. The meaning today is to be suspicious of gifts that come from the enemy.

2. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned

This one is definitely a commonplace proverb amongst most married men. This proverb originated from William Congreve, in his poem The Mourning Bride, 1697. I think this is an exaggeration, albeit a funny one. In many countries in the world, the hierachy is patriachal. In other words, the men are the dominant sex. This is true in Eastern countries like China, India and some tribal natives in Western countries like Brazil or America. If a woman were really to unleash the fury of hell on a man, I imagine she'd be severely punished! In fact, society in these countries despised a strong woman. Women were expected to always submit to men, not the other way around! I think this was inaccurately formed.

3. Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me

This must be a common proverb circulating amongst schoolchildren, especially those who endure taunts. The origin is unknown, but the meaning is clear: Verbal assaults will not have any physical, tangible effect on a person. While I think the intent -- to help people ignore taunts and insults -- is noble, the phrase itself is not correct. It has actually been scientifically proven that verbal insults have an impact on a person's long-term health. Children who do not have to endure taunts and jeers grow up with a higher self-esteem and they are more optimistic and motivated in life when they reach adulthood. So words actually can hurt a person, by inhibiting his or her development.

4. To travel hopefully is better than to arrive.

This phrase is a Robert Louis Stevenson quotation, from Virginibus Puerisque, 1881. The idea is the same as the earlier Taoist saying, "The journey is the reward". There are two meanings for this phrase. One is that ignorance is bliss, and this is in fact the official meaning of the proverb. However, I choose to interpret it in another way. The meaning can also be that when you chase after something, the thrill is not in the achievement, but is in the chase. In one of those cheesy police-and-thief high-speed chases, the thrill is always in the chase, not in the police catching the thieves. When you put in effort to improve in a certain field, you'll definitely enjoy the process more than the result.

I have been your guide on just a short segment of the entire tour you can take of the English language. For more information, you can also go to this website: http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/proverbs.html

and have a fun time clicking on the various links, looking at English proverbs you never knew existed!