Proverbium - Yearbook

ANIMAL PREDATORS AS A CHARACTERISING ELEMENT IN SHORT FOLKLORE FORMS

Saša Babič — 2024-07-21

Language reflects how we perceive our surroundings. Not only does it enable us to describe them but we also use linguistic expressions to express our ideas metaphorically. In view of this, language stores our observations and stereotypes and carries them as a culture that humans continually create and think about (Pitkin 1972; Bartminski 2005; Tolstaya 2015) in different linguistic forms that are passed down from one generation to the next. Using an ethnolinguistic approach and the help of semiotics, we can take a closer look at the deeper structures and meanings of short folklore forms and, moreover, social stereotypes. This article focuses on wild animals in proverbs, riddles and swear words, and their role in characterisation in short folklore forms.

CROSS-GENRE ANALYSIS OF PAREMIOLOGICAL PROLONGATIONS IN SLOVENIAN ACCORDING TO PERMJAKOV’S DISTINCTION BETWEEN EXTENSION AND ADDITION

Matej Meterc — 2024-07-21

The distinction between extension (Russian: razvjortyvanie) - a type of prolongation in which the meaning of the expression is preserved - and addition (Russian: dopolnenie), in which the meaning of the expression necessarily changes, was briefly but clearly presented by Permjakov. We are convinced that the consideration of the difference between extension and addition is very useful for phraseological and paremiological theory, as it is inextricably linked to the question of whether prolongation is a variant of an expression (in the case of extension) or a new expression (addition). We present paremias and humorous phrasemes created by addition or extension and highlight the genre differences between them. We also show how the difference between extension and addition can be recognized from the examples of use and explanations of meaning listed in the Slovenian paremiological dictionary. Data on the degree of familiarity of paremia among Slovenian speakers is given on the basis of a survey which was conducted in order to determine the Slovenian paremiological minimum.

“ANIMALS ARE KILLED BY THEIR SPOOR AND MEN BY THEIR WORDS”

Mawonthing Ng — 2024-07-21

This paper analyses Phalee proverbs that refer to acts of speaking and holding the tongue in a community rhetorical context. Phalee/ Phadang, spoken in the Ukhrul district of Manipur, falls under the Tangkhul Naga language sub-group of the Tibeto-Burman family but is mutually incomprehensible with it. Tangkhul is the lingua franca among the villages that make up the Tangkhul Naga identity despite every village’s quotidian language use, rituals, and laws being unique to the village identity. This is a complex phenomenon, and the proverbs that arise out of the Tangkhul-Phalee composite provide interesting perspectives on identity formation regarding language, custom, and art. The collected corpus of proverbs we studied shows that while speech is considered clearly a necessity in terms of self-expression, community policy determination, and social interaction, most proverbs on speaking nevertheless emphasise the power of spoken words and ultimately counsel minimal and extremely careful speech. Silence seems to be often and poignantly granted greater value in communal life. This paper explores how these accumulated insights into speech reflect cultural attitudes in Phalee society and offer insights into the distinctive forms of social governance as mediated through the rhetorical strategies of proverb context and usage that characterise the village identity.

AN INTERCULTURAL COMPARATIVE STUDY ON PERSIAN AND AMERICAN EMBODIMENT PROVERBS INCLUDING DOUBLE SENSORY ORGANS

Arezoo Sharifrad — 2024-07-21

This paper explores Persian and American embodiment proverbs including at least two main sensory body organs in each proverb. The aim of this research was to examine the frequency, framing, speech act functions, and figurative parts of proverbs related to embodiment proverbs including at least two sensory body organs. Data were collected from the Persian and the American Dictionary of Proverbs. The data analysis showed that the framing of American proverbs is more gain-framing than loss-framing or avoidance-framing, but the framing of Persian proverbs is more avoidance-framing than gain-framing or loss-framing. The speech act functions of Persian and American proverbs are indirect advice and statements. The results showed that the figurative parts of both Persian and American embodiment proverbs include more metaphors than metonymy. Finally, the frequency of American proverbs which included at least two sensory body organs, was higher than Persian proverbs. The results showed that the human body parts ‘hand’ and ‘eye’ as the sensory organs can be considered the most important and most salient body parts used more than other sensory body organs in Persian or American proverbs.

OPPOSITENESS IN PROVERBS

Cristina Tejedor-Martinez — 2024-07-21

The aim of the study is to emphasize the importance of antonymy in proverbs through the analysis of opposite relationships of words within English proverbs and comparing them with their equivalents in Spanish and Romanian. Based on a semantic perspective, a classification of opposites has been established and the English proverbs selected from the corpus categorized accordingly. Subsequently, the English proverbs containing opposites have been contrasted with their Spanish and Romanian equivalent proverbs. The objective is to analyse the equality, near-equality, or equivalence of oppositeness found in the proverbs extracted from the corpus in all three languages. The study examines if the Spanish and Romanian equivalents of the English head proverbs also contain pairs of opposite words and if they can be classified in the same group of opposites. Thus, the similarity or equality of oppositeness in the proverbs across the three languages is analysed and contrasted. The quantitative results of the study are presented in this paper, along with reflections that have emerged from the research.

PROVERBS IN COMPARISON AND CONTACT

Georgios Tserpes — 2024-07-21

Comparison is an inherent process in folkloristics. The inclusion of paremiology in folklore studies and the concept of proverb being a folklore genre allows the comparison of proverbs too, which are most suitable for a study of this kind. However, what needs to be defined is what comparison consists of and how it differs from other approaches like those of contrast and typology. In this paper we will try to highlight this concept and see how it is related to variation, a key feature to folklore, using examples from the proverbial discourse of the Balkan peoples. The methodology employed in this study revolves around establishing specific criteria for determining comparability among proverbs, while the examples mentioned are taking into account both the etic and the emic view regarding the interpretation of the proverbial material. The examples selected illustrate proverbs that are either directly comparable or perceived as equivalents by the folk themselves, evident in their integration into daily discourse.

DEFINITION MATTERS

Damien Villers — 2024-07-21

This article serves two main functions: it warns about the complexity and risks surrounding proverb definition and also offers solutions to increase insight and avoid pitfalls. The first part analyses the reasons for the absence of clear consensus among scholars and includes a summary of the main trends or views in specialised literature, as well as a “scale of consensus” for definition criteria. The second part advocates for an optimistic approach and a strict methodology to define proverbs, including several principles to boost legitimacy and bypass common obstacles. The final part showcases, through concrete examples, how terminology and proverb definition can influence or distort results in several fields of paremiology.

“A FIRE DON’T BURN UNLESS IT’S STARTED”

Derek Williams — 2024-07-21

This article explores the use of proverbial language in songs by the late rhythm and blues and rock music artist, Prince. This article uses a selective array of the songs in which Prince used proverbs, proverbial sayings, and proverbial expressions during the time frame that spans from his first release, For You (1978), through his last release before his death in April 2016, HITNRUN Phase Two (2016). Using Sw. Anand Prahlad’s grammatical and situational categories of meaning as primary tools for the discussion, the author interprets the meaning of Prince’s proverbial language in the larger context of three “masks” or personae that the artist adopted during his long career (The International Lover, Goldnigga, and The Purple Yoda). Finally, the article compares Prince’s proverbial output in song to those of known proverb users in literature.

Jesenšek, Vida. Beiträge zur deutschen und slowenischen Phraseologie und Parömiologie

Nikolina Miletić — 2024-07-21

T. Litovkina, Anna. Practice makes perfect. Workbook of English and American proverbs for students

Arezoo Sharifrad — 2024-07-21

Mieder, Wolfgang. International Bibliography of Paremiology and Phraseology (2008-2022)

Peter Unseth — 2024-07-21

Gulnara Omarbekova, and Erik Aasland. Contemporary Kazakh Proverb Research: Digital, Cognitive, Literary and Ecological Approaches

Peter Unseth — 2024-07-21

INTERNATIONAL BIBLIOGRAPHY OF NEW AND REPRINTED PROVERB COLLECTIONS

Wolfgang Mieder — 2024-07-21

INTERNATIONAL PROVERB SCHOLARSHIP: AN UPDATED BIBLIOGRAPHY

Wolfgang Mieder — 2024-07-21

Preface

Melita Aleksa Varga — 2024-07-21