浅谈英语谚语的来源、功能及其修辞(1)(3)
2015-12-10 01:08
导读：Some proverbs came from ancient people deeply rooted beliefs such as their superstitious tendency and belief. In the past, English people believed that if a person spoiled salt from the salt bottle, m
Some proverbs came from ancient people deeply rooted beliefs such as their superstitious tendency and belief. In the past, English people believed that if a person spoiled salt from the salt bottle, misfortune and bad luck would follow. Then this person must scatter the spoiled salt from their left shoulders so as to drive off their ill luck. In turn, English people have got the proverb Help me to salt and you help me to sorrow. [3] Some proverbs come from people’s distinction between sexes such as their discrimination against women. It comes from a deeply rooted traditional viewpoint. Such as Three women and a goose make a market; Long hair and short wit; The more women look in their glass，the less they look to their house.
2.2 Originating from religion
Bible is essential for British and American cultures. It is said that their cultures are not integrated without Bible. It is safe to say that Bible influences every aspect of its disciples’ life. Consequently, many sayings and sentences in Bible have been popularly accepted. They have been deeply rooted among people and people frequently use them to cite a truth or express their ideas without paying any attention to their origins any more. These sayings are no longer only confined to religion and they have become proverbs which reflect English people religious faith such as Every man must carry his own cross This proverb is from Bible, Matthew, on the grounds of Matthew, the main idea is like this: “As the soldiers went out, they came upon a man from Cyrene named Simon; they compelled this man to carry Jesus’ cross. And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of a skull), they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall; but when he tasted it, he would not drink it. And when they had crucified him, they divided his clothes among themselves by casting lots; then they sat down there and kept watching over him. Over his head they put the charge against, which read, “This is Jesus, the king of the Jews.””[4] From this, we can know that cross means sufferings. The proverb tends to tell us that everyone should put up with misery in daily life and undertake the life’s burden.
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Another proverb is also from the Bible: One doesn’t live only by bread. It is from the Bible, Deuteronomy， the general idea is: “ Remember the long way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, in order to humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commandments. He humbled you by letting you hunger, then by feeding you with Manna, with which neither you nor your ancestors were acquainted, in order to make you understand that one does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.”[5] From this, we can know that material is not the only thing that is indispensable to men. Spirit is also very important. Is one is only searched for material, he will be considered as animals, for the most distinctive characteristic between men and animals is that men have pursuit of spirit but animals haven’t. Many images in these proverbs have didactic meanings.
