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April 2017 Callenge: Popular sayings, proverbs or maxims.


wiskerke

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New challenge:
Popular sayings, proverbs and maxims.

One to three images that depict or illustrate a proverb. Or is proverbial.
It does not have to be an English proverb.
(Read on below about that.)

Now I don't want to see a tile on the wall with a proverb on it.
- Show don't tell.

But I do look forward to images that depict things like:

My home is my castle.
No man is an island.
Forewarned, forearmed.
If you got it, flaunt it.
Penny wise and pound foolish.
Never too old to learn.
Actions speak louder than words.
Prevention is better than cure. (stich in time; mieux vaut prévenir)

Some real American ones maybe?
Monday morning quarterback.
Herding cats.
Wedlock is padlock.
Life is a box of chocolates. (originally: a bowl of cherries)
Too many square meals make too many round people.
Are

already considered proverbs?
For me they are, but very difficult to illustrate. They may fall into a slightly different category like most famous person-isms: that of the anti-proverb. -More on that below.

Please give the proverb with the image.
And a short explanation or a link to one, when you think others (esp non-native speakers) may not understand it.

If you have at least one real proverb, you are allowed an Anti-proverb or perverb.

Like: A penny saved is a penny taxed
Or: Time flies like the wind; fruit flies like a banana - Groucho Marx
(Actually this sort of perverb has a name -no not Marxism: the garden path proverb.)

a-fence-bisecting-a-grassy-hill-under-a-
Grass is greener.. FDXE26 by Andrew McInnes

One would think that in the western world, most proverbs are readily understood by all. That may be the case when they're from the bible: the writing on the wall; biting the dust; fly in the ointment; Garden of Eden.
https://sites.google.com/site/thebiblesaiditfirst/home
But a lot of proverbs are pretty nationally or culturally defined.
Chinese; Russian; Japanese or African are really different of course. From each other and from the UK and US English.
But a stitch in time saves nine, in French is: mieux vaut prévenir que guérir. And what's the meaning of a parole est l'ombre du fait?
And what are the English equivalents of these Dutch ones:
Hit by the mill. (Gone mad or gaga.)
That does not get any sods to the dike. (That's totally ineffective.)
Eye on the sail. (Keep a watchful eye.)
See what I mean about cultural?
-Sorry could not think of one with tulips, but I do know a couple with cheese. ;-)

800px-Pieter_Brueghel_the_Elder_-_The_Du
Pieter Brueghel the Elder - Netherlandish Proverbs or The Topsy Turvy World - link 1 - link 2

The one with the eye on the sail can be seen in the upper right hand corner of this famous painting with at around 200 Dutch proverbs.
Most of which are not readily understood by the Dutch today at all. So that's the theory out of the window that these sayings are used through the ages.
Still we all know something proverbial when we see it.
Which is also why this is interesting for stock. I don't think clients will go looking for specific proverbs. Not a whole lot anyway. If there's something proverbial about an image, it may get picked up earlier than the others.
Proverbial is not iconic or archetypal per se, because it has more to do with meaning. So it is about concept. Actually, because we are using so many proverbial sayings on a day to day basis, it may be an easy way to get more concept into our images.

Please take part!
師 傅 領 進 門, 修 行 在 個 人
The master/teacher leads you to the door. You will have to enter yourself.

1-3 images each as usual.
This challenge will end on Sunday April 30 at midnight, 24:00 London time.
The winner will start the new topic.

You think you have no images? No ideas? Link 1 - link 2 - link 3 - link 4

Глаза боятся, а руки делают
Wie niet waagt die niet wint.
Nothing ventured nothing gained.
You will never know until you try it.

wim

edit: there are at least 2 ways to post an image here:

1 - the easiest is to open the image in another tab or window and drag the image to the reply box at the bottom of the page. This works for windows and macs. However not all browsers seem to allow it.

2 - go to the image you want to include (preferably in a new tab or window);
- right click on the image and choose copy image location;
(in some browsers choose view image and copy the complete location from the address line of your browser);
- go back to the reply box and click on the image icon that looks like a little polaroid;
- an Image Properties box opens;
- now paste that complete location on the URL line;
- click OK and there it is.
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And what are the English equivalents of these Dutch ones:

Hit by the mill.    Off your trolley

That does not get any sods to the dike.   As useful as a chocolate teapot

Eye on the sail.    Keep your eye on the ball

 

Alan

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