浅谈英语谚语的来源、功能及其修辞(2)

Proverbs tell much about a people's traditional ways of experiencing reality, about the proper or expected ways of doing things, about values and warnings, and rules and wisdoms the elders want to impress on the minds of their young. The important character of proverbs ‘the shorter the better’ makes it easy to commit them to memory for ready recall when the occasion calls for serious or humorous comment or warning. Created by people in high and low status, humble folk and great authors, borrowed from ancient or neighboring cultures, proverbs have been accumulating over many centuries. Some are only locally known; many are shared around the world. If one wants to have better knowledge of English culture， he should be familiar with the sources and functions of English proverbs.

2. The sources of English proverbs
2.1 Originating from folk life
Proverbs are the summary of people experience in their everyday life. The summarized experience and reason are abstracted from the practice of people’s life and work. They express people’s simple and healthy thoughts, feelings and sentiments. More often than not, it reveals a universal truth from a particular point so as to enlighten people.
A great number of proverbs were created by working people such as seamen, hunters, farmers, workmen, housewives and cooks and so on, using familiar terms that were associated with their own trades and occupations. For example, Living without the aim is like sailing without a compass was first used by seamen; If you run after two hares, you will catch neither by hunters; April rains for corn, May, for grass by farmers; New broom sweeps clean by housewives and Too many cooks spoil the broth by cooks, etc. Such expressions were all colloquial and informal and once confined to a limited group of people engaged in the same trade or activity. But they were proved to be vivid, and forcible and stimulating, so later they broke out of their bounds and gradually gained wide acceptance. As a result, their early stylistic features faded in some way and many have come to become part of the common core of language, now being used in different occasions.
Some proverbs are related to some folk practice and customs. For example, Good wine needs no bush.[1] This proverb is from an ancient popular English practice. In the past, English wine merchants tended to hang some ivy bushes or a picture of ivy bushes on their doors as a symbol of wine selling. But some merchant’s wine was so good that it can’t be ignored without sign.  This in fact shows the past common practice that merchants of different trades would hang different particular things as signs for their goods.
Another example is involved with people’s wedding practice. English people believed that if the weather were fine and sunny on a girl-wedding day, the girl would most probably enjoy a happy marriage life. Otherwise, all sorts of misfortunes and tragedies would befall on her. Because of this custom, English people have got a proverb Happy is the bride that sun shines on.[2] This proverb originated from the common practice in ancient China. In the past, young girls didn’t have the right to decide whom to marry. Their parents had the final decision in their marriage. Usually, the parents would ask a matchmaker for help. The matchmaker went between two families and passed on the messages. Finally, the girl’s parents made the final decision whether the girl would marry the chosen boy or not. This is known as arranged marriage. Such a marriage, more often than not, would lead the couple to an unhappy life. Because they seldom or even never saw each other before, they knew even little about the other party’s behavior or manners, let alone his/her personality or virtues. It was often beyond the couple’s hopes to enjoy a happy marriage.

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