TRADITIONAL AND MODERN TIGRINYA PROVERBS
DETAILS
Author:
Dr. Kebreab Weldeghiorghis and Dr. Ermias Kebreab
Publisher: Ermipublishing
City: Guelph, ON
Document Type: Artifact ጥበብ
Category: Educational ትáˆáˆ…áˆá‰³á‹Š, Historical ታሪኻዊ, Linguistic ናዠቛንቛ, Modern ዘመናዊ, Traditional ባህለዊ
Date: 2005
Pagination: 213
Illustrations: The cover photo is taken from an issue of the National Geographic magazine.
Extras:
[view fulltext]
Notes:
What is a proverb? The Oxford English Dictionary defines a proverb as "a short pithy saying in common and recognized use; a concise sentence, often metaphorical or alliterative in form, which is held to express some truth ascertained by experience or observation and familiar to all; an adage, a wise saw." In the Tigrinya language, the timely citation of a proverb in conversation lends authority to the speaker. For example, one person trying to talk his or her friend out of a break up with a partner might say: "Don't give and then take; don't love and then hate [ሂብካ ኣá‹á‰µáŠáˆ‹áŠ¥á£ áˆá‰²áŠ« ኣá‹á‰µáŒ½áˆ‹áŠ¥]." Or someone trying to convince someone not to lie might say: "A liar sweats twice as much as an honest person [ሓሳዊ áŠáˆá‰° ጊá‹á‹¨ á‹áˆáˆ”ጽ]." Many proverbs originated as a moral of a folktale or song. For example, the famous proverb "Don't go into business without thinking [ዘá‹áˆ“ስብ ኣá‹áŠáŒá‹µ]" is the moral of a folktale about a foolish man who sells his farm to go into business, and ends up losing everything. One can imagine that each proverb has a story behind it. Or can think of a proverb as a gem, a crystallized piece of human wisdom, purified and polished over the generations. Some proverbs do not translate very well into our modern experience; they seem to be written for an older, feudal, sexist society. But some proverbs seem just as relevant as ever. Another issue with proverbs comes up in translation. The appeal of Tigrinya proverbs often comes from the way they rhyme two contrasting images. They often remind one of the rhyming couplets which Shakespeare used to end a scene. The rhyme and rhythm of a Tigrinya proverb, however, can easily be lost in translation.
Comments: None [add]
Artifact record edited by Lwam Ghebrehariat at 2006-06-28 11:11:32
Publisher: Ermipublishing
City: Guelph, ON
Document Type: Artifact ጥበብ
Category: Educational ትáˆáˆ…áˆá‰³á‹Š, Historical ታሪኻዊ, Linguistic ናዠቛንቛ, Modern ዘመናዊ, Traditional ባህለዊ
Date: 2005
Pagination: 213
Illustrations: The cover photo is taken from an issue of the National Geographic magazine.
Extras:
[view fulltext]
Notes:
What is a proverb? The Oxford English Dictionary defines a proverb as "a short pithy saying in common and recognized use; a concise sentence, often metaphorical or alliterative in form, which is held to express some truth ascertained by experience or observation and familiar to all; an adage, a wise saw." In the Tigrinya language, the timely citation of a proverb in conversation lends authority to the speaker. For example, one person trying to talk his or her friend out of a break up with a partner might say: "Don't give and then take; don't love and then hate [ሂብካ ኣá‹á‰µáŠáˆ‹áŠ¥á£ áˆá‰²áŠ« ኣá‹á‰µáŒ½áˆ‹áŠ¥]." Or someone trying to convince someone not to lie might say: "A liar sweats twice as much as an honest person [ሓሳዊ áŠáˆá‰° ጊá‹á‹¨ á‹áˆáˆ”ጽ]." Many proverbs originated as a moral of a folktale or song. For example, the famous proverb "Don't go into business without thinking [ዘá‹áˆ“ስብ ኣá‹áŠáŒá‹µ]" is the moral of a folktale about a foolish man who sells his farm to go into business, and ends up losing everything. One can imagine that each proverb has a story behind it. Or can think of a proverb as a gem, a crystallized piece of human wisdom, purified and polished over the generations. Some proverbs do not translate very well into our modern experience; they seem to be written for an older, feudal, sexist society. But some proverbs seem just as relevant as ever. Another issue with proverbs comes up in translation. The appeal of Tigrinya proverbs often comes from the way they rhyme two contrasting images. They often remind one of the rhyming couplets which Shakespeare used to end a scene. The rhyme and rhythm of a Tigrinya proverb, however, can easily be lost in translation.
Comments: None [add]
Artifact record edited by Lwam Ghebrehariat at 2006-06-28 11:11:32