Aphorisms, Mottos and Sayings

Aphorisms, Mottos and Sayings Aphorisms, Mottos and Sayings Aphorisms, Mottos and Sayings By Maeve Maddox Many depictions of old people on American television–for example, Grandpa Simpson–reflect contempt for the elderly, but the language presents a different picture. The variety of words for â€Å"wisdom passed down the generations† suggests a tradition of respect for the experience of one’s elders. I’ve already written about the words proverb and adage. Here are a few more English words that mean â€Å"an often-repeated wise saying.† The dates in parentheses correspond to the earliest citations in the OED. Because so many of the definitions for these words contain the adjective pithy, I’ll define this word up front: pithy (adjective): of language or style; full of concentrated meaning; conveying meaning forcibly through brevity of expression; concise, succinct; condensed in style; pointed, terse, aphoristic. aphorism (1570) In a scientific context, an aphorism is the statement of a principle, but in general usage, an aphorism is a short pithy sentence containing a truth of general import. For example, â€Å"A living dog is better than a dead lion.† apothegm (1570) Also spelled apophthegm, an apothegm is a terse, pointed saying that embodies an important truth in few words. It will be pithy and may also be sententious, like one of Dr. Johnson’s oft-quoted sayings: â€Å"Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel.† axiom (1578) This term is from Latin axioma, which in turn comes from a Greek word meaning â€Å"that which is thought worthy or fit, that which commends itself as self-evident.† In a scientific context, an axiom is a self-evident proposition requiring no formal demonstration. For example, it’s an axiom that the Earth revolves around the Sun. dictum (1586) A dictum is an authoritative pronouncement attributed to a particular person or source. For example, Harry Selfridge (1858-1947) is credited with the dictum, â€Å"the customer is always right.† maxim (1450) A maxim states a rule of conduct or action in the form of a proverb: â€Å"Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.† motto (1589) Nowadays we use the word motto to mean any maxim that a person tries to follow as a rule of conduct. For example, I once had a kitchen with very little counter- or drawer-space; my motto was, â€Å"If it will hang, hang it.† Motto originally referred to a word or sentence attached to a design, as in heraldry. For example, the emblem of the Prince of Wales is three white ostrich feathers with the German motto Ich dien, â€Å"I serve.† precept 1375 Similar to a maxim, a precept is a general command or injunction; a rule for action or conduct, especially a rule for moral conduct. A precept that has implications for personal privacy and security is, â€Å"A man’s home is his castle.† saw (c. 1000) The sayings of King Alfred (849-899) were known as saws, a word that comes from the verb â€Å"to say.† One of Alfred’s saws that I can recall without looking it up is, â€Å"Tell it to your saddlebow.† That means â€Å"Don’t go sharing your plans or worries with others; keep your own counsel.† saying (1303) Like saw, saying comes from the verb â€Å"to say.† The word can apply to any current or habitual expression of wisdom or truth. For example, â€Å"The experience of many lottery winners tends to prove the truth of the saying that a fool and his money are soon parted.† I’ll let you decide for yourselves which of these nine terms best describes each of the following expressions: A penny saved is a penny earned. A job worth doing is worth doing well. A lie often told becomes the truth. A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. Actions speak louder than words. All work and no play make Jack a dull boy. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Birds of a feather flock together. Charity begins at home. Curiosity killed the cat. Little drops the mighty ocean make. Love conquers all. No use crying over spilt milk. Opposites attract. Rome wasn’t built in a day. Strike while the iron is hot. Time is money. Two heads are better than one. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:50 Idioms About Legs, Feet, and ToesGrammar Quiz #21: Restrictive and Nonrestrictive ClausesA Yes-and-No Answer About Hyphenating Phrases

Forget about the Dark Ages

Forget about the Dark Ages Forget about the â€Å"Dark Ages† Forget about the â€Å"Dark Ages† By Maeve Maddox Movie makers and many writers are fond of using the terms â€Å"Dark Ages† and â€Å"medieval† to denote ignorance, intolerance and unspeakable violence. For example, a character in Pulp Fiction threatens his captive this way: Ima get medieval on your ass. Some writers who use the terms Dark Ages, Middle Ages and medieval have a very vague idea of the historical time periods designated by them. A common misconception is that â€Å"Dark Ages† and â€Å"Middle Ages† mean the same thing. So far as the Dark Ages can be acknowledged to be a meaningful term at all, it signifies that time between the breakdown of the Roman Empire in the fifth century, and the establishment of more stable European governments by the end of the tenth century. The Dark Ages were marked by raiding and pillaging. The Middle Ages were a time of architectural, artistic, and literary achievement. The blurb at the beginning of Christian Duguay’s 1999 film about Joan of Arc is a perfect example of the confusion that exists regarding these terms: Once in a time known as the Dark Ages There lived a legend whose coming had been foretold by the great prophet Merlin. The â€Å"legend† referred to here is Joan of Arc (1412-1431). When Joan died in 1431, the Renaissance had already begun in Italy. Joans mother and brothers were still alive when Leonardo de Vinci, Italian High Renaissance Painter and Inventor, was born in 1452. Historians dont use the term â€Å"Dark Ages† anymore. It was a term invented by the Italian poet Petrarch in the 1330s to convey his feeling that the culture of ancient Greece and Rome had been superior to everything that succeeded it. The expression Middle Age for the period between classical civilization and the present came into use in the fifteenth century. The term Middle Ages was first used systematically by a German historian, Christoph (Keller) Cellarius (1638–1707). The historical period designated by the term spans a thousand years. Modern historians divide the Middle Ages into three periods: Early Middle Ages: 500 -1000 C.E. The last Roman Emperor, Romulus Augustulus, was deposed in 476. This was a time of great unrest during which Visigoths sacked Rome, Vikings pillaged France and England, and the energetic expansion of the new religion of Islam threatened the existence of Christianity. High Middle Ages: 1000-1300 C.E. Former rovers and raiders settled down. This is the age of great European cathedrals and Islamic centers of classical and scientific study. The cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris was begun in 1160 and completed in 1345. Avicenna (Ibn Sina) wrote one of the first scientific encyclopedias during this time. Late Middle Ages: 1300-1499 C.E. The age of renewed interest in classical texts in Europe, and the invention of Gutenberg’s printing press. The two precipitated the Protestant Reformation and catapulted the world into the modern period. Like the term Dark Ages, the term â€Å"Middle Ages† was coined as a kind of put-down. The idea is that nothing much of value existed between the classical civilizations of Greece and Rome and the re-birth of the classical ideal in the Renaissance. Writers may wish to take another look at the terms Middle Ages and medieval. They don’t deserve to be used haphazardly as synonyms for ignorance and brutality. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:7 Classes and Types of PhrasesIs There a Reason â€Å"the Reason Why† Is Considered Wrong?20 Classic Novels You Can Read in One Sitting