Tag Archives: Proverb

Russian Proverb: Под лежачий камень вода не течёт

General Information About Item:

  • Verbal Folklore, Proverb
  • Language: Russian
  • Country of Origin: Russia
  • Informant: Myself
  • Date Collected: 2010

Informant Data:

Jennifer Gadalov is a sophomore at Dartmouth College. She was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. Her mother’s family immigrated to the United States about 20 years ago, and her father immigrated from Russia after meeting her mother on a trip to Los Angeles. She was raised in a fairly traditional Russian household with Russian being her first language and the language she speaks at home with her family. She is completely fluent and enjoys to embrace other aspects of Russian culture as she feels a strong connection to the country despite not being born there. She also travels to Moscow, Russia once a year to visit family that still live there.

Contextual Data: 

Growing up, Jennifer would consistently hear this proverb, especially from her mother. Whether she didn’t want to study or didn’t want to play tennis, her mother would look at her and sternly repeat this proverb to motivate Jennifer. The first time Jennifer ever heard this proverb was around the age of 10 when she began playing tennis more competitively. She initially began playing tennis for fun but gradually became one of the best players in the country, which proved to be a lot of pressure for her. She sometimes struggled with the pressure and would lose motivation to play or practice, which is when her mother would speak this proverb. Her mother believed strongly in this proverb, and she wanted it to be a reminder for Jennifer that she has achieved so much because of her hard work, but the work doesn’t stop there as she needs to continue pushing herself in order to succeed the way she wants to. This proverb stuck with Jennifer because of the visual language and the motivation she got from remembering she still has work to do in order to fulfill her dreams.

Social Context:

This proverb is often spoken towards an inactive person who refuses to change anything in their life, but instead expects the people around them to help better their lives, or even simply expects their life to move forward without putting in the work. The proverb translates to “water does not flow under a lying stone,” which essentially means if nothing is done, things will not budge or move and change will not occur. There are many people who sit around and expect to still succeed in life, whether by luck or by others helping them, so this proverb hopes to encourage the person to take action in their life. Hard work is not always enjoyable work, but if you do not work in life, your whole life can go by, and you will not achieve anything. A person who is lazy, inactive, or passive will not be able to achieve the matter or goals by itself because there is no effort put in towards moving your life forward. If you do not exert effort into your goals and achieving success, then there will be no force to propel your life forward, but if you put the work into your goals, you will continue growing.

Cultural Context:

Russians, like many other cultures, praise hard work and punish laziness. From the beginning of time, Russian people had to fight for their survival. Being an agrarian county, during earlier times, everyday work in the field was extremely hard work, but it was necessary in order to feed your family. Russians worked to survive, which made hard work normal for them. They got used to dealing with the challenges consistently thrown at them, so they do not allow it when they see an inactive and lazy person. As a country, society, and culture that faced revolutions, purges, and mass imprisonment, the people had to fight through a lot in order to make it out, which is why Russia is viewed as one of the toughest countries. To this day, Russian people continue to face challenges every day but can overcome most anything because of their grit and determination. Thankfully, Russians no longer have to face revolutions, purges, and mass imprisonment, which allows them to move forward in life and achieve success. Since this opportunity is fairly new, Russians are strongly encouraged to push themselves to work as hard as possible to achieve new goals and heights that were not previously possible for them. Because of these new opportunities, laziness and inactivity are looked down upon but are still prevalent, which is why this proverb is so popular.

Item:

Orally transmitted proverb: Под лежачий камень вода не течёт

Pronunciation: Pod lezhachiy kamen’ voda ne techot

Literal Translation: Under lying stone, water does not flow

Translation: Water does not flow under a lying stone

Informant/Collector’s Comments:

When I become one of the best tennis players in the United States, I lost a lot of motivation and desire to work and practice hard because the sport was no longer fun due to the pressure and expectations I felt. At the same time, I still wanted to be as good as I was. My parents recognized how I was feeling and, my mother knew she had to speak a proverb that would emotionally impact me, while also captivating me, which is exactly how this proverb makes me feel. The visual language in this proverb is fascinating and enthralling, which caused me to really think through the proverb and understand the hidden deeper meaning. The proverb has also stuck with me because the deeper meaning is hidden rather than being straightforward. You have to break down the proverb to find the lesson it is teaching you. The proverb’s lesson continues to influence my life every day because you cannot further your life or move forward without putting in the hard work that might come along in order for that to happen. The proverb’s structure does not include the typical rhyming and repetition, but the deeper meaning and visual language included have made this proverb popular in Russia.

Collector’s Name: Jennifer Gadalov

Hanover, NH

Dartmouth College

RUSS 013 Fall 2020

Tags/Keywords:

  • Russian
  • Proverb
  • Hard work
  • Water
  • Stone

Russian Proverb: Любишь кататься люби и саночки возить

General Information About Item:

  • Verbal Folklore, Proverb
  • Language: Russian
  • Country of Origin: Russia
  • Informant: AG
  • Date Collected: 11/3/20

Informant Data:

AG was born in Moscow, Russia, in 1977, but immigrated to the United States in 1999 because of his current wife. In 1999, Anton was visiting friends in Los Angeles where he was introduced to his wife by a mutual friend. They began dating, and eventually, AG permanently relocated to Los Angeles. The majority of AG’s family still lives in Moscow, Russia. AG earned an undergraduate degree in accounting at Pepperdine University. AG is fairly traditional and has stuck to his Russian roots. To this day, AG and his wife are still happily married, residing in Los Angeles, with their two beautiful kids

Contextual Data: 

Growing up, AG was an extremely active kid who loved to have fun. He was also a little bit on the lazier side and hated doing things for himself. He enjoyed soaking up all the fun and adrenaline and hated actually doing the work to get to the point where you can have fun. Specifically, he enjoyed skateboarding down big hills and mountains but hated going back up the hill or mountain (which is very similar to the proverb). He enjoyed having others do that for him, especially his mother. At around the age of 11, his mother realized she could no longer treat him like a little child, and she had to teach her son the importance of working hard before being able to play and have fun. That was when the first time AG remembers hearing the quote because his mother loved to use proverbs and metaphors to describe everyday life, so she used this proverb because it emphasizes the importance of enjoying both the hard work and the reward.

Social Context:

Russia is known for its below-freezing winters and heavy snow, which quickly led to the growth and popularity of sledding in Russia, especially with younger children, causing a very instructive thought to be formed. A sled is essentially a winter carriage on skids, but instead a much smaller size, and it is intended to bring pleasure and adrenaline when sledding down. In order to have the chance to sled in the first place, you have to pull the rope or push the sled from behind to get to the top of the mountain. This can be a strenuous and tedious activity, but the reward is going down the mountain on your sled, enjoying the speed and rush. In order to ease the tedious and strenuous activity, you must instead embrace it and also enjoy it because it’s the part that comes before having fun. You must enjoy all activities whether they are hard or fun because nothing in life comes for free.

Cultural Context:

Like most people, Russians look forward to their leisure time, especially after working hard, which is why this proverb applies to all spheres of life and is still so commonly used. Most Russian adults have found the balance between work and fun due to Russians teaching their kids from an early age the importance of working hard in order to be able to have fun. No doubt, sliding down the slope on a sled is a fun activity, but for that to happen, you must first drag your sled up the hill, which can be lengthy and difficult. There will be both pleasant and unpleasant moments in anything you do, but to get the best possible results, you need to learn how to embrace and enjoy both. Without embracing hard work, you will not achieve anything and be extremely unhappy, which applies to children and adults. The proverb depicts the relationship between rest and work by reminding us that work is an integral part of recreation and entertainment. There is no such thing as fun without work, nothing in life comes for free, and you must embrace the hard work that comes before the fun.

Item:

Orally transmitted proverb: Любишь кататься люби и саночки возить

Pronunciation: Lyubish’ katat’sya lyubi i sanochki vozit’

Literal Translation: If you like to ride love and carry sleds.

Translation: If you like sledding, you should like to carry the sled.

Informant’s Comments:

“This is one of my favorite proverbs because it was the first time I realized my behavior was unacceptable, and instead, I had to accept the fact that nothing in life comes for free. I used to enjoy things like skateboarding and snowboarding, but I absolutely hated the times I would be off the board, either trying to climb the mountain or treating an injury. I was extremely immature, but my mother’s proverb opened my eyes to the reality that life is hard, and I have to work hard in order to be able to provide myself with those fun times I enjoy. Work hard, play hard.”

Collector’s Comments:

I agree with the informant because the first time I heard this proverb, I realized I was no longer a child, meaning I would have to learn how to be independent and endure those unpleasant, hard times myself rather than have a family member do it for me, or even worse, just not endure the activity and give up. As little children and even now, we love when someone else does something helpful for us because it means less work, but the reality is that will rarely happen, and you will always have to work to achieve your reward. This proverb has helped me a lot during times when I didn’t want to work out or practice because I was too tired or lazy. It had reminded me that if I push myself now, it will pay off in the end, which led me to begin embracing the hard work and even enjoying it. The proverb’s structure is fairly typical to that of a traditional Russian proverb due to the phonetic devices and repetition, which give the proverb a catchy, smooth flow.

Collector’s Name: Jennifer Gadalov

Hanover, NH

Dartmouth College

RUSS 013 Fall 2020

Tags/Keywords:

  • Russian
  • Proverb
  • Hard work
  • Sled
  • Uphill

Russian Proverb: Без труда не вытащишь рыбку из пруда

General Information About Item:

  • Verbal Folklore, Proverb
  • Language: Russian
  • Country of Origin: Russia
  • Informant: NG
  • Date Collected: 11/6/20

Informant Data:

NG was born in Moscow, Russia, in 1976, but immigrated to the United States in 1998. The previous year, NG’s aunt moved to Los Angeles in search of a better life. Shortly after, NG and her family moved to Los Angeles as it was important for their families to stay together. NG earned an undergraduate and graduate degree in accounting at the California State University, Northridge. NG is fairly traditional and has stuck to her Russian roots. She is happily married with two beautiful kids.

Contextual Data:

Growing up, NG was a competitive cross-country skier in Moscow, Russia. It was an extremely popular sport for Russian people, but at times NG really struggled to enjoy the sport, especially with all the pain, sacrifice, and tears that came with it. But every time she wanted to quit and give up, her mother would repeat this proverb to her to remind her that nothing, not skiing, not studying, not cooking, etc. came easily to anyone and only the people who didn’t give up, in the end, would achieve success, greatness, and happiness. Every time NG’s mother repeated this quote to her, NG knew she had to keep pushing through all of the lows because, in the end, it will pay off.

Social Context:

Fishers are regarded as extremely patient people because if they do not sit every day waiting for hours with their fishing rods to simply even catch one fish, then they will have no fish since the fish are not going to come on their own merit. Any and all activities/businesses require effort, but no effort can be done without effort. If you want to get anywhere in life or achieve success, you must have perseverance and give your full effort, or you won’t get anywhere if you are not willing to put in the necessary work. This proverb is often heard when someone complains about having to work hard.

Cultural Context:

Although Russian people are sometimes viewed as cold and harsh people on the surface level, deep down, they hide their love for laughter and cleverness. The Russian humor and wit can be difficult to follow and understand due to how tightly bound to the language’s subtleties, resulting in difficulty in translating. But with a little explanation, it is possible to see the clever remarks, humor, and wit Russians include in their everyday language, just like in this proverb. Russian people are extremely respected, wise, and well-aimed people. They expect a lot from themselves, which is how these figurative phrases and proverbs came to be because their goal is to emphasize the expectations and hopes of the people. Their wit and cleverness also stem from their desire to rid their oppressors, such as greed, lying, etc, and instead promote hard work, fairness, and commitment.

Item:

Orally transmitted proverb: Без труда не вытащишь рыбку из пруда

Pronunciation: Bez truda ne vytashchish’ rybku iz pruda

Literal Translation: You can’t get a fish out of a pond without difficulty.

Translation: You won’t achieve your goals if you don’t work hard and put in the necessary effort.

English Equivalent to “No pain, no gain”

Informant’s Comments:

“This is one of my favorite Russian proverbs as I believe it applies to every part of life. You truly cannot achieve success in life unless you put in the work, no matter how hard the work is. You have to give it your all, and you cannot be lazy. As a former athlete myself (cross country skier), this proverb reminded me that I shouldn’t and couldn’t give up even when times got tough or wanted to quit. It helped me realize that I wouldn’t achieve anything in skiing without hard work, even if, in the moment, I believed it was too hard for me. I also really enjoy this metaphor because I have vivid memories of watching my grandfather go out to the pond and sit there for hours trying to catch just one fish, but never losing hope.”

Collector’s Comments:

This is also one of my favorite proverbs; as NG mentioned, it applies heavily in life, especially to sports. Being a competitive tennis player since the age of 5, there have been one too many times where I wanted to quit, give up, and move on because the work was getting too hard and the reward seemed too far away, but this quote is a reminder that nothing in life comes easy especially success. The proverb’s repetitional rhyming is also extremely catchy making the proverb hard to forget; the two proportional rhyming parts are how Russian proverbs are traditionally structured. On top of the rhyming, there are phonetic devices combined with the A then B structure, making this proverb extremely memorable for all.

Collector’s Name: Jennifer Gadalov

Hanover, NH

Dartmouth College

RUSS 013 Fall 2020

Tags/Keywords:

  • Russian
  • Proverb
  • Hard work
  • Fish
  • Pond

Japanese Proverb: Ishi ni tatsu ya (石に立つ矢)

Japanese: 立つ

Translation: (the arrow) {that} (stands) (in) (stone)

Meaning: Through hard work/ belief in oneself you can make an arrow pierce stone.

Origin: Comes from an ancient Chinese legend where the hero pierces a rock with an arrow, with the lesson that nothing is impossible if you believe. 

Informant: MK

Zoom

11/8/2020

Informant Data: MK is a “23 who was born in San Francisco, but grew up in Japan. He went to 

An international school in Japan and speaks Japanese and English fluently. I know MK because he plays on the

Dartmouth Rugby team, and I have known him since the start of last year.

 

Contextual Data: When MK was younger, he played “shounen yakyuu” youth baseball,  a very popular sport for kids in Japan. Practices were every weekday for 2-3 hours. MK heard this quote a lot at his practices, because it is very applicable to the grind of learning and mastering a sport, and ties into the intensity of the culture surrounding life and hard work in JapanThe coaches were passionate about coaching, and a big part of That comes from Japanese culture and working on team building and character development. Furthermore, shounen yakyuu culture also placed an important emphasis on hard work and dedication to the game to instill values such as hard work and discipline. Finally, shounen yakyuu is also a good social outlet for youth because they get the opportunity to bond with their team in an environment outside of school.

Social Context: All over the world youth partake in a variety of different extracurricular activities, however, the way that this is manifested varies from country to country. In the United States, for example, it is much more common to see kids do an eclectic mix of 3-5 activities such as a sport, playing an instrument, or doing a visual art, and while this allows the children to become well rounded, they do not become as skillful at any one particular thing. Children in Japan on the other hand generally only have one activity extracurricular activity that they pursue, and they work on perfecting it over long periods of time through rigorous devotion to their craft.

Cultural Context: Japanese culture places an emphasis on working on one’s self in both a physical and mental way. While MK’s main experience with this phrase was with sports, he says that these days, it would be more likely to be heard in an academic context. The quote is like a reflection of Japanese society’s view of hard work. The phrase itself is very short and direct and is almost like a representation of how Japan views achievement and self-actualization: just putting your head down and getting it done. This view of hard work and dedication is present from youth in activities such as academics and school sports, all the way up to adulthood, when it is present in company culture, evidenced by salarymen working very long overtime hours.  

Gautham Sivadasan 19

3007 Mill Gate Lane

Hanover NH 03755

Dartmouth College

Russ 13

20F

A Homesteader’s Proverb

Title: A Homesteader’s Proverb

General Information about Item:

  • Oral Lore: Proverb
  • Material Lore: Horse-drawn wagons
  • Language: English
  • Country of Origin: United States
  • Informant: Mary Ann McKinney
  • Date Collected: May 20, 2019

Informant Data:

  • Mary Ann McKinney was born in Reliance, SD to a family full of farmers. She grew up with her sister, Dottie, on the land her dad farmed outside Reliance, and her grandparents on her mother’s side were immigrants from Czechoslovakia who homesteaded near Reliance under the Homestead Act in 1908. In growing up on a farm and spending time with her various relatives whose sole profession was working the land, Mary Ann is very knowledgeable on farming and its traditions.

Contextual Data:

  • Social Context
    • Mary Ann and her family would often visit her grandparents on her mother’s side, Anton Straka and his wife Katrina. Anton and Katarina immigrated into the United States through Ellis Island in 1905, traveling by train to Plattsmouth, Nebraska for a few years before setting off in a covered wagon towards South Dakota for free land under the Homestead Act. They arrived in Reliance too late to receive a full 160 acres but were able to start with 40 acres which they kept adding land to. Though he passed when Mary Ann was very young, “Granny” Katarina would frequently tell Mary Ann stories about his journey to the farm such as this proverb about the buggy. Granny never learned to speak English, so her communications with Mary Ann were translated through Mary Ann’s mother Catherine. Anton’s proverb “When the going gets tough, stick with the buggy” describes how difficult his journey was but reminds of the importance of being persistent and not giving up on the journey. His mention of the buggy highlights an item of material lore by specifically describing the method of transport, which was far more difficult than travel by ship or train.
  • Cultural Context
    • Land in South Dakota was mostly unsettled at the turn of the 20th century, leaving a tough journey for settlers looking to start a new life on the plains. Anton’s journey on a covered wagon took about six weeks to cover what is now about a 5-hour drive (300 miles) through hot and desolate prairies. This journey was common for the founding members of many of the family farms still in operation around Reliance, and many farmers across America today owe their success to ancestors who braved long and difficult journeys across dirt roads in horse-drawn wagons.

Item:

  • “When the going gets tough, stick with the buggy.” –Anton Straka (1873-1948)

Associated Files:

Left: the buggy used by Anton and his wife to reach South Dakota
Right: Anton, Katarina, and their four children on their homestead (woman on left unknown)

Transcript of Phone Call with Mary Ann:

Tyler: Thanks for your time! Could you give a quick introduction of yourself and your connection to farming and then we’ll jump into the stories?

Mary Ann: Yes, my name is Mary Ann McKinney and I was born in Reliance, South Dakota in 1946. Our farm has been in the family since 1908 when your great-great-grandfather Anton settled the farm on 40 acres from the Homestead Act. He got up here too late and only got 40 acres instead of the usual 160 and had to make do with that little bit that now sits behind the old barn. When your Aunt Dot and I were kids we lived on your great-grandpa White’s—our dad’s—farm outside of Reliance where we have the hay fields now.

Tyler: Do you have any traditions, customs, or memories that stand out from your time growing up on the farm or running the farm now?

Mary Ann: After Grandpa Straka died before I was 2, we would visit Granny at the farmhouse and she would tell Dottie and I stories from Grandpa which had to be translated from Czech to English though our mom since Granny didn’t learn English—only Grandpa Straka did. His favorite quote was “when the going gets tough, stay with the buggy.” He used this quote to talk about the ride up from Plattsmouth, Nebraska to South Dakota in a horse-drawn wagon and how hard it was during the summer. It served to remind us that it was a tough journey, but he wouldn’t be where he was then if he hadn’t stuck with the buggy the whole way up. And that’s what I always think of whenever I feel stuck on something.

Tyler: Thank you so much, that was a great story!

Mary Ann: You’re very welcome, thanks for calling Tyler!

 

Collector’s Name: Tyler Bowen

The Quote

Title: The Quote

General Information about Item:

  • Verbal Lore, Proverbs and Famous quotes
  • Language: English
  • Country of Origin: United States
  • Informant: Shannon Ropp
  • Date Collected: 2-22-18

Informant Data:

  • Shannon Ropp was born in Royal Oak, MI. She is currently a junior goalie on the women’s ice hockey team and is an engineering major at Dartmouth. She started playing hockey when she was six because of her older brother. She started off as a figure skater, but coaches told her she skated like a hockey player so she decided to quit and began to play hockey.

Contextual Data:

  • Cultural Context: Mackenzie St. Onge had this ritual before Shannon. Mackenzie was a very good speaker and loved poetry. She chose Shannon for this job because she is similar to Mackenzie in the sense they are both pretty quiet but have a natural voice for poetry and quotes. Mackenzie passed this down to Shannon after Shannon’s freshmen year on the team when Mackenzie was graduating.
  • Social Context: This tradition is another bequest that has been going back in Dartmouth Women’s ice hockey for many years. Shannon was aware of this when she visited for her official visit senior year of high school. She visited during a game weekend and was able to be apart of the huddle when Mackenzie St. Onge read a quote. When Shannon got this passed down to her after her freshman year, she was honored and excited about this responsibility and freedom to bring a quote form of motivation to the team before every game.

Item:

  • Before we leave the locker room for the start of the game, the team huddles in the center of the locker room. We form a circle surrounding the “D” at the center of the locker room and everyone puts one of their hands in the center. Shannon then has a quote that she has looked up before, and reads it to the team. It can be anything she chooses and she liked to find something that is fitting to this particular game and team they’re playing or just to get the team more pumped up.

 

Transcript:

  • None

Informant’s Comments:

  • “I take a lot of pride in reading the quote before every game. When the girl before me, Mackenzie, read it, it always gave me a lot of inspiration. She was our former captain and it made me realize how cool of a tradition it is.”

Collector’s Name: Sarah Tabeek 

Tags/Keywords:

  • Verbal Lore
  • Proverb
  • The Quote

 

Di Venere e di Marte né si sposa né si parte

Title: The Days of Mars and Venus

General Information about Item:

  • Verbal Folklore: Proverb
  • Italian
  • Italy

Informant Data:

  • Nancy Canepa has been an Italian professor at Dartmouth College since 1989. She is descended from Italian immigrants on her father’s side. Her paternal grandmother is from the Lombardy region of Italy, and her paternal grandfather is from the Liguria coast. She has attended two Italian weddings. Her husband is from the Apulia region of Italy.

Contextual Data:

  • Social/Cultural Context: In Italy, a common superstition is that it is bad luck to get married on a Tuesday or a Friday since these are the days of Mars and Venus respectively. Engaged couples try to avoid parting from each other or getting married on these days.

Item:

  • “Di Venere e di Marte né si sposa né si parte.” – “Do not get married on Mars’s or Venus’s day.”

Associated file (video):

Transcript of Associated File:

  • “‘Di Venere e di Marte né si sposa né si parte’ – um one should neither get married nor leave on a trip on Venus’s day – meaning Friday – or on Mars’s day – meaning Tuesday. Uh Mars, for which ‘Martedì’ – ‘Tuesday’ – is named in Italy, is the God of War of course, so it’s not a good idea to get married on that day. And um Friday – ‘Venerdì’ – the day of Venus is… – it might seem that you should get married on the day of Venus, but um Friday, according to some religious traditions uh and readings of sacred texts, like the Kabbalah, for example, Friday is the day in which evil spirits were created, so for that reason it’s not a good idea to get married on Friday.”

Informant’s Comments:

  • Professor Canepa said she has read that, according to the Jewish Kabbalah, Friday is the day that evil spirits were created. According to Professor Canepa, “Friday is a day to avoid [getting married] so as not to intermingle with evil spirits.” Tuesday is also a bad day to get married, and Professor Canepa said this is just because it is the day of Mars.

Collector’s Comments:

  • Professor Canepa did not say exactly why people avoid getting married on Tuesday, the day of Mars. One possibility is that getting married on the day of the Mars, the God of War, could foreshadow conflict in the couple’s relationship; society associates the conflict of a war with conflict in a marriage. The custom of avoiding getting married on a Friday is due to Frazer’s Law of Contagion since the people who have this superstition believe that coming into contact with evil spirits on a Friday will bring bad luck to their marriage. The proverb that Professor Canepa mentioned reinforces belief in this superstition.

Collector’s Name: Peter Loomis

Tags/Keywords:

Moglie e buoi dei paesi tuoi

Title: Marrying Someone from Your Own Town

General Information about Item:

  • Verbal Folklore: Proverb
  • Italian, English
  • Italy

Informant Data:

  • Nancy Canepa has been an Italian professor at Dartmouth College since 1989. She is descended from Italian immigrants on her father’s side. Her paternal grandmother is from the Lombardy region of Italy, and her paternal grandfather is from the Liguria coast. She has attended two Italian weddings. Her husband is from the Apulia region of Italy.

Contextual Data:

  • Social/Cultural Context: Up until recently, it was common for Italians to marry someone from their hometown. If someone married an outsider instead of a local, then members of his/her community would be distrustful of the outsider, usually because that person would have different customs or a different dialect than their own.

Item:

  • Moglie e buoi dei paesi tuoi is an Italian proverb that warns people not to marry someone from outside of their town. It means your wife, like your livestock, should come from your own town. Literal translation: “A wife, an ox, of your own town.”

Associated File (audio):

Transcript of Associated File:

  • “Well there are a whole bunch of proverbs about endogamous marriages, in other words marriage- marrying outside of your community, which of course today you know is perfectly, um, common and probably more common than marrying someone from your little village. But in the past, uh, marriages usually took place with someone from the same community and when, um, when it was someone from outside of the community, uh, that person could be looked on with a little bit of suspicion, just because, uh, he – you know it was usually the male that would come from outside – no one knew anything about him… and you know, again in pre-industrial times. And so there are proverbs that, for example there’s one that goes ‘Moglie e buoi dei paesi tuoi’ – ‘A wife, an oxen, of your own town.’ So, in other words, when you’re choosing your wife or your oxen – interesting parallel there – choose them from, you know, a reality you’re familiar with, your own town.”

Informant’s Comments:

  • The informant said that, while in modern Italy it is common to marry someone from outside of your community, people in pre-industrial Italy looked upon exogamy with suspicion. According to the informant, the people of a pre-industrial Italian town would be suspicious if someone whom they knew nothing about came to their town.

Collector’s Comments:

  • Because Italy didn’t become a unified country until the 19th century, it is very regionally diverse – each region has its own customs, cuisines, and dialect. People in rural areas of Italy would probably be unfamiliar with the customs of someone from a different region or town. Therefore, the proverb that the informant described warns young people that they might not know everything they should know about someone they met outside of their town.

Collector’s Name: Peter Loomis

Tags/Keywords: