Do proverbs mirror national character?

[anna-gorokhova]

Thanks for sharing your ideas in advance. In fact I need this information for my scientific project. That's why would you be so kind as to expand your answers a bit (probably point out why you think so, whether it works with you, etc.). I would genuinely appreciate your assistance! Wait for your replies!

[milliezoe]

My Favourite is from the 16th century but still relevant today.
Do as you would be done by.
If we all today treated each other as we wish to be treated ourselves then surely the world would be a better place.I do practice this philosphy myself and in my humble opinion it does work. The rule that a child learns what it lives is self evident in society today. My son was raised with respect and praised on his achievments giving him the confidence to reach for the stars he is now a solicitor. If we all did the same think what a world we could create
Good luck with your project

[jake-the-peg]

No

Why? because many of our proverbs are shared.

I have a number of friends of different nationalities and in the past we have compared and been facinated by how many are the same or very similar in different countries. Particularly England and France.

There are however some wonderful ones that are different

I particularly like "When you've only got a hammer everything looks like a nail"

[jake-the-peg]

Really Millie? A solicitor?

Never mind there's a black sheep in every familly

[heathfield]

'Starve a fever, feed a cold' - or is it the other way round? In any event, they say the opposite to us in Germany.

[fredpuli47]

No, for the reason jake gives. The cultural references may differ so Arabs may have proverbs and sayings about camels or tents and the English have ones about cats or cricket but, in the end, we are all humans, with shared human experiences, and the message in the proverbs will be the same the world over.
That doesn't stop some seeming incomprehensible when translated literally from their original language. An Englishman might puzzle for ages over the French ' The scalded cat fears cold water' but it's the same as our 'Once bitten, twice shy'. It means that once someone has suffered hurt , whether mental or physical, they won't take any risk of it happening again.The scalded cat has been hurt by water, so it avoids even cold water thereafter. A man bitten by a dog is wary of all dogs thereafter.Obvious, really!

[fredpuli47]

And btw millie and jake, I'm a lawyer and my son is an estate agent. The shame of it!Don't you worry millie, your son could have turned out far worse than a solicitor !

[Laasya]

I don't think so

[Laasya]

It said that there is a black hole.