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Arabic proverbs

Arabic proverbs ''bear the stamp


of approval from tradition and are
thought to express best one's
thoughts on many occasions.
In fact, the widespread use of
proverbs in general conversation
''in the East as in the West'' has
been dealt a fatal blow by the
influence of ''modern:-meaning
Westerneducation, and that' the
younger generation rapidly losing
their father's memory of and taste

The study of Arabic proverbs


active school of Arab philologists sought to
preserve the verbal heritage and protect
the language from non-Arabic influences
by recording what they could of ancient
usage, including proverbs and related
forms of expression. In fact ,almost all the
noted philologists devoted special works
to proverbs The result was an extensive
literature on Standard Arabic proverbs

The study of Arabic proverbs


The oldest extant philological treatise on Arabic
proverbs is the eighth century Kitab al-Amthal
(Book of proverbs ) of Mufaddal Ibn Salamah
al Dabbi . Ibn Salamah, who died in the
second century of Hijra, was a Kufan philologist
and an authority on pre-Islamic poetry. His work
on proverbs, one of the best known collections
of Standard Arabic proverbs, was among his
many works on a variety of subjects.

The study of Arabic proverbs


Hamza al Isfahani`s 10th century
collection survives in manuscript form.
This collection deals with proverbs in the
afa`lu min verbal form and was used
extensively by later writers; it was, for
example, '' copied word for word by alMaidani for the corresponding section of
his book ''.

The study of Arabic proverbs


The best known and most comprehensive of
the early Arabic proverbs studies is the Kitab
Majma` al Amthal (Book of collected
proverbs) of Ahmed b. Muhammed alMaidani, another philologist. Al- Maidani, who
died October 27, 1124, gathered together
material collected by forerunners and
''expanded each section by an appendix on
modern proverbs ''.AlMaydani`s Kitab, still
extant in several manuscript and regarded as
a standard book on Arabic proverbs
appeared in two volumes,

Arabic proverbs and their


:translation

More observant than Zarqaa' Al Yamama. (A
famous woman with incredible eye sight)
.
Beware of the whose goodness you can't ask
.for and whose evil you can't be protected from
.
Literal meaning: Save your white penny for
.your black day
Idiomatic translation: A penny saved is a penny
.earned

Arabic proverbs and their


:translation
.
Live life to its). The end of life is death(
.fullest
.
If there's no choice but advise, ask for the
decisiveness of an advisor or the advice of
.a decisive person
.
If you wanted obedience command with
.what is possible

Arabic proverbs and their


translation
.
Shall the sheep go astray; they will be
.led by the ill goat
.
When the reason is known, there will
be no more shock. (Said when you are
.wondering why something happened)
.
If you have no shame then do
.whatever you want

Arabic proverbs and their


translation
.
If a wind blows, ride it! (If a chance comes,
.take advantage of it)
.
If you know then it's a disaster, and if you
don't know then it's a greater disaster.
(Like: if a leader knows or doesn't know
.about the corruption in his group)
.
.If you can't reward then you should thank

Arabic proverbs and their


translation
.
If you reach for the highest of ideals, you
.shouldn't settle for less than the stars
.
.Among the blind, the one-eyed man is king
.
.A problem is solved when it gets tougher
.
Thank who gives you and give who thanks
.you

Arabic proverbs and their


translation
.
Laugh, and the world laughs with you; weep, and
.you weep alone
.
.Smart people are blessed
.
.The purest people are the ones with good manners
.
Literal meaning: Give the dough to baker even if he
.eats half of it
Translation: Give the job to a person who knows
.how to perform it best even if it will cost you

Teaching English proverbs


Teaching through dialoguing
Businessperson 1: "I cant believe the
weather. Its raining cats and dogs!"
Businessperson 2: "Oh yes, but I think it
will improve. However, we shouldnt count
our chickens before theyve hatched. I
saw the forecast and it may well continue
raining until the weekend."

Teaching English proverbs


Deal with proverbs and idioms as and
when they crop up in their contexts, such
as in reading and listening tasks or when
you use one naturally in class.
Use visuals and pictures to help
learners remember them. For eample,
draw a bird in the hand and two in the
bush.

Teaching English proverbs


Do some matching activities. For example, give
students five proverbs that have been cut in
half and get them to match them up.
Ask students if any of the proverbs translate
directly into their own language. Most of the
time students will know a similar expression in
their language and it can help them to
remember them if they compare the differences
between English and their language.

Teaching English proverbs


Put them into context. Try to use situations when
people actually use the expressions and get
students to create dialogues or role-play and to use
a few of the proverbs to reinforce the meaning.
Explain to students that it may be more useful for
them to be able to understand the expressions
when they hear them than to be able to produce
them. Ask them how they would react if you used
this type of expression in their language. Would
they find it a bit strange?
Dont overload students with too many at a time.
Five is probably a good number for one class.

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