Pragmatics of Proverbs: Basic Types of Evaluation
František Čermák, Institute of The Czech National Corpus, Prague,
Abstract
The prescriptive, instructive or educational nature of proverbs as a whole may and should be viewed as pragmatic since proverbs usually express traditional social norms. Hence, in their use, they serve as specific means of traditional and largely objective evaluation of behaviour, attitudes and human doing. Within this general character of proverbs, not always explicit, there is a group, notably those containing adjectives good and bad, that serve as explicit expression of evaluation attitude such as in Good girls go to Heaven, bad girls go everywhere. Gold can make a good man bad. On the basis of an analysis of all proverbs of this type (in Routledge dictionary) an analysis of proverbs from many languages is made and some conclusions drawn indicating participation of two adjectives, good and bad, along with other means, in the totality of the proverb meaning and pragmatics of their specific, either positive or negative, character. Hopefully, this approach might be viewed as a kind of core of evaluative function pro proverbs.
1. Pragmatics and Evaluation of Proverbs: General.
Knife: blade, handle, point, guard, spine (thickest)...,
steel/sheath, steel/alloy, laminate... wood/rubber/plastic
a couple of concretes: instrument for cutting, stabbing, killing, fighting, more generally for attack or defense,
yet more generally a factor to be afraid of or of an advantage and threat
2 Basic Evaluation: Role of Basic Adjectives and Adverbs.
ref. k anal. slovníku a výskyt typů slov
Celek slovníku/korpusu: 149 648, typů je jen 9425
Good frekv 938x (0,63%) goodness 9
Better 533 (0,35%) it is better than X
Best 253 (0,17)
Bad 312 (0,21%) badly 18
Worse 68 (0,05) it is worse than X
Worst 43 (0,03)
Well 281 (0,19) (z toho Sstudna 37x) tj. 244
Evil (151) je primárně S, adj. úzus je okrajový, cf. An evil eye can see no good
worth (1006x, 0,06%)
Co vedle dobrý a zlý aj.? cf. účast V ()
hl. formy zapojení a struktury
předpoklad, že to dělají V, nevychází, vR. vůbec se neužívá evaluate, assess, seev as, view as (approve 1x). je skut. buď implicitní n. tato adj.
3. Forms and Structures of Good-Bad evaluative proverbs.
Good:
vpredikátu řídké: The ungrateful return evil for [[good]
skoro žádné it is good, srov. It is not always [[good]] to be wise, It is a [[good]] horse that draws its own cart.
Srovnání rovné: Possession is as good as a title.
Bad:
není téměř It is bad, srov. řídké It is [[bad]] to have a servant, but worse to have a master
ani X is bad, Bad je téměř vždy vatributu eg. Bad advice is always fatal
výjimky: an empty purse is bad, Not to know is bad, Nothing bad is all bad, Self-love is bad.
Srovnání rovného Three removals are as bad as a fire
Good-Frequency: advice 5, company 5, counsel 6, deed/s 18, fortune 12, friend/s 8, horse 14, luck 23, man 26, men 14, name 16, neighbor 10, thing/s 22, wife 8, wine 13
Structures: as good as (nothing is as good as forbidden fruit, the first blow is as good as two, a man forewarned is as good as two, 23), good for (nothing, flight, the soul, three days, the eyes, 26), it is a good horse that draws its own cart (jen 4), Mimo adj: it is good to know the truth
Bad-Frequency: advice/counsel 3, company 5, egg 4, fortune 2, friend 2, luck 15, man 7, name 4, neighbor 6,
news 12, thing/s 6, wife 6
Structures: as bad as (cowardice, the thief, a fire, 12 ), it is a bad (child who does not take advice, a bad thing to be poor, 5x)
4. Semantics of Good and Bad in Proverbs.
5. n. 4.1 Comparison and Contrast.
Srovnání a kontrast:
A Obojí jen juxtapozice
The bad gardener quarrels with his rake.
Good fruit never comes from a bad tree.
Good girls go to Heaven, bad girls go everywhere.
Gold can make a good man bad.
Good news knocks louder than bad.
Good wine ruins the purse, and makes the stomach bad.
Good words and bad acts deceive both wise and simple.
B Worth viz výš
C Formal comparison: comparatives/superlatives (better, worse and than, worst, best )
Worse:
není It is worse... ani témeř X is worse than
When an angel turns bad, it is worse than the Devil, Feigned love is worse than hatred
Ale řídce i: Nothing is worse than being accustomed to good fortune
Worst: je nejmenší, ale
10x je vpredikátu, Dissensions among equals are the [[worst]]
Worth: je vl. vždy druh přirovnání, ale co sčím? viz
An ounce of fortune is [[worth]] a pound of forecast.
Best: aspoň 52 je vpredikátu In time of test, family is [[best]]
Struktura It is best, It is best to profit by the madness of others
Asi na vzorcích sémantika a typy kolokací (kdo, co?, a co ne)
Jak se shoduje good a bad? Bad je nejpočetnější. Zajímavý je nejmenší worst
5. Concluding Notes.
Literature
O. Lauhakangas, The Matti Kuusi international type system of proverbs Suomalainen Tiedeakatemia, 2001 Helsinki
M. Kuusi, Towards an international type system of proverbs" 1972
Jon M. Stone, Routledge Book of World Proverbs R. Taylor and Francis 2006
Bibl:
O. Lauhakangas, The Matti Kuusi international type system of proverbs Suomalainen Tiedeakatemia, 2001 Helsinki
M. Kuusi, Towards an international type system of proverbs" 1972
Jon M. Stone, Routledge Book of World Proverbs R. Taylor and Francis 2006
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Co je tu pragm. a jaká je evaluativnost?
předtím jsem měl Sa Vfrekv, souvisí eval. nějak snimi? (dobrý člověk...)
A/ADV (kromě dobrý aj.) pokud možno do 5OO:
great, old, little, well?, long, wise, soon, small, rich, young, hard, ill, lost?, empty,?gold-typ, easy, last, blind, dead, light?, true, greatest, short, silent, fine, right?, few, less, happy, easily, late, difficult, early, different, much, lazy, honest, poor, least, near (500. vpořadí celkovém), slow, common, beautiful, hungry, cold, golden, foolish, handsome, little, large, longer, brave, young, strong, wicked, free, wrong, single, many, soft, quickly, sooner, left, idle, fat, human (750)
V (jasný z první tisíc) help
základní
Celek slovníku/korpusu: 149 648, typů je jen 9425
Good frekv 938x (0,63%) goodness 9
Better 533 (0,35%) it is better than X
Best 253 (0,17)
Bad 312 (0,21%) badly 18
Worse 68 (0,05) it is worse than X
Worst 43 (0,03)
Well 281 (0,19) (z toho Sstudna 37x) tj. 244
Evil (151) je primárně S, adj. úzus je okrajový, cf. An evil eye can see no good
worth (1006x, 0,06%)
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Struktury:
Better: typy srovnání a srovnat s worth
běžné jen it is better X than,
Good:
vpredikátu řídké: The ungrateful return evil for [[good]
skoro žádné it is good, srov. It is not always [[good]] to be wise, It is a [[good]] horse that draws its own cart.
Srovnání rovné: Possession is as good as a title.
Bad:
není téměř It is bad, srov. řídké It is [[bad]] to have a servant, but worse to have a master
ani X is bad, Bad je téměř vždy vatributu eg. Bad advice is always fatal ,
výjimky: an empty purse is bad, Not to know is bad, Nothing bad is all bad, Self-love is bad.
Srovnání rovného Three removals are as bad as a fire
Worse:
není It is worse... ani témeř X is worse than
When an angel turns bad, it is worse than the Devil, Feigned love is worse than hatred
Ale řídce i: Nothing is worse than being accustomed to good fortune
Worst: je nejmenší, ale
10x je vpredikátu, Dissensions among equals are the [[worst]]
Worth: je vl. vždy druh přirovnání, ale co sčím? viz
An ounce of fortune is [[worth]] a pound of forecast.
Best: aspoň 52 je vpredikátu In time of test, family is [[best]]
Struktura It is best, It is best to profit by the madness of others
Asi na vzorcích sémantika a typy kolokací (kdo, co?, a co ne)
Jak se shoduje good a bad? Bad je nejpočetnější. Zajímavý je nejmenší worst
Srovnání a kontrast:
A Obojí jen juxtapozice
The bad gardener quarrels with his rake.
Good fruit never comes from a bad tree.
Good girls go to Heaven, bad girls go everywhere.
Gold can make a good man bad.
Good news knocks louder than bad.
Good wine ruins the purse, and makes the stomach bad.
Good words and bad acts deceive both wise and simple.
be as good as
B Worth viz výš
C Formal comparison: comparatives/superlatives (better, worse and than, worst, best )
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Good:
vpredikátu řídké: The ungrateful return evil for [[good]
skoro žádné it is good, srov. It is not always [[good]] to be wise, It is a [[good]] horse that draws its own cart.
Srovnání rovné: Possession is as good as a title.
zde jen atribut
Human
Animal,
Abstract=X
Abc abstract-concrete
Concrete
Cl-concrete-local: retreat inn, road,
Good:
little_absence-X, accounts-X, action-X, advice-X, afterthought-X, ale-C, answer-X, appetite-X, apple-C, arrow-C, bargain-X, beating-Xc, beginning-X, blood-C, first blow-Xc, bone-C, book-C, bread-C, breakfast-X, breeding-X, brother-H, building-Cl, cabbage-C, calf-A, captain-H, care-A, castle-Cl, catch of fish-Xc, cattle-A, cavalier-H, chance-X, change-X, cheer-Xc, child-H, children-H, citizen-H, cloak-C, clothes-C, companion-H, cock-A, coffee-C, comb-C, company-X, conscience-X, corn-C, counsel-X, cow-A, crook-H, crop-X, customers-H, dancing-X, daughter-in-law-H, day-X, days-X, death-X, deed-X, dinner-Xc, discipline-X, dish-C, disposition-X, division-X, doctor-H, dog-A, drink-C, drinking-Xc, drum-C, ears-C, earth-Cl, eating-Xc, end-X, ending-X, enemy-H, eyes-C, example-X, faith-X, family-X, farmer-H, father-H, feasting-Xc, feeding-Xc, fellow-H, file-C, fire-Xc, firewood-C, fists-C, flour-C, follower-H, food-Xc, fortune-X, foundation-X, fox-A, friend-H, friendship-X, fruit-C, forbidden_fruit-X, gander-A, garlic-C, general-H, girls-H, guests-H, harvest-X, hands-C, hater-H, head-C, health-X, hearing-Xc, heart-C, Homer-H, hope-X, horse-A, hunter-H, husband-H, income-X, inn-Cl, intention-X, interest-X, judge-H, king-H, kipper-C, knife-C, laugh-X, laws-X, leader-H, legs-C, letter_of_introduction-X, liar-H, life-X, listener-H, loins-C, looks-Xc, lover-H, luck-X, man-C, mason-H, master-H, meal-Xc, memories-X, men-H, minute-X, morsel-C, mortar-C, name-X, nature-X, neighbour-H, news-X, night-X, nod-Xc, offense-X, offer-X, opportunity-X, painter-H, parents-H, paymaster-H, penny-C, people-H, persons-H, physician-H, pilot-H, plan-X, play-X, pledge-X, possession-X, publicity-X, purchase-X, purpose-X, qualities-X, rabbit_hunter-H, racehorse-A, rat-A, reason-X, reputation-X, short_rest-Xc, retreat-Xc, road-Xc, root-C, rowing-Xc, sailing-Xc, sale-X, scales-C, seaman-H, security-X, seed-C, sense-X, servant-H, shadow-C, sheep-A, shepherd-H, sickle-C, soldiers-H, soles-C, son-H, soup-C, speaker-H, speaking-X, speed-X, speach-X, spokesman-H, spouse-H, stew-C, stomach-C, surgeon-H, swimmer-H, sword-C, tale-X, talk-X, talker-H, teacher-H, thing-Xc, trade-X, tree-C, tune-Xc, turn-X, use-X, wages-X, wagonful-Xc, walking-Xc, war-X, wine-C, play-X, wife-H, will-X, winter-X, woman-H, word-X, man´s word-X, worker-H, workhorse-A, writer-H, writing-Xc, words-X, year-X
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Pův. Good: modrá je vbad, neoznačené jen zde
little_absence, accounts, action, advice, afterthought, ale, answer, appetite, apple, arrow, bone, bread, breakfast, brother, daughter-in-law, cattle, bargain, beating, beginning, blood, first blow, blood, bone, book, bread, breeding, building, cabbage, calf, captain, care, castle, catch of fish, cavalier, citizen, chance, change, cheer, child, children, cloak, clothes, cock, coffee, comb, companion, company, conscience, corn, counsel, cow, crook, crop, customers, dancing, day, days, death, deed, dinner, discipline, dish, disposition, division, doctor, dog, drink, drinking, ears, drum, earth, eating, end, ending, enemy, example, eyes, faith, family, farmer, father, feasting, feeding, fellow, file, fire, firewood, fists, flour, follower, food, fortune, foundation, fox, friend, friendship, fruit, forbidden fruit, gander, garlic, general, girls, guests, harvest, hands, hater, head, health, hearing, heart,
Homer, hope, horse, hunter, husband, income, inn, intention, interest, judge, king, kipper, knife, laugh, laws, leader, legs, letter_of_introduction, liar, life, listener, loins, looks, lover, luck, man/ men, mason, master, meal, memories, minute, morsel, mortar, name, nature, neighbour, news, night, nod, offense, offer, opportunity, painter, parents, paymaster, penny, people, persons, physician, pilot, plan, play, pledge, possession, publicity, purchase, purpose, qualities, rabbit hunter, racehorse, rat, reason, reputation, short_rest, retreat, road, root, son, sailing, sale, scales, seamam, security, seed, sense, servant, shadow, sheep, shepherd, sickle, soldiers, soles, soup, speaker, speaking, speed, speach, spokesman, spouse, stew, stomach, surgeon, swimmer, sword, tale, talk, talker, teacher, thing, trade, tree, tune, turn, use, wages, wagonful, walking, war, wine, wife, will, wing, winter, woman, word, man´s word, words, worker, workhorse, writer, writing, year
Pův. bad: červ. je vgood, neozn. jen zde
action, advice, advisor, agreement, apple, ass, barber, bargain, beef, beginning, bird, book, boots, branch, breath, breed, broom, buttermilk, calf, cause, chick, child, circumstance, color, combing, companion, company, counsel, counselor, cowardice, crop, crow, custom, danger, day, deeds, designs, dog, driver, egg, example, excuse, execution, eye, father, fellow, field, fire, food, fortune, friend, game, gardener, girls, governments, grass, habit/s, haircut, harvest, hearing, heart, hen, herring, horse, husband, injury, injuring, judge, knife, law, lenders, lie, luck, man/men, manager, master, meal, mill, mind, money, morals, mother, mouth, name, neighbor, news, parent, paymaster, peace, penny, plowman, possession, preaching, precedent, raven, reaper, repute, results, rider, sack, servant, sheep, shot, situation, smith, son, speaker, spring, steel, supper, thief, thing, thoughts, tidings, time, tinker, tongue, trade, tree, ware, watchman, weed, well, weather, wife, woman, wool, word, worker, workman, wound
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Bad:
Human
Animal,
Abstract=X
Abc abstract-concrete
Concrete
Cl-concrete-local: retreat inn, road,
Bad: typicky jednou, málokdy opak. !!
action-X, advice-X, advisor-H, agreement-X, apple-C, ass-A, barber-H, bargain-X, beef-A, beginning-X, bird-A, book-C, boots-C, branch-C, breath-Xc, breed-X, broom-C, buttermilk-C, calf-H, cause-X, chick-A, child-H, circumstance-X, color-C, combing-Xc, companion-H, company-X, counsel-X, counselor-H, cowardice-X, crop-X, crow-A, custom-X, danger-X, day-X, deeds-X, designs-X, dog-A, driver-H, egg-C, example-X, excuse-X, execution-X, eye-C, father-H, fellow-H, field-Cl, fire-Xc, food-C, fortune-X, friend-H, game-X, gardener-H, girls-H, governments-X, grass-C, habit/s-X, haircut-Xc, harvest-Xl, hearing-Xc, heart-C, hen-A, herring-A, horse-A, husband-H, injury-Xc, injuring-X, judge-H, knife-C, law-X, lenders-H, lie-X, luck-X, man/men-H, master-H, manager-H, meal-Xc, mill-Cl, mind-X, money-X, morals-X, mother-H, mouth-C, name-X, neighbor-H, news-X, parent-H, paymaster-H, peace-X, penny-C, plowman-H, possession-X, preaching-X, precedent-X, raven-A, reaper-H, repute-X, results-X, rider-H, sack-C, servant-H, sheep-A, shot-Xc, situation-X, smith-H, son-H, speaker-H, spring-X, steel-C, supper-Xc, thief-H, thing-C, thoughts-X, tidings-X, time-X, tinker-H, tongue-C, trade-X, tree-C, ware-C, watchman-H, weed-C, well-Cl, weather-X, wife-H, woman-H, wool-C, word-X, worker-H, workman-H, wound-Xl