Proverbi

Proverbi are short, widely known sayings that express common wisdom or practical truth. They exist in many cultures and languages, often rooted in everyday experience and transmitted orally before being recorded in books. They function as social norms and rhetorical devices.

Origins and transmission: Most proverbs originate anonymously in folk speech; they emerge from shared observations, humor, or moral lessons. They spread through oral tradition, then appear in dictionaries, folklore collections, literature, and media. Dialects and regional variations preserve local phrasing.

Form and content: Proverbi are typically concise, figurative, and mnemonic, frequently employing metaphor, parallelism, or rhyme. They reflect cultural values, gender roles, economy, and local environments, and they adapt to new contexts while retaining core wisdom.

Examples in Italian and general: Italian proverbs include "Chi va piano va sano e va lontano" (Slow and steady wins the race); "Meglio tardi che mai" (Better late than never); "Tra il dire e il fare c'è di mezzo il mare" (Between saying and doing there is the sea); "L'abito non fa il monaco" (Clothes do not make the man).

Uses and study: Proverbi are used in everyday speech to give counsel or humor, in literature and education to illustrate moral points, and in folklore studies to analyze language, culture, and social norms. They vary by language and region but share the aim of transmitting practical wisdom.

See also: List of proverbs, Proverb studies, Folklore.