Saying
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| - | [[Image:The Big Swallow.jpg|thumb|right|200px|This page '''{{PAGENAME}}''' is part of the [[linguistics]] series.<br> | + | [[Image:The Big Swallow.jpg|thumb|left|200px|This page '''{{PAGENAME}}''' is part of the [[linguistics]] series.<br> |
| <small>Illustration: a close-up of a [[mouth]] in the film ''[[The Big Swallow]]'' (1901)</small>]] | <small>Illustration: a close-up of a [[mouth]] in the film ''[[The Big Swallow]]'' (1901)</small>]] | ||
| + | {| class="toccolours" style="float: left; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 2em; font-size: 85%; background:#c6dbf7; color:black; width:30em; max-width: 40%;" cellspacing="5" | ||
| + | | style="text-align: left;" | [[A rolling stone gathers no moss]] --''[[Sententiae (Publilius Syrus)|Sententiae]]'' by Publilius Syrus | ||
| + | |} | ||
| + | [[Image:The Heart Has Its Reasons by Odilon Redon.jpg |thumb|right|200px|[[The Heart Has Its Reasons]] (c.[[1887]]) by [[Odilon Redon]], a phrase from the ''[[Pensées]]'' by [[Blaise Pascal]]]] | ||
| + | [[Image:Iconologia.jpg|thumb|right|200px|''[[Iconologia]]'' (1593) by [[Cesare Ripa]] was an [[emblem book]] highly influential on [[Baroque]] imagery]] | ||
| {{Template}} | {{Template}} | ||
| - | A '''saying''' is something that is said, [[notable]] in one respect or another. | + | A '''saying''' is any concisely written or spoken linguistic expression that is especially [[memorable]] for its [[meaning]]. |
| - | Another definition: a saying “is the simple, direct term for any pithy expression of wisdom or truth." From “When is a Pig a Hog?: A Guide to Confoundingly Related English Words” by Bernice Randall (Galahad Books, New York, 1991). | + | There are a number of specific types of saying: |
| - | + | ||
| - | Depending on the aspects of the notability, there are a number of [[synonym]]s, or flavors of the notion: | + | |
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| - | * [[Apothegm]]. “…an edgy, more cynical aphorism; such as, ‘Men are generally more careful of the breed of their horses and dogs than of their children.’" From “What’s the Difference? A Compendium of Commonly Confused and Misused Words” by Jeff Rovin (Ballantine Books, New York, 1994). | + | |
| - | * [[Aphorism]]. A concise definition, notably memorable. | + | |
| - | * [[Adage]]. An aphorism that has gained credibility by virtue of long use. | + | |
| - | * Chestnut. A long-used and well-known story, comment, or quote. | + | |
| - | * [[Cliché]]. An overly commonplace, hackneyed or trite saying. | + | |
| - | * [[Epigram]]. A [[poetic form]] of comment on a particular idea, occurrence, or person. | + | |
| - | * [[Epithet]]. A descriptive word or phrase that has become a popular formulation. | + | |
| - | * [[Gnome (rhetoric)|Gnome]] ([[Ancient Greek|Greek:]] ''gnome'', from ''gignoskein'', to know). A type of saying, especially an [[aphorism]] or a [[maxim (philosophy)|maxim]], that is designed to provide [[instruction]] in a compact form. | + | |
| - | * Idiom. “…an expression whose meaning can’t be derived simply by hearing it, such as ‘Kick the bucket.’” From “What’s the Difference? A Compendium of Commonly Confused and Misused Words” by Jeff Rovin (Ballantine Books, New York, 1994). | + | |
| - | *[[Mantra]]. A religious or mystical syllable or poetic phrase. | + | |
| - | * Maxim. A fundamental priniciple or rule. A maxim is a wise saying, especially one intended to advise or recommend a course of conduct. In comparison to its approximate synonyms: saying, [[adage]], saw, [[motto]], [[epigram]], [[proverb]], [[aphorism]], the term ''maxim'' stresses the succinct formulation of an ultimate truth, a fundamental principle, or a rule of conduct. The word derives from the [[Latin]] word ''maximus'', "greatest", via an expression ''maxima propositio'', "greatest premise". | + | |
| - | * [[Motto]]. A concise expression of motivation. | + | |
| - | * [[Platitude]]. A flat, insipid, trite, or weak remark. | + | |
| - | * [[Proverb]]. An expression of practical truth or wisdom. | + | |
| - | * [[Quip]]. A witty or funny observation. | + | |
| - | * [[Saw (saying)|Saw]]. A saying that is commonplace, longstanding and occasionally trite. | + | |
| - | * [[Witticism]]. A smart saying, notable for its form or style rather than its content. | + | |
| + | * [[Aphorism]] – A saying that contains a general, observational truth; "a pithy '''expression''' of wisdom or truth". | ||
| + | ** [[Adage]], [[proverb]], or [[Saw (saying)|saw]] – A widely-known or popular aphorism that has gained its credibility by virtue of long use. | ||
| + | ** [[Apophthegm]] – "[A]n edgy, more cynical aphorism; such as, 'Men are generally more careful of the breed of their horses and dogs than of their children.'" | ||
| + | * [[Cliché]] or [[Bromide (language)|bromide]] – An unoriginal and overused saying. | ||
| + | ** [[Platitude]] – A cliché unsuccessfully presented as though it were truly meaningful, original, or effective. | ||
| + | * [[Epigram]] – A clever and often [[poetic form|poetic]] written saying that comments on a particular person, idea, or thing. | ||
| + | * [[Epitaph]] – A saying in honor of a dead person, often engraved on a [[headstone]] or [[plaque]]. | ||
| + | * [[Epithet]] – A descriptive word or saying widely already associated with a particular person, idea, or thing. | ||
| + | * [[Idiom]] – A [[Literal and figurative language|non-literal]] saying; "an expression whose meaning can't be derived simply by hearing it, such as '[[Kick the bucket]].'" | ||
| + | * [[Mantra]] – A religious, mystical, or other spiritual saying that is repeated over and over, for example, in meditation. | ||
| + | * [[Maxim (philosophy)|Maxim]] or [[Gnome (rhetoric)|gnome]] – (1) A instructional saying about a general principle or rule for behavior; or, simply, (2) an aphorism. | ||
| + | * [[Motto]] – A saying used frequently by an individual person or group to concisely state their general outlook or intentions. | ||
| + | * [[Quip]] – A clever or funny saying based on an observation. | ||
| + | * [[Witticism]] – A saying that is clever, and also usually funny, notable for its form or style just as much as (or more than) its content. | ||
| + | ==Etymology== | ||
| + | From Middle English ''seyen, seggen'', from Old English ''secġan'' (“to say, speak”), from Proto-Germanic ''*sagjaną'' (“to say”), from Proto-Indo-European ''*sekʷ-, *sekʷe-, *skʷē-'' (“to [[tell]], [[talk]]”). Cognate with West Frisian ''sizze'' (“to say”), Dutch ''zeggen'' (“to say”), German ''sagen'' (“to say”), Swedish ''säga'' (“to say”). | ||
| + | ==See also== | ||
| + | *[[Dictum]] | ||
| + | *[[Quotation]] | ||
| + | *[[Phrase]] | ||
| + | *[[Saga]] | ||
| + | *[[Speak]] | ||
| {{GFDL}} | {{GFDL}} | ||
Current revision
Illustration: a close-up of a mouth in the film The Big Swallow (1901)
| A rolling stone gathers no moss --Sententiae by Publilius Syrus |
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A saying is any concisely written or spoken linguistic expression that is especially memorable for its meaning.
There are a number of specific types of saying:
- Aphorism – A saying that contains a general, observational truth; "a pithy expression of wisdom or truth".
- Adage, proverb, or saw – A widely-known or popular aphorism that has gained its credibility by virtue of long use.
- Apophthegm – "[A]n edgy, more cynical aphorism; such as, 'Men are generally more careful of the breed of their horses and dogs than of their children.'"
- Cliché or bromide – An unoriginal and overused saying.
- Platitude – A cliché unsuccessfully presented as though it were truly meaningful, original, or effective.
- Epigram – A clever and often poetic written saying that comments on a particular person, idea, or thing.
- Epitaph – A saying in honor of a dead person, often engraved on a headstone or plaque.
- Epithet – A descriptive word or saying widely already associated with a particular person, idea, or thing.
- Idiom – A non-literal saying; "an expression whose meaning can't be derived simply by hearing it, such as 'Kick the bucket.'"
- Mantra – A religious, mystical, or other spiritual saying that is repeated over and over, for example, in meditation.
- Maxim or gnome – (1) A instructional saying about a general principle or rule for behavior; or, simply, (2) an aphorism.
- Motto – A saying used frequently by an individual person or group to concisely state their general outlook or intentions.
- Quip – A clever or funny saying based on an observation.
- Witticism – A saying that is clever, and also usually funny, notable for its form or style just as much as (or more than) its content.
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Etymology
From Middle English seyen, seggen, from Old English secġan (“to say, speak”), from Proto-Germanic *sagjaną (“to say”), from Proto-Indo-European *sekʷ-, *sekʷe-, *skʷē- (“to tell, talk”). Cognate with West Frisian sizze (“to say”), Dutch zeggen (“to say”), German sagen (“to say”), Swedish säga (“to say”).
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See also
Unless indicated otherwise, the text in this article is either based on Wikipedia article "Saying" or another language Wikipedia page thereof used under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License; or on research by Jahsonic and friends. See Art and Popular Culture's copyright notice.
