The Cultural Function of Proverbs and Jokes

Paper Summary:

A paper looking at how proverbs and jokes in English, as well as other languages, can be a great source of cultural insights and historical knowledge not found in grammars or guidebooks.

From the Paper:

"The proverb "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink" is exceedingly familiar to Americans, from schoolchildren to cosmopolitan sophisticates. The saying is so well known that writer Dorothy Parker, when challenged to create a witty saying using the word 'horticulture' ultimately quipped "You can lead a whore to culture, but you can't make her drink." This well-known anecdote proves the fact that the original proverb is deeply ingrained in the minds of American English speakers."

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