The meaning of the proverb is "Without a tongue and a bell in it." How to understand this expression?

Proverbs and sayings are wise sayings authored by people or individuals (writers, poets, etc.). Each proverb has its own meaning. It can be direct and portable. Unlike proverbs, proverbs have a deeper and more general morality. All peoples of the world have their wise sayings.

Russian proverbs and sayings

From the 17th century, collections of proverbs began to be created, which were presented in the form of manuscripts.

Separate proverbs are found in ancient Russian writing. There are wise sayings born of folklore. There are also proverbs borrowed from fables and other artistic works, as well as religious sources.

In Russia there are a huge number of different wise judgments. Here are some of them: “Without an owner, an orphan’s yard”, “Plowing on time, sowing on time - the crop will be high”, “You won’t fill a bottomless barrel with water”, “Thrift is more expensive than profit”, “Take more, throw further”, “Without the tongue and the bell of it. " The meaning of phraseology in each case is very deep. All sayings are filled with wise content.

Ancient proverb "Without a tongue and a bell in it"

This proverb has been around for many years. It deals with the language and the bell. Language here appears in two senses - both in the concept of a device suspended from the axis of the dome that excites sound upon impact, and in the concept of the human language, namely the role played by the development of speech in human life. If in the literal sense, then the proverb refers to the fact that without a special device that extracts sound, the bell will be silent.

By itself, it is just a simple metal object. However, the meaning of the proverb “Without a tongue and a bell in it” is, of course, deeper than a simple statement of fact. The analogy of bell ringing with human speech is not without reason. In order to understand why the proverb refers to the bell, you need to delve a little into the topic of the history of its development.

The history of the bell

The bell is the oldest musical instrument. There is even a whole science studying bells - campanology. Over the centuries, this tool has played a very important role in all areas of society: cultural, political, religious and social. If now they are mainly used in the church, before the bells sounded in many situations in life.

The bell ringing warned the townspeople about danger, attacks and fires, with an alarming ring, he escorted the soldiers to the battle, solemnly - met the winners, joyful - notified the hours of the celebrations, sad - accompanied the last way. What does it mean: without a tongue and a bell in it? A silent bell, like a dumb person, cannot convey information to the ears of others.

In Russia, ringing was one of the most significant cultural phenomena. Its main purpose, of course, was associated with the Orthodox Divine Service, however, this sound accompanied people in many other everyday situations. It is not for nothing that the ancient proverb is talking about this tool, because its role in society was very great.

The meaning of the proverb “Without a tongue and a bell in it”

The essence of the proverb is that as a bell is mute without its own tongue, so is a man without speech.

Of course, there are people with disabilities who can communicate in sign language, and they cannot be compared with a useless bell without ringing, but without the development of speech, it would be difficult for humanity to achieve such progress in the development of culture, science and technology. Human speech is the main communication tool. With its help, we communicate with each other, convey our thoughts. And how can you imagine folk art (songs, ditties, poems, etc.) without the ability to pronounce any sounds?

The meaning of the proverb “Without a tongue and a bell in it” also lies in the fact that if you want to hear the answer, you first need to ask a question. Whoever says nothing, no one hears. Since we have been given such a “body tool” as language, we need to use it skillfully.

If you will clearly and distinctly convey your thoughts to others, and not wait until they themselves figure out everything, it will be easier for you to live in this world. Just as bell ringing in the old days reported all the events taking place in the surrounding reality, so human speech is intended to communicate and exchange information, as well as share your knowledge, thoughts and feelings.

What else are the proverbs about the language

The meaning of the proverb “Without a tongue and a bell in it” is also seen in other sayings about language and speech. For example, “The language leads the squad”, “Small is the language, but it owns the whole body”, “A living word is more expensive than a dead letter”, “A child will not cry, a mother will not hear”, etc. They are all folded in honor of such an important communication tool as a human speech. Along with these proverbs, there are others, for example: “A tongue without bones - grinds”, “Good silence is better than thin grunt”. These sayings teach us to speak our language competently, not to talk in vain, i.e. use speech for good, not harm.

Conclusion

The meaning of the proverb “Without a tongue and a bell in it”, as well as other wise utterances, allows us to better understand the obvious things. With the help of these short, but accurate phrases, you can express all the folk wisdom accumulated over the centuries. No wonder the proverbs and sayings have so firmly entered our lives. Absolutely for every everyday occasion, you can choose more than one wise saying that most accurately describes the essence of what is happening. Proverbs and sayings are a spiritual heritage that helps us better understand the laws of life. We must keep and protect this treasure, inherited from our ancestors.