The first manifestation of folk wisdom was reflected and carried through centuries by proverbs and sayings. They, like in grain, laid the culture of the great Russian soul. Probably, for this reason, all the great people with reverence for the wisdom and visual power of proverbs.
Reflection of the influence of proverbs on the work of great writers
The thematic diversity of proverbs is not the main, although very important, their dignity. Much more significant is how they express everyday life, on which side they characterize it. At one time, Nikolai Gogol, captivated by the global meaning of folk sayings, noted their subtlest way of expression. The writer was delighted with how the popular attitude was reflected through sayings: with irony, ridicule, reproach - all that stirs and hurts for the living. A saying is all-consuming passionate interest in everything related to the diverse life of Russian people.
Used the picturesque power of proverbs and sayings and Mikhail Saltykov-Shchedrin. If you open some of his works, you can find folk sayings interspersed in the text, which the writer characterized his heroes.
Ivan Krylov, Leo Tolstoy, Alexander Griboedov ... The creative heritage of these “pillars” of literature also testifies to the great worship of the wealth of Russian folklore. Or take, for example, Alexander Pushkin. His works, where he used and conveyed such a kind of folk wisdom as a proverb in verses, are unique combination high poetry with original folk art.
But not only the classics of Russian literature resorted to the use of the age-old wisdom of their ancestors. The popular contemporary writer Boris Akunin endows his characters with high intelligence and a fine knowledge of Russian folklore. In their lips, a saying is the voice of the people.
The eloquent language of proverbs and sayings
The splendor and accuracy of the proverbial sayings reflect the high morality of our ancestors. “Life is given for good deeds,” “Gold glistens in the mud,” “To have a friend — not to spare yourself.” Just a few examples, but each one contains the richness and purity of souls and thoughts.
There are examples with the predominant presentation of direct meaning: “Keep the secret word in your mouth”, “Bread will not be born if you don’t work in the field”. For each of them, both direct value and figurative can be applied. On the one hand, this is a confirmation of the importance of hard work and its results, on the other - a condemnation of laziness and idleness. As for the saying about the secret word, there is a direct indication of the importance of maintaining the secrecy of their main actions or actions.
The figurative and stylistic nature of proverbs
An insignificant, at first glance, replacement of words in expressions significantly changes their meaning. A proverb and a saying are the most accurate examples of such statements. As a sample - two versions of the proverb about the eagle and the falcon. “The king of birds - an eagle, be afraid of a falcon” - bears the tint of a light dependence of one feathered predator on another. Changing the second part to “the falcon is afraid”, you can radically change the meaning of the expression as a whole. In this version, the proverb has the decisive character of the statement of who is actually stronger. The semantic meaning is completely eliminated and the word "falcon" falls under logical stress .
Private figurative-stylistic use must be able to be distinguished from the general, in which a proverbial judgment gains independence, semantic and artistic formation. Proverbs and sayings are a vivid example of the richness of speech in general and a single word in particular.
Sayings for children as a method of cognition
Of great importance in the education of the younger generation is folk art. Without a deep knowledge of national culture, it is hardly possible to maintain the originality of the original Russian character in the future. Sayings for children are used as an example of the versatility of the talent of their ancestors.
For the most part, these are expressions about the seasons, about nature, about animals. The proverbs in children develop the definition of good and evil, courage and cowardice, truth and lies. The most famous and most frequently used - “Without labor, you can’t get a fish out of a pond.” It has grown more than one generation.
Jokes - a special kind of proverbial judgments
Joking scenes conveyed in the form of short dialogues: “Titus, go thresh. - The belly hurts. - Titus, go get some jelly. “Where is my big spoon?” - most accurately convey the attitude of a person to that kind of activity that is kind to him or objectionable for various reasons. It can be seen from the jokes that they possess all the properties of real proverbs. They are inseparable from associative application to objects only remotely related to them by direct meaning. Titus, a hunter of kissel, can serve as a condemning example in speech in characterizing other manifestations of laziness and pretense. A saying is ironic to the highest degree.
Proverbs-jokes significantly complement the usual types of proverbs and characterize folk speech from a very important side. They reflected the playfulness and irony of the mindset of the people - the highest expression of mature thinking.