This book is the first comparative study of English, German, French, Russian and Hungarian anti-proverbs based on well-known proverbs. Proverbs are by no means fossilized texts but are adaptable to different times and changed values. While anti-proverbs can be considered as variants of older proverbs, they can also become new proverbs reflecting a more modern worldview. Anti-proverbs are therefore a lingo-cultural phenomenon that deserves the attention of cultural and literary historians, folklorists, linguists, and general readers interested in language and wordplay.
Author(s): Anna T. Litovkina, Hrisztalina Hrisztova-Gotthardt, Péter Barta, Katalin Vargha, Wolfgang Mieder
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan
Year: 2022
Language: English
Pages: 262
City: Cham
Preface
Acknowledgments
Contents
1: The Comparative Study of Anti-Proverbs: An Introduction
1.1 Contradictory Proverbs
1.2 Doubts Concerning the Truth of Proverbs
1.3 Proverbs and Anti-Proverbs: Background of Research and Terminology
1.4 Occurrence of Anti-Proverbs
1.5 Sources and Variants
1.6 Proverbs Most Popular for Variation
1.7 Structures Popular in Proverbs and Anti-Proverbs
1.8 Anti-Proverbs with International Distribution
1.9 Aim and Organization of the Book
1.10 Selection of Material for the Book
References
Part I: Types of Proverb Alterations
2: Addition in Anti-Proverbs
2.1 Adding a New Sound
2.2 Adding Two or Three Sounds
2.3 Adding a New Word
2.4 Addition Longer Than a Word, But Shorter Than a Clause
2.5 Insertion of a One- or Several-Clauses-Long Comment
2.6 Wellerisms
2.7 Tom Swifties
2.8 Addition of One or Several Separate Sentences
2.9 Addition Before the Original Text of a Proverb
2.10 Expanding a Proverb Both at the Beginning and the End
References
3: Omission in Anti-Proverbs
3.1 Omission of One Sound
3.2 Omission of Two or Three Sounds
3.3 Omission of One Word
3.4 Omission of Two or Three Words
3.5 Truncation of the Original Proverb
3.6 Omission of a Punctuation Mark
3.7 Mere Allusion to the Original Proverb
References
4: Substitution in Anti-Proverbs
4.1 The Exchange of Two Sounds or Groups of Sounds Within a Proverb
4.2 Word-Order Reversal
4.3 Change in the Punctuation Mark
4.4 Substitution of One Sound
4.5 Substitution of Two Sounds
4.6 Substituting a Single Word
4.7 Substituting One Word by Two or More Words
4.8 Substituting Two or More Words
4.9 Changing the Second Part of the Proverb
4.10 Changing the First Part of the Proverb
References
5: Blending of Proverbs
5.1 Proverbs Most Commonly Used for Blending
5.2 Blending of Two Proverbs
5.2.1 Blending of the Beginning of One Proverb with the Ending of Another Proverb
5.2.2 Blending of the First Halves of Two Proverbs
5.2.3 Blending of the Second Halves of Two Proverbs
5.2.4 Blending of Proverbs with a Common Component or the Same Structure
5.2.5 Blending of the First or the Second Part of One Proverb with the Entire Text of Another Proverb
5.2.6 Blending of Two Entire Proverbs
5.3 Blending Proverbs with Idioms, Sayings, or Proverbial Phrases
5.4 Blending of Three or More Proverbs
5.5 Syllogism
References
Part II: Anti-Proverbs and Verbal Humor
1.1 References
6: Punning in Anti-Proverbs
6.1 Paronyms
6.2 Homonymous and Polysemous Words
6.3 Homophones
6.4 Other Types of Puns
6.4.1 Modification of Word Boundaries
6.4.2 Play upon Proper Nouns
6.4.3 Bilingual (or “Macaronic”) Puns
6.4.4 Double Puns
6.4.5 Triple or Quadruple Puns
References
7: Further Humor Devices as Used in Anti-Proverbs
7.1 Repeating Identical or Phonetically Similar Words
7.1.1 Repeating Identical Words
7.1.2 Repetition of Homonymous or Polysemous Words
7.1.3 Repeating Similar-Sounding Words
7.2 Adding Literal Interpretations
7.3 Rhyme
7.4 Miscellaneous
References
8: Summary and Implications for Further Research
8.1 Summary
8.2 Implications for Further Research13
References
Index
