People's Wisdom In
Italian Proverbs
Universal Knowledge, With Local Touch !
What would Italy be without italian proverbs ?
Perhaps, it would be like an image without the colors: it is still possible to see the details, but not so much to perceive its distinguishing character (don't get me wrong, I love B&W pictures - they can be very... artistic).
You see the point here: traditions are the customs of peoples, throughout the space and the time.
Italian proverbs (like all the proverbs) contain that universal, irrefutable wisdom that the wit of peasants and population in general have condensed in few words that sound like riddles, sometimes, or like theorems which are invariably demonstrated.
The beauty of the proverbs is that, no matter where you hear them, in which Country or from which culture, you can always find some
common ground.
I am sure that the proverbs collected here might sound very familiar to some cultures, while they might be perceived as totally odd by some others.
Fact is, if you really want to go to the essence of the "living history", that is - to me- the very people that walk the ground exactly where their ancestors did, in Italy like anywhere else, you need to listen to the people, period.
Sometimes, listening to proverbs, I am astonished by their seemingly everlasting value: they are a demonstration that we all sit on top of Giant's shoulders, our fathers and the ones that came before them.
Now, now, no reason to be melodramatic (it's proverbs, after all...).
I have here collected a number of typical proverbs from Italy, listing them by region, hoping that you can discover more about the traditions and culture of the Boot or that you can simply have a laugh !
You are very welcome to SHARE YOUR PROVERB (italian or not), that will surely add to the experience of the other readers and to our spirit at I-T.Com ! :-)
Regional Wit
As a guide through the different italian proverbs, I have thought it reasonable to divide them based on their regions "of origin", or simply where they are mostly used!
Click on the links below to read through them, region by region.
I will keep adding and updating this sections, so make sure you are registered to the Italian-Traditions.Com Blog / RSS feed to receive info on the latest updates.
Good reading ! :-)
Proverbs From...
Tuscany
Lombardy
What is YOUR Favorite Proverb ?
Do you know a GREAT proverb? Share it!
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