Concept in Definition ABC

In the language Every day we use many expressions or set phrases to communicate ideas. These expressions are known as popular sayings or sayings. They all share a common characteristic: their sense literal and their real meanings are not coincident (for example, if I say "every madman with the subject of him" I am not referring to any madman).

Each saying has a particular origin and a history of its own. In some cases, the Author of them but in most cases they are anonymous expressions that belong to the collection cultural of a country or a language. There are studies on their origin, dictionaries that classify them by subject or linguists who analyze the function of sayings in language.

The concept of the saying has something of a joke and witty wit. They are used to illustrate an idea in a certain context. For example, if I want to reaffirm myself in my words, I can use the saying "to what is done, chest" or if I get angry with someone because he has done something very wrong I can say that "I'm going to sing forty". If we use a saying we have to know exactly what it means, when it should be used, and not forget that foreigners are not familiar with it.

Sayings and other similar concepts

A saying or phrase is not the same as a saying and a proverb is not the same as a phrase. In this sense, there is a great variety of concepts that have a certain similarity with the sayings: proverbs, aphorisms, phrases, maxims or idioms. A proverb is a sentence of popular origin that pretends to convey a teaching (A journey of a thousand kilometers begins with a simple step is a well-known oriental proverb). An aphorism is a sentence that summarizes a complex idea (virtue is in the middle). As for the phrases, there are adverbial (it came suddenly), adjectives (flag woman) and also nominal or verbal phrases. The maxim has a content moral or intellectual (for example, the famous statement by Descartes I think, therefore I am). An idiom is a expression descriptive very similar to the saying (for example, be a pig). The difference between these concepts is not always obvious, as most of them have common characteristics.

examples of popular sayings in everyday language

The world related to the sea is full of sayings: "under full sail", "afloat" or "with the water around your neck", among many others.

The bullfighting has contributed diverse sayings that are used in daily situations ("to be to the remove", "to give long" or "to throw a cape").

If something is indifferent to us, we can say "neither fu nor fa". If someone is a very restless person, someone will be able to say about him that "he is an ass with a bad seat". If something is obvious and totally logical, it is said to be "drawer". There are people who have the habit of not paying his expenses when they go with friends and it is said that he is a "freeloader" or that he "goes in a cap" (it is believed that this saying comes from the old students in Spain, who wore a cap and had a habit of sneaking into parties to eat and drink free).

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