What really are proverbs, where do they come from, how are they disseminated and what function do they have in modern society? Those are questions that are often asked when people reflect on the ...

Proverbs. They’re old-fashioned, folksy, pithy — and everywhere. From old chestnuts like “no pain, no gain” to sports wisdom like “the best offence is a good defence”, there seems to be a proverb for ...

Love is such a beautiful thing, and everyone has their own way of expressing it. Some people love songs or poetry, and some just use love quotes or even love proverbs to try and put that most ...

Geoff Nunberg is the linguist contributor on NPR's Fresh Air with Terry Gross. He is the author of the book The Way We Talk Now. Proverbs are like other traditions — they owe their longevity to how ...