3 nov 2011

Ur-Proverbs

In class yesterday we talked about ur-proverbs. The students had never seen the prefix ur- so that took a while to explain.

An ur-proverb would be a sort of "proverb-behind-the-proverb." We came up with several:


The individual is defined by the social group with which s/he is identified.

Life is unfair. Powerful people will have their way.

Older people are wiser.

Pragmatic intelligence (shrewdness) is extremely valuable.

People behave in predictable ways.

4 comentarios:

Denise Low dijo...

When I was a child, my father had a Penguin edition book of Leonard Wooley's book about Ur. It made me think a lot. Urs to you.

Leslie B. dijo...

Ur. City of Ur.

Have you seen Biutiful and if so, do you know of any review that comments on the character's name, which is Uxbal (Uxmal, Uqbal...?)

Vance Maverick dijo...

Some connection to Uqba, or to Tlön / Uqbar / Orbis Tertius?

Jonathan dijo...

I've just begun to watch Biutiful.