Saying
A saying "is a brief current or habitual expression of whatever form," Webster’s
A saying "is a brief current or habitual expression of whatever form," Webster’s
A saying is any concisely written or spoken linguistic expression that is especially memorable because of its meaning or structure.
There are a number of specific types of sayings:
pithy: succint, meaty, substantial, axiomatic - concise - crisp - epigrammatic - short - soft - succinct - to the point ...
- Aphorism – A saying that contains a general, observational truth; "a pithy (succinct) expression of wisdom or truth".[1][page needed]
- Adage, proverb, or saw – A widely known or popular aphorism that has gained its credibility by virtue of long use.
- Apophthegm – "[A]n edgy (trouble maker), more cynical aphorism; such as, 'Men are generally more careful of the breed of their horses and dogs than of their children.'"[2]
- Cliché or bromide – An unoriginal and overused saying.
- Platitude – A cliché unsuccessfully presented as though it were truly meaningful, original, or effective.
- Epigram – A clever and often poetic written saying that comments on a particular person, idea, or thing.
- Epitaph – A saying in honor of a dead person, often engraved on a headstone or plaque.
- Epithet – A descriptive word or saying already widely associated with a particular person, idea, or thing.
- Idiom – A saying that has only a non-literal interpretation; "an expression whose meaning can't be derived simply by hearing it, such as 'Kick the bucket.'"[2]
- Four-character idiom
- Chengyu – Chinese four-character idioms
- Sajasungoh – Korean form of four-character idioms
- Yojijukugo – Japanese form of four-character idioms
- Four-character idiom
- Mantra – A religious, mystical, or other spiritual saying that is repeated over and over, for example, in meditation.
- Maxim or gnome – (1) An instructional saying about a general principle or rule for behavior; or, simply, (2) an aphorism.
- Motto – A saying used frequently by an individual person or group to concisely state their general outlook or intentions.
- Quip – A clever or funny saying based on an observation.
- Witticism – A saying that is clever, and also usually funny, notable for its form or style just as much as (or more than) its content.
Aphorism – A concise definition, notably memorable.
Adage – An aphorism that has gained credibility by virtue of long use.
Proverb – An expression of practical truth or wisdom.
The three words are not interchangeable, in that a given saying might qualify for one or two of the categories but not the others. For example, proverb "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink" may also be termed an adage, but does not rise to the level of aphorism.
The most concise statement of differences I've seen is from Wikipedia's "Adage" article:
Some adages are products of folk wisdom that attempt to summarize some of the basic truth; these are generally known as proverbs or bywords. An adage that describes a general rule of conduct is a "maxim". A pithy expression that has not necessarily gained credit through long use, but is distinguished by particular depth or good style is an aphorism, while one distinguished by wit or irony is an epigram.Something I noticed reading in Wikipedia that I have not seen mentioned in your posts is that an aphorism is a an "original" statement. That alone seems to help easily distinguish it among the others. Example: Carpe diem... which is original in that we know the author of the statement was Horace from the poem Odes 23 BC. But it is short, concise, memorable, from antiquity, commonly used and understood broadly even though it is still quoted in its original language. It is formal and philosophical, yet practical. I think it could fit all the categories that we have been discussing. What do you think?
