What are aphorisms and proverbs?

There are many creative ways to get a point across – and two of those ways are through aphorisms and proverbs. Both are often conflated with each other, and do have some similarities, which is why this blog post will outline the main differences and examples of the two. 

There are also idioms which are sometimes bundled in, however these are shorter phrases not necessarily derived from individual words, but still commonly understood through everyday usage – check out the other Impish Fen article about them to learn more!

What are aphorisms?

Aphorisms can be found in many literary (and even conversational) contexts, and are little principles about everyday life. Often thought-provoking and needing a deeper look under the surface to get the full meaning of the phrase, aphorisms usually originate from religious writings, literary texts or even political manifestos. 

Often, aphorisms become paraphrased from their original structure and then become intermeshed with everyday sayings, in some cases being more prevalent and recognisable than their places of origin. 

Examples of aphorisms

The phrase ‘Whatever a man sows, that he will also reap’ from the Bible has become an aphorism in ‘you reap what you sow’ – a much more direct retelling of the original phrasing. Ideas that may be difficult to grasp otherwise can be communicated in a clear and curter way using aphorisms, however sometimes there can be confusion as aphorisms still use wordplay rather than directly stating ‘actions have consequences’. 

Another aphorism, attributed to Mahatma Gandhi – though actually a paraphrasing of an earlier letter written by St Augustine of Hippo – is ‘Hate the sin and love the sinner’ to mean that even though people may perform the wrong actions, this shouldn’t be a criticism of themselves as a person. Looking deeper, an argument begins to form about compassion, the judicial system and other factors much bigger than the initial phrasing!

There is often overlap between an aphorism and a truism – basic phrases that are common sense – but the paradoxical nature of aphorisms allow for interpretation of the phrase and philosophical readings to be present.

What are proverbs?

Able to be used as part of longer sentences or in a conversational response, proverbs are traditional sayings which divulge truths, advice or warnings. They are used as memorable reminders, life advice and otherwise helpful metaphorical quips to communicate a message. They are also known as adages!

Proverbs can also be comedic and wry – with early examples coming from Greek philosophers keen to use them to highlight the human condition. They are much more colloquial and slip into everyday speech more seamlessly, but are difficult to find origins for the majority of the time due to their wide usage.

Examples of proverbs

Will you ‘bite the hand that feeds?’ If so, you’d be showing disdain to people who had previously supported you, and also using a perfect example of a proverb! You could also ‘lead a horse to water, but can’t make it drink’ to mean that you can offer help, but the person you are helping is under no obligation to accept it.

It’s better to burn out than to fade away…

That was an article all about the magic of proverbs and aphorisms, as well as some examples. It’s likely that you have already or may soon hear one in the wild – but now you know more about them, you can start slipping them into conversation to sound like a wise old sage.