Our Quiz Guy John Chaneski has a pretty good memory for adages and proverbs, but it’s not perfect. Here, he gives us some classic lines where the last word is off— like, for example, “a clear conscience is a soft willow.” This is part of a complete episode.
Transcript of “Adages from Memory Quiz”
You’re listening to A Way with Words, the show about language and how we use it.
I’m Martha Barnette.
And I’m Grant Barrett. And hey, there he is. It’s John Chaneski, our quiz guy. Hi, John.
Hi, John.
Hi, Grant. Hi, Martha.
What do you got there? Something easy, I hope?
Yeah, I think you’ll like this one.
I’m terrible at remembering adages and proverbs.
I always get the last word wrong.
Luckily, I can usually remember the cadence and the rhyme.
For example, there’s this old German proverb, a clear conscience is a soft willow.
Wait, that’s not quite right.
It’s a clear conscience is a soft willow.
No, no, it’s not willow.
It rhymes with willow.
That’s right.
A clear conscience is a soft pillow.
Yes.
Okay.
I like that.
I also like a soft pillow.
Who doesn’t?
So it’s with clear conscience that I share with you these proverbs from around the world.
Remember, the last word is wrong.
The appropriate word will rhyme with it.
Here we go.
Got it.
Here’s an Irish proverb.
A drink precedes a glory.
A drink precedes a story.
Yes, that’s right.
That’s what it is here.
Let me make a note of that to myself.
Very good.
A drink precedes a story.
Here’s a Persian proverb.
A broken hand works, but not a broken cart.
A broken hand works, but not a broken heart?
Yes, that’s very good.
That’s a bittersweet one there.
Yes, isn’t it?
Yeah.
An Irish proverb again.
A friend’s eye is a good clearer.
Steerer?
A friend’s eye is a good mirror.
Yes, a friend’s eye is a good mirror.
Martha, you’re good at proverbs.
That’s good.
How about this German proverb?
A teacher is better than two crooks.
Better than two books?
Yes, a teacher is better than two books.
Good as a book if you don’t have someone to help you with that.
Better than two crooks, too.
That’s true.
Either way, it works.
The Yiddish proverb.
All things grow with time except beef.
Grief?
Yes, all things grow with time except grief.
Nice.
Nicely done.
Scottish proverb.
Better wear out shoes than beets.
Than feets?
Feets?
Than streets.
No.
Than meets.
Than cleats.
I think this proverb means it’s better to be an active person than a lazy person.
Oh, than sheets.
Sheets.
Yes.
Better wear out shoes than sheets.
I don’t know.
I was going to say, I’m not arguing with that.
Well, it depends on what you’re doing with the sheets.
How about this African proverb?
Do not look where you fell, but where you crypt.
Tripped?
Yes.
No, well, try it again.
It’s close.
Do not look where you fell, but where you tripped?
It’s not that?
Not exactly tripped.
Slipped.
Slipped.
Slipped, yes.
Do not look where you fell, but where you slipped.
Very nice.
Here’s an English proverb.
He that seeks trouble never kisses.
No, never misses.
That’s right.
And finally, an Irish proverb.
Sweet is the wine, but sour is the claimant.
Sweet is the wine, but sour is the raiment.
You have sour clothing.
The claimant.
No, not raiment.
But sour is the claimant, did you say?
That’s why I said claimant, yeah.
And you said raiment and both those words were wrong.
Oh, the payment.
Yes.
Sweet is the wine, but sour is the payment.
Nice.
Very good.
Well, thank you, John.
Thank you, Martha.
Thank you, Grant.
All right.
And if you’d like to talk with us about any aspect of language at all, you can always give us a call at 877-929-9673 or send an email to words@waywordradio.org.
