Lessons 15 · 1 lessons · B. Mengliyev, Sh. Toshmirzayeva, S. Atoyeva, S. Majidova. Ona tili (Uzbek language), Grade 11, Part 2. “O‘qituvchi” publishing and printing creative house, Tashkent, 2020
15
Using a proverb appropriately
Textbook: Part 2, pp. 51–54
GoalKnow the features of a proverb as a language unit and use it appropriately to suit the speech situation.
A proverb is a compact genre of folk oral art and also a ready-made unit of the language: a wise sentence with a complete thought. It is used ready-made and its composition is not changed. Because a proverb expresses a particular life situation, proverbs sometimes seem to contradict each other: “Temirni qizig‘ida bos” (strike while the iron is hot) urges quick action, while “Yetti o‘lchab, bir kes” (measure seven times, cut once) calls for caution; both are right in their place. In speech a proverb is cited to draw a conclusion, to support an idea or to strengthen advice, and sometimes it softens criticism, working as a euphemism. A quoted proverb is put in quotation marks like direct speech: «Yetti o‘lchab, bir kes», – dedi ustoz, or Ustoz dedi: «Yetti o‘lchab, bir kes» (The teacher said: “Measure seven times, cut once”). A proverb that does not fit the situation, or too many of them, makes speech artificial.
Worked examples
Before starting the project Sardor consulted his team for a long time: “Measure seven times, cut once”, his grandfather used to say. When the work heated up, to avoid wasting time he said: “Strike while the iron is hot”.
Euphemism function: instead of telling a friend bluntly “You are being wasteful”, saying “Stretch your legs according to your blanket, my friend” (live within your means) is softer.
Class activity
“Proverb – situation”: the class splits into two teams; one reads a description of a situation, the other finds a fitting proverb and explains why it fits.
Practice
1
State the main features of a proverb as a language unit.
Compact, complete in thought, used ready-made, its composition does not change.
2
Find the proverb that fits: “If team members do not work together, there will be no result.”
“Bir qo‘ldan tovush chiqmas” (one hand cannot clap).
3
Replace the proverb with a plain statement: “Akam xarid qilishda «Ko‘rpangga qarab oyoq uzat» maqolini eslab, kutdi”.
“My brother, remembering that one should spend according to one’s income, waited with the purchase.”
4
Why can two seemingly contradictory proverbs both be right?
Because each belongs to its own situation: one suits a case needing quick action, the other one needing caution.