Shestak Y.S.

Eurasian National University named after L.N. Gumilev

Old and Young Age in English and Russian Proverbs

Each society has its own traditionally formed attitude to age, youth, old age, birth, maturity, death. This is reflected in myths, fairy tales, proverbs, fiction.

Such concept as “age” plays an important role in conceptualization of the world whereas on the basis of representations, knowledge, assessment connected with the age periods of human life, there occurs perception of various events of reality.

Each age period associates with certain physical, mental and social characteristics of people. We have compared proverbs characterizing the old and the young age of people, as these units represent indubitable interest to researchers.

The old age is painful age of losses and wear and tear of organism. The old age is associated with something unpleasant and disastrous. Psychologists use such figurative descriptions of the old age, as: “the margin of life”, “time of survival”. The most frequent roles for elderly people are “an unpromising child”, “a fretful, protesting, giving a dare child”, "a timid, guilty, adapting child”. Nevertheless, pessimistic opinions of an old age and old men are not distinguished among scientists. Many elderly people not only keep a high intellectual potential, working capacity and professional competence for a long time, but also reach the peak of wisdom.

The image of “a wise aged man” and “a wise elderly woman” are very popular. Old men get the special influence and become the ruling top of a society. Wisdom of the senior generation was considered as the basis of well-being of the society: Без старых не проживешь; От совета старых людей голова не болит; Учат добру не дураки, а старики.

As to the youth, the language material allows to speak that the senior generation treats young people badly in connection with immaturity, inexperience and foolishness of young men; the youth is also connected with concept of a sin in national consciousness. On the other hand, the youth is the wealth which value is comprehended by people with the lapse of time; the youth gives to people freedom, possibility to choose; the youth is innocent and physically beautiful.

If a person possesses something in his youth, in his old age this gets more expressed forms. For example: Смолоду прорешка – под старость дыра; Старого пса к цепи не приучишь; an English one: You can’t teach an old dog new tricks. It is more often talked about sincere, moral qualities. Proverbs underline that with age there occurs stiffness of character, and it is not necessary to expect changes of a person. For example: Смолоду ворона по поднебесью не летала, не полетит и под старость; Не научил плетью, а дубиной не научишь (т.е. под старость). The analysis of phraseological units gives the opportunity to determine, from the one hand, close interrelation of two age periods of a person, for example: Смолоду наживай, а под старость проживай; Молод не добесится, так стар с ума сойдет; and from the other hand, the change of person’s attitude to himself and to the world according to his age. For example: Чем молодой похваляется, тем старый остужается (стыдится); Чего в детстве просим, то под старость бросим.

Despite any disadvantage of young age, this period represents the greatest value, and this value becomes obvious with the lapse of time. For example: Только бы помолодеть, а уж знал бы как состарится; Молодости не воротить, а старости не избыть.

In Russian and English consciousness the old age can have anthropomorphous features, it is figuratively compared to a living person. The old age can come, sneak up unapparently, come nearer to a person, be late, impend.

A proverb is one of the major sources disclosing the attitude to authority of old men. Russian proverbs underline knowledge of life and wisdom of an old person: Старик — да лучше семерых молодых; Молодость плечами покрепче, а старость – головой. So do the English proverbs: As the old cock crows, so does the young; When young is beautiful, when old is clever.

Continuity plays a great role in both Russian and English societies, accumulation of experience and transfers it to the following generations. Old men are the main authorities in keeping of moral-aesthetic traditions, experts of folklore and keepers of historical knowledge, therefore young people treat the old ones with respect. The English proverbs: Fox is not taken twice in the same snare; Old birds are not caught with chaff; Old dog barks not in vain. The Russian ones: Старый конь мимо не ступит; Старый пес на ветер не лает; Старого воробья на мякине не проведешь.

However, both Russian and English languages have many proverbs containing another attitude to an old age. The Russian proverbs: Мал — да умен, стар — да глуп; Из ума выжить; одуреть годами; Старость – не радость; the English ones: The old age will not save from stupidity; The young man though poor, is cheerful, the old man though rich, is sullen.

The analysis of phraseological units confirms that the human perception can depend on mental structures, ways of thinking (exactness / abstractness), features of communicative behaviour (courtesy / discourtesy), and the attitude to the concept of time in different cultures.

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