Arabic-L:LING:Proverb Responses

[Dilworth B. Parkinson]

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Arabic-L: Wed 08 Dec 1999
Moderator: Dilworth Parkinson <dilworth_parkinson at byu.edu>
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-------------------------Directory-------------------------------------

1) Subject: Proverb Response
2) Subject: Proverb Response
3) Subject: Proverb Response
4) Subject: Proverb Response

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1)
Date: 08 Dec 1999
From: Jackie Murgida <jmurg at star.net>
Subject: Proverb Response

I heard this in English before I ever studied Arabic or knew any Arabs:
"When you point at someone you're pointing three fingers at yourself."

HTH
Jackie

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2)
Date: 08 Dec 1999
From: Mark Van Mol <Mark.VanMol at ilt.kuleuven.ac.be>
Subject: Proverb Response

About the proverb query.  I heard from Moroccans.  It means that when a
person is telling bad things of another person, he in fact is pointing at
himself telling that he himself is three times worse on that specific
point.  It is a way to discourage people to talk bad about other people and
to comfort people who claim that something bad is told about them.  It is
more a saying than a proverb.  I do not remember anymore the exact way in
which it was told.

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3)
Date: 08 Dec 1999
From: Bethany Zaborowski <zaborowb at gusun.georgetown.edu>
Subject: Proverb Response

Regarding this query, I heard this proverb as a child in Sunday school,
and never heard of it in relation to Arabic.  This is not to say there is
not an Arabic proverb too, but I definitely heard it many years before I
started my Arabic studies!
B. Zaborowski

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4)
Date: 08 Dec 1999
From: armtc <armtc at casema.net>
Subject: Proverb Response

I know the proverb from my own language, i.e. Dutch. (However, I must admit
that I could not find it in any dictionary so far.) I use the expression
when I try to make clear that it makes no sense accusing someone, because
the accusation always refers (in a way) to yourself as well. Furthermore,
pointing fingers at someone is very impolite.

Best regards,

Matanja Bauer

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End of Arabic-L: 08 Dec 1999