[Ads-l] "old" proverb?

[Jonathan Lighter]

Google Books traces it 'way back to 2005 - as allegedly "African."

An "old Bulgarian proverb," e.g., wouldn't have the same punch.

JL

On Wed, Feb 24, 2016 at 10:02 AM, Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at gmail.com>
wrote:

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> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at GMAIL.COM>
> Subject:      Re: "old" proverb?
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> As I suspected....
>
> JL
>
> On Wed, Feb 24, 2016 at 8:51 AM, Charles C Doyle <cdoyle at uga.edu> wrote:
>
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> > Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> > Poster:       Charles C Doyle <cdoyle at UGA.EDU>
> > Subject:      Re: "old" proverb?
> >
> >
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> > We could say it's a proverb, probably an Anglo-American proverb of the
> > pres=
> > ent century or so;  not "old."  The "African" aspect is problematical as
> > we=
> > ll.  In the first place, "African" covers a multitude of languages,
> > countri=
> > es, and cultures.  In the second place, there's a tendency to "attribute"
> > p=
> > roverbs, new or old, often to persons or places renowned for their
> > trenchan=
> > t wisdom--perhaps in an effort to enhance the perceived insightfulness or
> > a=
> > uthority of the saying.  We may compare the famous "It takes a village to
> > r=
> > aise a child":  It too is often called an African proverb, but no African
> > s=
> > ource or identity has been discovered.
> >
> > --Charlie
> >
> > ________________________________________
> > From: American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU> on behalf of
> > Jonath=
> > an Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at GMAIL.COM>
> > Sent: Wednesday, February 24, 2016 7:55 AM
> > To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> > Subject: "old" proverb?
> >
> >
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------=
> > ----
> >
> > Se. Cory Booker cites "the old African proverb,
> >
> > 'If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.'"
> >
> > Could be legit, but is it?
> >
> > JL=
> >
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