[Ads-l] Fish proverb

[ADSGarson O'Toole]

"The Dictionary of Modern Proverbs" contains a pertinent entry for
this fish proverb with citations beginning in 1921. Further below I
present citations for a version of this saying beginning in 1891.

[ref] 2012, The Dictionary of Modern Proverbs, Compiled by Charles
Clay Doyle, Wolfgang Mieder, and Fred R. Shapiro, Quote Page 79, Yale
University Press, New Haven. (Verified with hardcopy) [/ref]

[Begin excerpt]
A fish wouldn't get caught if it kept its mouth shut.

1921 T. J. R[uddy], "Gossip Is a Form of Insanity," Western Osteopath
16, no. 5 (Oct.) 41: "This man in turn was threatening a slander suit.
Perhaps he was justified, but we all can agree with the editor of Whiz
Bang [Wilford H. Fawcett?] that 'Even a fish won't get caught if it
keeps its mouth shut.'"
[End excerpt]

This saying/quip can be expressed in many ways which makes searching
difficult. Here is an instance:

[ref] 1891 November 18, The Yonkers Statesman, Whim-Whams, Quote Page
2, Column 4, Yonkers, New York. (Newspapers_com) [/ref]
https://www.newspapers.com/image/675805270/?terms=fish&match=1

[Begin excerpt]
Man is a good deal like a fish. You know, the fish would never get in
very serious trouble if it kept its mouth shut.
[End excerpt]

Other periodicals such as "Puck" and "The York Dispatch" reprinted
this saying while acknowledging "The Yonkers Statesman".

[ref] 1891 December 9, Puck, Section: The Pretty Typewriter, Quote
Page 283, Column 2, Keppler & Schwarzmann, Puck Building, New York.
(Google Books Full View) link [/ref]
https://www.google.com/books/edition/Puck/k7MiAQAAMAAJ?gbpv=1&bsq=%22like%20a%20fish%22

[Begin excerpt]
Man is a good deal like a fish. You know, the fish would never get in
very serious trouble if it kept its mouth shut. —Yonkers Statesman.
[End excerpt]

[ref] 1891 December 14, The York Dispatch, City Happenings, Pickings,
Quote Page 4, Column 1, York, Pennsylvania. (Newspapers_com) [/ref]
https://www.newspapers.com/image/614558660/?terms=trouble&match=1

[Begin excerpt]
Man is a good deal like a fish. You know, the fish would never get in
very serious trouble if it keeps its mouth shut. —Yonkers Statesman.
[End excerpt]

Garson

On Fri, Jan 9, 2026 at 4:16 PM Jonathan Lighter
<00001aad181a2549-dmarc-request at listserv.uga.edu> wrote:
>
> Rev. Al Sharpton on _Deadline White House_ (MSNOW TV) today:
>
> I always quote, a wise man told me, "A fish wouldn't get caught if they
> kept their _mouth shut_."
>
> Note too "they" applied to a fish (instead of "its").
>
> JL
> --
> "If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the truth."
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

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The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org