Abstract
This chapter focuses on mothers in Anglo-American anti-proverbs. To begin, the most frequently transformed proverb on mothers in our corpus, The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world, is discussed by means of its various mutations, many of which contest its meaning. Then the chapter addresses various qualities and stereotypical traits of character and behavior that mothers possess in Anglo-American anti-proverbs, many of which are derogatory and abusive. Finally, it deals with anti-proverbs exploring relationship between mothers and daughters.
For the reader’s convenience all anti-proverbs in this book are followed by their original forms, given in {} brackets.
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Notes
- 1.
The proverb comes after Behind every great [successful] man there is a woman and A man is as old as he feels , a woman as old as she looks , which are transformed 36 and 29 times respectively (see T. Litovkina and Mieder 2006: 103–105; 67–68, see also Sects. 2.7 and 2.8 above).
- 2.
A Greek surname.
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Litovkina, A.T. (2019). “On the Matrimonial Sea, the Hand That Rocks the Cradle Very Seldom Rocks the Boat”: Mothers as Revealed Through Anglo-American Anti-Proverbs. In: Women Through Anti-Proverbs. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-91198-4_8
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