Saying

A saying is any concisely written or spoken expression that is especially memorable because of its meaning or style. Sayings are categorized as follows:

• Aphorism: a general, observational truth; “a pithy expression of wisdom or truth”.
  • Adage, proverb, or saw: a widely known or popular aphorism that has gained credibility by long use or tradition.
  • Apophthegm: “an edgy, more cynical aphorism; such as, ‘Men are generally more careful of the breed of their horses and dogs than of their children.'”
• Cliché or bromide: an unoriginal and overused saying.
  • Platitude: a cliché that is unsuccessfully presented as though it were meaningful, original, or effective.

Saying in Thought Bubbles

• Epigram: a clever and often poetic written saying that comments on a specific person, idea, or thing; it especially denominates such a saying that is conspicuously put at the beginning of a text.
• Epitaph: a saying in honor of a decedent, often engraved on a headstone or plaque.
• Epithet: a descriptive word or saying already widely associated with a specific person, idea, or thing.
• Idiom: a saying that has only a non-literal interpretation; “an expression whose meaning can’t be derived simply by hearing it, such as ‘Kick the bucket.'”
  • Four-character idiom:
    • Chengyu: Chinese four-character idioms
    • Sajaseong-eo: Korean form of four-character idioms
    • Yojijukugo: Japanese form of four-character idioms

In Tibet, many Buddhists carve mantras into rocks as a form of devotion.

• Mantra: a religious, mystical, or other spiritual saying that is repeated, for example, in meditation.
• Maxim: (1) an instructional expression of a general principle or rule of morality or (2) simply a synonym for “aphorism”; they include:
  • Brocards
  • Gnomes
  • Legal maxims
• Motto: a saying used frequently by a person or group to summarize its general mission.
  • Slogan: a motto with the goal of persuading.
• Quip: a clever or humorous saying based on an observation.
• Witticism: a saying that is clever and usually humorous, and notable for its form or style just as much as, or more than, its meaning.

References

• Randall, Bernice (1991). When is a Pig a Hog?: A Guide to Confoundingly Related English Words. New York: Galahad Books.
• Rovin, Jeff (1994). What’s the Difference? A Compendium of Commonly Confused and Misused Words. New York: Ballantine Books.

Adapted from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia