A Dictionary of American Proverbs

A Dictionary of American Proverbs is a treasury of more than 15,000 sayings, adages, and maxims commonly used in popular speech in the United States and Canada. As the first major collection of proverbs in the English language based on oral sources rather than written sources, it includes thousands of uniquely American proverbs that have never before been recorded as well as many thousands of traditional sayings that have found their way into American speech from classical, biblical, British, continental European, and American literature. This unparalleled collection will delight the general reader as well as the specialist. Collected here are nuggets of popular wisdom on all aspects of American life: weather, agriculture, geography, travel, money, business, food, neighbors, friends, manners, government, politics, law, health, education, religion, music, song, and dance. Field work on the Dictionary was conducted over thirty years under the direction of the Committee on Proverbial Sayings of the American Dialect Society and resulted in 15,000 records of proverbial texts which have been edited for this collection. The result is an invaluable reference for general readers and students, as well as cultural historians, folklorists, linguists, anthropologists, sociologists, and scholars of literature.

Review :
"Sets new standards for understanding the oral tradition in America."--Library Journal "This is an excellent, well-conceived document of a fast-changing and perhaps dying segment of our language. Recommended for reference sections."--Library Journal "A very interesting work. Certainly, it will be of greatest use to researchers of language and folklore, but it lends itself to browsing as well."--RBB/Booklist "Should be added to all public and academic library collections because of its unique sampling of spoken American proverbs."--Choice "Fills an especially vital need in word study....A superb dictionary that should enhance the reference department of any general library. Recommended."--Reference Book Review "Stands as an exemplary and indispensable reference work, an enjoyable and revealing cross-section of American 'folk wisdom'....Proverbs scholars throughout the world owe a debt of gratitude to its three editors, who have succeeded in bringing this mammoth undertaking to fruition."--Proverbium "This is a mammoth, most comprehensive collection and is required reading for scholars of literature, psychology, folklore, linguistics, anthropology, and cultural history."--Come-All-Ye "Amazing....Outstanding....This is a mammoth work which offers a variety of resources for students of literature, history, and rhetoric. It is a valuable text, carefully researched and documented."--Review and Expositor "Sets new standards for understanding the oral tradition in America."--Library Journal "This is an excellent, well-conceived document of a fast-changing and perhaps dying segment of our language. Recommended for reference sections."--Library Journal "A very interesting work. Certainly, it will be of greatest use to researchers of language and folklore, but it lends itself to browsing as well."--RBB/Booklist "Should be added to all public and academic library collections because of its unique sampling of spoken American proverbs."--Choice "Fills an especially vital need in word study....A superb dictionary that should enhance the reference department of any general library. Recommended."--Reference Book Review "Stands as an exemplary and indispensable reference work, an enjoyable and revealing cross-section of American 'folk wisdom'....Proverbs scholars throughout the world owe a debt of gratitude to its three editors, who have succeeded in bringing this mammoth undertaking to fruition."--Proverbium "This is a mammoth, most comprehensive collection and is required reading for scholars of literature, psychology, folklore, linguistics, anthropology, and cultural history."--Come-All-Ye "Amazing....Outstanding....This is a mammoth work which offers a variety of resources for students of literature, history, and rhetoric. It is a valuable text, carefully researched and documented."--Review and Expositor