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If known, their origins are noted. A proverbial phrase or expression is a type of conventional saying similar to a proverb and transmitted by oral tradition. The difference is that a proverb is a fixed expression , while a proverbial phrase permits alterations to fit the grammar of the context.
The anthropologist Lynne Isbell has argued that, as primates, the serpent as a symbol of death is built into our unconscious minds because of our evolutionary history.. Isbell argues that for millions of years snakes were the only significant predators of primates, and that this explains why fear of snakes is one of the most common phobias worldwide and why the symbol of the serpent is so ...
The ouroboros is often interpreted as a symbol for eternal cyclic renewal or a cycle of life, death and rebirth; the snake's skin-sloughing symbolises the transmigration of souls. The snake biting its own tail is a fertility symbol in some religions: the tail is a phallic symbol and the mouth is a yonic or womb-like symbol.
Size dimorphisms are common in snakes; females tend to be larger in populations where the production of large liters is feasible. Males tend to be larger in mating systems in which male-male competition is a large factor. [33] Hydrophiid snakes, otherwise known as sea snakes, have only recently evolved from terrestrial elapids. [34]
The phrase "speaks with a forked tongue" means to deliberately say one thing and mean another or, to be hypocritical, or act in a duplicitous manner. In the longstanding tradition of many Native American tribes, "speaking with a forked tongue" has meant lying, and a person was no longer considered worthy of trust, once he had been shown to ...
The use of serpents in Aztec art ranges greatly from being an inclusion in the iconography of important religious figures such as Quetzalcoatl and Cōātlīcue, [2] to being used as symbols on Aztec ritual objects, [3] and decorative stand-alone representations which adorned the walls of monuments such as the Templo Mayor.
The snakes portrayed are nonvenomous European grass snakes, except for the two snakes on the right side of her head which are vipers. [6] Vipers are a medieval symbol of ungratefulness. [6] In Greek mythology, Medusa is portrayed as having venomous snakes for hair. [7] The vipers are shown mating with the female having the male's head in her mouth.
A saying is any concise expression that is especially memorable because of its meaning or style. A saying often shows a wisdom or cultural standard, having different meanings than just the words themselves. [1] Sayings are categorized as follows: Aphorism: a general, observational truth; "a pithy expression of wisdom or truth". [2]