We have all been targets of proverbial wisdom, particularly when we were young. A large part of the job of parenting in the old days was to bombard one’s offspring with warnings and advice in the form ...

You know more of the Bible than you think you do, I often remark to my students. Phrases such as “As a dog returns to its own vomit” or “spare the rod and spoil the child” are well-known in English as ...

If there's one thing the Scots excel at, it's offering advice – whether you think you need it or not. If you grew up with Scottish grandparents or elder relatives, you'll already know they have a ...