More constructively, Wolfgang Mieder has proposed the following definition, "A proverb is a short, generally known sentence of the folk which contains wisdom, truth, morals, and traditional views in a metaphorical, fixed, and memorizable form and which is handed down from generation to generation".p. 5. Wolfgang Mieder. 1993. "The wit of one, and the wisdom of many: General thoughts on the nature of the proverb. Proverbs are never out of season: Popular wisdom in the modern age 3–40. Oxford University Press. To distinguish proverbs from idioms, cliches, etc., Norrick created a table of distinctive features, an abstract tool originally developed for linguistics.p. 73. Neil Norrick. 1985. How Proverbs Mean: Semantic Studies in English Proverbs. Amsterdam: Mouton. Prahlad distinguishes proverbs from some other, closely related types of sayings, "True proverbs must further be distinguished from other types of proverbial speech, e.g. proverbial phrases, Wellerisms, maxims, quotations, and proverbial comparisons."p. 33. Sw. Anand Prahlad. 1996. African-American Proverbs in Context. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi. Based on Persian proverbs, Zolfaghari and Ameri propose the following definition: "A proverb is a short sentence, which is well-known and at times rhythmic, including advice, sage themes and ethnic experiences, comprising simile, metaphor or irony which is well-known among people for its fluent wording, clarity of expression, simplicity, expansiveness and generality and is used either with or without change."p. 107, Hassan Zolfaghari & Hayat Ameri. "Persian Proverbs: Definitions and Characteristics". Journal of Islamic and Human Advanced Research 2(2012) 93–108.
More constructively, Wolfgang Mieder has proposed the following definition, "A proverb is a short, generall,y known sentence of the folk which contains wisdom, truth, morals, and traditional views in a metaphorical, fixed, and memorizable form and which is handed down from generation to generation"p. 5. Wolfgang Mieder. 1993. "The wit of one, and the wisdom of many: General thoughts on the nature of t.he proverb. Proverbs are never out of season: Popular wisdom in the modern age 3–40. Oxford University Press. To distinguish proverbs from idioms, cliches, etc., Norrick created a table of distinctive features, an abstract tool originally developed for linguistics.p. 73. Neil Norrick. 1985 How Proverbs Mean: Semantic Studies in English Proverbs. Amsterdam: Mouton. Prahlad distinguishes proverbs from some other, closely related types of sayings, "True proverbs must further be distinguished from other types of proverbial speech, e.g. proverbial phrases, Wellerisms, maxims, quotations and proverbial comparisons."p. 33. Sw. Anand Prahlad. 1996. African-American Proverbs in Context. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi. Based on Persian proverbs, Zolfaghari and Ameri propose the following definition: "A proverb is a short sentence, which is well-known and at times rhythmic, including advice, sage themes and ethnic experiences, comprising simile, metaphor or irony which is well-known among people for its fluent wording, clarity of expression, simplicity, expansiveness and generality and is used either with or without change."p. 107, Hassan Zolfaghari & Hayat Ameri. "Persian Proverbs: Defini.tions and Characteristics". Journal of Islamic and Human Advanced Research 2(2012) 93–108.