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the actual proverb ends with the words, “and an evil person from
all sides” (EV 3270); it is not certain whether the newspaper
version is the author’s creation or a paraphrase heard from elsewhere.
The evaluative force of a proverb (even if used humorously)
may be retained in newspaper articles as has been observed,
among others by Neal N. Norrick (1985: 24).
In an interview the sports physician Peeter Mardna argues
that it is not only sports medicine that can guarantee Estonian
skiers
“[---] high results at title competitions. Or, to paraphrase a
proverb: Trust in medicine, but do some work yourself as
well!” Mardna adds. 30
Apparently, this is a paraphrase of the internationally known
proverb “Trust in God, but don’t be reckless yourself” (There
are no authentic attestations of the proverb among the Estonian
archival texts).
In the case of some paraphrases the comical effect was secondary,
e.g., in the sentence “…vanarahvas teadis öelda, ega
tuumaõnnetus ei hüüa tulles…” [... a nuclear accident brings no
warning, as folk wisdom has it...], which refers to the proverb
“Õnnetus ei hüüa tulles” [Misfortune brings no warning], (EV
14714).
The most numerous category of paraphrases discovered seems
to consist of those created with the aim of producing a comical
effect; the paraphrase acquired an additional element of parody.
For example, introducing the picture “The First Wives’ Club”, a
film critic wrote,
“Fool a woman once, and she will fool you nine times,” may
be a topical interpretation of a well-known proverb [---]. 31
A special mention should be made of the journalist Tambet
Kaugema, who has used modified paraphrasing on several occa-
30 ) http://www.postimees.ee/leht/97/10/28/olympia.htm#kolmas
31 ) http://www.postimees.ee/leht/97/05/24e/film.htm#teine; refers to the proverb
“Narri põldu üks kord, põld narrib sind üheksa korda” [Cheat the field
once and the field will cheat you nine times’], EV 7398)
Aren’t Proverbs there for the Taking?
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