Cross-Cultural Communication Vol. 9, No. 2, 2013, pp. 31-35 doi

2  PROVERBS RELATES TO CULTURE 

THROUGH THREE PERSPECTIVES

Different proverbs in different countries seek through 

some basic values in different cultures. Proverbs are just 

like a mirror that will reflect certain properties of cultures.

2.1  Different Values and Life Attitudes Reflect 

Culture Diversity

——From the perspective of uncertainty-avoidance

Life should be a dance, not a race

——Irish proverb

A horse never runs so fast as when he has other horses to 

catch up and outpace.

——Roman philosopher Ovid

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try, and try again.

——American proverb

Uncertainty-avoidance refers to the degree to which 

members of a culture try to avoid uncertainty. High 

uncertainty avoidance cultures are more inclined to avoid 

uncertainty and ambiguity, which indicates that they are 

in higher levels of anxiety and energy release. On the 

contrary, low uncertainty avoidance cultures have lower 

stress levels, and they are much better at taking risks than 

high uncertainty avoidance cultures. Hofstede contends 

that high uncertainty avoidance cultures believe that “what 

is different is dangerous.”, and low uncertainty avoidance 

cultures believe that “what is different is curious.” 

Therefore, members of low uncertainty avoidance cultures 

are less tense and more relaxed.

The first proverb definitely is suitable for low 

uncertainty avoidance cultures not only for Irish people. 

In the table of ranking of forty countries or regions on 

uncertainty avoidance by Geert Hofstede,the U.S ranks 

at 32 and Ireland ranks at 36.So both belong to the group 

of low uncertainty avoidance cultures.However, the 

Americans don’t seem as leisure as Irish people. Although 

Americans are easily to take risks and flexible, they just 

don’t have as much time as the Irish people to “dance”. 

For most of the time they may be more suitable to “race”. 

So the last two proverbs seem more appropriate for 

American, because for Americans, leisure may be a major 

reward of hard work. As the words of the Americans 

poet and philosopher George Santayana shows: “To the 

art of working well a civilized race would add the art of 

playing well.” So play is something they have earned 

for Americans. This may has something to do with their 

history. Ireland is a European country; it embraces the 

European tradition of gentle, elegant and so on. America 

is comparatively a new country, and its pace of life is 

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HOU Rong (2013). 

Cross-Cultural Communication, 9(2), 31-35

Copyright © Canadian Academy of Oriental and Occidental Culture

much quicker. And competition is part of an American’s 

life from early childhood on. The competitive nature is 

encouraged in the United States. Young people are even 

advised that if they lose and it does not bother them, there 

is something wrong with them. So it is clear for Americans 

that they need to “outpace” all the other horses.

Then although America and Ireland both belong to the 

group of low uncertainty avoidance, for Irish people, life 

is much more like a dance, while for Americans, life is 

much more like a race.

Even if the bridge be made of stone, make sure it is safe. 

This Korean saying expressed the wisdom of going slowly 

and being cautious and reflective. In this aspect, Korea 

must belong to the high uncertainty avoidance group.