The Negative Evaluation of Women in Russian and Yoruba Proverbs and Sayings

Abstract

Proverbs and sayings are an integral part of the spiritual treasures of the culture and language of a people. Proverbs and sayings are very important aspects of language use as a result of their metaphorical essence and widely acceptable truths; they depict the worldview and cultural beliefs of the people in any society. This article examines the image of women in Russian and Yoruba proverbs and sayings, with a focus on the negative evaluation of women. The paper employs the descriptive and comparative approach to bring to light the linguistic and national peculiarities of proverbs and sayings describing women in Russian culture and Yoruba culture.