“It’s Easier to Catch Flies with Honey, Than with Vinegar”
This English-language proverb means that if you want something, people are much more likely to respond positively when you ask politely, and treat people nicely than when you demand in an acidic manner, or shout at them. I’m forever talking about this to my third-grade students at school.
Madame Monet
February 5, 2008 - Posted by Madame Monet | Proverbs and Sayings, culture, friends, fun, life | | 8 Comments
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Oh, I love this one! I usually have to remind grown-ups about this more than children
Interesting one this, Madame Monet, I’ve never heard it before!
In French we have exactly the same:
“On prend plus de mouches avec du miel qu’avec du vinaigre”
In German we have something similar
“Mit Speck fängt man Mäuse”
one catches mice with bacon
The second part of the expression is not there though…
THis is a good one. Most of the American proverbs I know are short and sweet and not as colorful as some of these other languages.
In romanian, we say `vorba dulce mult aduce` (the sweet talk brings a lot`)… I know in spanish `dulce`means the same thing as in Romanian (sweet)…
Here Romanian sounds quite like Latin, I find… I had Latin about 8 years at school, voluntarily, and I loved it! Nobody could understand it…
The funny thing is that it depends on the species of flies because fruit flies are more attracted to vinegar.
You’re right Jake. I counted 24 of those pesty little fruit flies and one big black one in a small jar of apple cider vinegar I forgot to cover last night.