Exercise 7 of 10
Try to determine this proverb’s function, frame, and finish.
Expand each section by clicking the “+” to see how well you did.
“Forewarned is Forearmed.”
What is the FUNCTION of this proverb?
This is a definition proverb because it is defining one thing (forewarned) in terms of another (forearmed).
What FRAME is this proverb built upon?
This proverb is built on one of the special frame cases. Since all proverbs are based in metaphor and Forewarned is forearmed is stripped down to its root, it meets the criteria of being a metaphoric frame.
What FINISH (or finishes) have been applied to this proverb?
This proverb has three poetic finishes:
1) Alliteration: Forewarned is Forearmed.
2) Consonance: Forearmed is Forewarned.
3) Assonance: One can make a weak case that since both words share the first four letters, that there’s some assonance at work. Either way, the author has obviously chosen these words cleverly.
EXTRA CREDIT: What METAPHOR is this proverb built upon?
This proverb is based on the metaphor: information is a weapon.