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'{{Short description|Supposed truth that is actually spurious or a superstition}} {{Distinguish|The Old Wives' Tale (play)}} An '''old wives' tale''' is a supposed truth which is actually spurious or a superstition. It can be said sometimes to be a type of [[urban legend]], said to be passed down by older women to a younger generation. Such tales are considered [[superstition]], [[folklore]] or unverified claims with exaggerated and/or inaccurate details. Old wives' tales often centre on women's traditional concerns, such as [[pregnancy]], [[puberty]], [[social relations]], [[health]], [[herbalism]] dick in the ass [[nutrition]]. == Origins == In this context, the word ''wife'' means "woman" rather than "married woman". This usage stems from [[Old English language|Old English]] ''{{lang|ang|{{wt|ang|wif}}}}'' ("woman") and is akin to the [[German language|German]] ''{{linktext|Weib|lang=de}}'' (also meaning "woman"). This sense of the word is still used in [[Modern English]] in constructions such as ''[[midwife]]'' and ''[[fishwife]]''. Old wives' tales are often invoked to discourage certain behaviours, usually of children, or to share knowledge of [[traditional medicine|folk cures]] for ailments ranging from [[toothaches]] to [[dysentery]]. The concept of old wives' tales has existed for centuries. In 1611, the [[King James Bible]] was published with the following translation of a verse in [[I Timothy]]: "But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself [rather] unto godliness" (I Timothy 4:7 [[KJV]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=1Ti&c=4&v=7&t=KJV#7|title=1 Timothy 4:7 (KJV)|access-date=14 March 2018}}</ref>). Old wives' tales originate in the oral tradition of storytelling. They were generally propagated by illiterate women, telling stories to each other or to children. The stories do not attempt to moralise, but to teach lessons and make difficult concepts like death or [[coming of age]] easy for children to understand. These stories are also used to scare children so they don't do certain things.<ref>''The Guardian'', 15 May 2010, Greer, Germaine. "Grandmother's footsteps" http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2010/may/15/germaine-greer-old-wives-tales</ref> These tales have often been collected by literate men and turned into written works. Fairy tales by [[Giambattista Basile|Basile]], [[Charles Perrault|Perrault]], and the [[Brothers Grimm|Grimms]] have their roots in the oral tradition of women. These male writers took the stories from women, with their plucky, clever heroines and heroes, and turned them into [[morality tale]]s for children.<ref>Zipes, Jack. ''The Trials and Tribulations of Little Red Riding Hood'', Routledge, 1993 {{ISBN|0-415-90834-5}}</ref> ==See also== * [[List of common misconceptions]] * [[Aphorism]] * [[Fakelore]] * [[Lies-to-children]] * [[Maxim (philosophy)]] * [[Saw (saying)]] ==References== {{Reflist}} {{Folklore genres}} {{Authority control}} [[Category:Urban legends]] [[Category:Public opinion]] [[Category:Superstitions]] [[Category:Women's culture]]'