Scientific verification and interpretations of the universality of proverbs — Real meaning of “A rolling stone gathers no moss” —

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  • 諺の妥当性の科学的検証とその解釈—「転石苔を生ぜず」の真意は?—
  • 諺の妥当性の科学的検証とその解釈 : 「転石苔を生ぜず」の真意は?
  • コトワザ ノ ダトウセイ ノ カガクテキ ケンショウ ト ソノ カイシャク : 「 テンセキ コケ オ ショウゼズ 」 ノ シンイ ワ?

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In this paper, different interpretaions of the proverb “A rolling stone gathers no moss” found in the USA and in the UK were discussed from several scientific viewpoints. As to this proverb, there are two different interpretations in Japan. It was found that “moss” signifies not only the familiar moss plant, but also algae, fungi, bacteria, and chemical precipitate like mineral sinters or scales. If “moss” signifies useful bio‐fungi or medical algae, the interpretation common in the UK is likely, whereas if “moss” signifies harmful legionella bacteria, the interpretation more prevalent in the USA is more applicable for this proverb.

Furthermore, if moss can be interpreted to mean chemical precipitates from hot spring water, it is true that the movement of the stone and that of water accelerate the rate of precipitation. So the proverb becomes “A rolling stone gathers moss” instead of “A rolling stone gathers no moss”. In this case, the chemical precipitates indicate a sinter or a scale from hot spring water. In the former case, sinter is a useful material, so interpretation of the proverb is UK‐like, and meaning is USA‐like, while in the latter case, the scale is a uselss material or a harmful material, thus the interpretation of the proverb is USA‐like, and meaning is UK‐like.

As for the distribution of two meanings of the proverb, the USA style interpretation is more often used in the USA and Canada, while UK style interpretation is mainly used in the UK, Australia and New Zealand.

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