Quotes, sayings, aphorisms, maxims. What's the difference between all these, especially aphorism vs. maxim?
3 Answers
An aphorism is a synonym for a proverb, that's also short and to the point. Usually, it's supposed to impart some important moral lesson. Here's a well-known example:
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
A maxim is a slogan or a personal prescription for some generality of life; importantly, it does not have the same moral connotations as an aphorism. Maxims can be downright dangerous; consider
Four legs good, two legs baaaddd.
from the famous Orwell satire Animal Farm, a phrase famous for connoting the kind of totalitarian mindset required for enforcing the simplistic sociology Orwell found in communism.
A big difference between the two words is that aphorisms need be drawn from society somehow -- they are known to people other than yourself, they are received wisdom. In contrast, one can have personal maxims; it's fairly common nowadays for people to tattoo such on their bodies, things like "Faith and Family" in elaborate script to apparently remind them how to live.
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@user3780 Yeah, there are plenty; the one couplet that seems most contradictory to me is Look before you leap / He who hesitates is lost, discussing whether it is better to be patient or action-oriented when a new opportunity comes one's way. Mar 22, 2011 at 16:18
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The aphorism is very different from a maxim or proverb. As the Cambridge English Dictionary defines, it is "a short clever saying that is intended to express a general truth". It only becomes a proverb when it passes into general public use. The aphorism is a kind of witty remark, which some may wish to copy in order to impress others. But the use of a proverb will not impress anyone, because it is generally known. CED cites Oscar Wilde's "Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes". A proverb would be "Waste not want not". We all know it.– TuffyJan 20 at 17:03
The terms aphorism and maxim are among more than a dozen synonyms for a wise, popular, traditional, or catchy way of saying something succinctly. A number of reference works have discussed the shades of meaning that distinguish these various terms from others in their set. Here are some relevant discussions.
From George Crabb, English Synonymes Explained, in Alphabetical Order (1816), which groups aphorism and maxim with the related terms axiom, apothegm, saying, adage, proverb, bye-word, and saw:
MAXIM, in French maxime, in Latin maximus the greatest, signifies that which is most important.
APHORISM, from the Greek αφορισμος a short sentence, and αφοριζω to distinguish, signifies that which is set apart.
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A maxim is a truth of the first moral importance for all practical purposes. An aphorism is a truth set apart for its pointedness and excellence. ...
Axioms are in science what maxims are in morals; self-evidence is an essential characteristic in both; the axiom presents itself in so simple and undeniable a form to the understanding as to exclude doubt, and the necessity for reasoning. The maxim, though not so definite in its expression as the axiom, is at the same time equally parallel to the mind of man, and of such general application, that it is acknowledged by all moral agents who are susceptible of moral truth; it comes home to the common sense of all mankind. ... Betwixt axioms and maxims there is this obvious difference to be observed; that the former are unchangeable both in matter and manner, and admit of little or no increase in number; but the latter may vary with the circumstances of human life, and admit of considerable extension.
Aphorism is a speculative principle, either in science or morals, which is presented in a few words to the understanding; it is the substance of a doctrine, and many aphorisms may contain the abstract of a science. Of this description are the aphorisms of Hippocrates and those of Lavater in physiognomy.
From Charles Smith, Synonyms Discriminated: A Dictionary of Synonymous Words in the English Language (1910), which discusses aphorism and maxim in company with proverb, apothegm, byword, axiom, saying, adage, saw, truism, and principle:
APHORISM (Gr. αφορισμος, a definition) differs from PROVERB in relating to abstract truth rather than to practical matters. The aphorisms of Hippocrates defined the symptoms of disease. An aphorism may be defined as the substance of a doctrine. The characteristic of an aphorism seems to be the disproportion between the simplicity of the expression and the richness of the sentiment conveyed by it.
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MAXIM (Lat. maxima, i.e. sententiarum, greatest, i.e. widest, most general of propositions) is an established principle or proposition in matters of practical truth; its characteristic is the authority with which it is invested, so that it may be appealed to retrospectively. It is a guide and a rule of conduct. It is abstract and speculative, though founded upon observation and experience; so differing from PRINCIPLE (Lat, principium, a beginning, a principle) which carries knowledge with it, and is applicable to action as a guide or basis of proceeding.
From James Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms, thirty-first edition (1914), which groups aphorism and maxim (along with adage, apothegm, axiom, byword, dictum, maxim, motto, precept, saw, saying, and truism) under the general topic word proverb:
An aphorism partakes of the character of a definition; it is a summary statement of what the author sees and believes to be true. ... The aphorism is philosophical, the apothegm practical. ... Precept is a command to duty; motto or maxim is a brief statement of cherished truth, the maxim being more uniformly and directly practical; "God is love" may be a motto, "Fear God and fear naught," a maxim.
From [Merriam-]Webster's Dictionary of Synonyms (1942), which inckludes aphorism and maxim (along with saw, adage, proverb, motto, epigram, and apothegm) under the general topic word saying:
Saying, saw, maxim, adage, proverb, motto, epigram, aphorism, apothegm agree in denoting a sententious expression of a general truth. ... A maxim is a rule or precept sanctioned by experience, and relating especially to the practical concerns of life; as, Benjamin Franklin was the author of many maxims such as "early to bed and early to rise, Makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise." "The difference between principles as universal laws and maxims of conduct as prudential rules" (Crabb Robinson). ... An aphorism is a pithy epigram that gives food for thought. "When Mark Twain utters such characteristic aphorisms as 'Heaven for climate, hell for society'" (Van W. Brooks). An apothegm is a sharply pointed and often startling aphorism such as [Samuel] Johnson's remark, "Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel."
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Synonyms (1984) only slightly updates it assessment of the two terms:
A maxim offers a general truth, fundamental principle, or rule of conduct often in the form of a proverb. [Citation of the Crabb Robinson quotation, followed by] <we have reversed the wise maxim of Theodore Roosevelt: "Speak softly and carry a big stick"—Warburg> ... An aphorism is a pithy epigram that requires some thought [Citation of the Van Wyck Brooks quotation].
From S.I. Hayakawa, Modern Guide to Synonyms and Related Words (1968), which, like Fernald parks aphorism and maxim under the general term proverb, but reduces its fellow synonyms to just seven others (adage, apothegm, epigram, epigraph, epitaph, motto, and saying):
These words all denote various forms of brief expressions of what are supposed to be accepted truths. ... A maxim is a practical rule of conduct or action, such as, "Neither a borrower nor a lender be." ... An aphorism is a thought-provoking remark that does not yield all its meaning so readily as an epigram and aims at profundity rather than wit. An aphorism may be embedded in a longer work, as the following observation from King Lear: "As flies to wanton boys are we to the gods; they kill us for their sport." In other cases, authors have deliberately written groups, sequences, or even books of aphorisms: the aphorisms of Kafka.
From Adrian Room, The Penguin Dictionary of Confusibles (1980), which reduces its coverage to the triad maxim, axiom, and aphorism:
maxim/axiom/aphorism (saying) A 'maxim' is a saying expressing what is generally held to be a general truth, especially a neatly phrased one, often even a proverb, such as 'He who laughs last, laughs best.' ... An 'aphorism' is very similar to a 'maxim' and is essentially, too, a terse saying embodying a general truth, such as 'Time is money' or 'People need people'. 'Axiom' and 'aphorism' derive from the Greek words meaning respectively 'requisite' and 'definition'. 'Maxim' originates from the Latin phrase maxima propositio (greatest proposition).
Assessment
Although these definitions of and distinctions between aphorism and maxim vary considerably from one authority to another, some elements seem closer than others to the core of the word. In the case of maxim, the most noticeable feature may be the simplicity and strength of the idea being given unadorned expression; the focus of a maxim is on the undeniable truth or philosophical insight of the idea it asserts. An aphorism, on the other hand, in its modern non-Hippocratic sense, seems to be distinguished by the aptness of its expression and by its ability to capture a depth of insight that may not be immediately obvious at first hearing; the cleverness of the formulation is integral to the power of the observation.
At the same time, it is easy to go overboard in drawing lines between similar words that many people may use interchangeably or indiscriminately. As Adrian Room observes, aphorism and maxim have very similar meanings in everyday use today, even though they arrived at that place of similarity by different paths.
Aphorism's are western and maxim's are more eastern. And contrary to the previous answer, maxim's are commonly deeper than aphorisms.
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This isn't true. Can you back up your claims with some evidence? Jan 9, 2015 at 16:24