Why are it so rare to find albinos in nature?
In fact, it is almost impossible to meet a "black sheep". This is an extremely rare event that occurs as a result of a strong mutation of the genes responsible for pigmentation. Since it is much easier to notice a “white crow” than the same bird with a natural color, it becomes much more vulnerable and easily detected by all kinds of predators.Therefore, the second meaning of the expression “white crow” is associated by many with such concepts as suffering, chosenness and defenselessness. The great rarity of these birds in nature began to be mentioned in many works, and the first The poet Juvenal, who lived in Ancient Rome, is considered to mention white crows. His work was published in the 1st century AD.
This is what this satirical poet wrote about “white crows”:
"A slave has a chance of becoming a king, captives will be able to gain freedom and only a black sheep will remain a black sheep"
This comparison made the whole of Rome applaud the talented poet. Similar phrases that are associated with a particular appearance and uniqueness can be found among other nations.
A similar metaphor appeared in the East - instead of the expression “white crow” they use the phrase “white elephant”. Since an albino elephant is an extremely rare phenomenon, this idiom appealed to the taste of Eastern people.
White elephants are considered gender divine beings and are highly revered in Indochina.
The metaphor “black sheep” in the same way became an analogue of the Russian phrase “white crow”. Since most sheep are white, the appearance of a black sheep among them is a unique phenomenon.
The main meaning of the Russian metaphor “white crow” is conveyed by the idioms of other peoples:
- in German "Ein weißer Rabe", which means the same white crow
- in French "Un moution a cinq pattes", which means a ram with five legs
- in Spanish "Mirlo blanco", which means blackbird.
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Wherever we spend our time, at work, on vacation or at home, there are people among us huge amount ironic people and jokers. Their mentality is built in such a way as to highlight ordinary things and focus attention on them. Today we will talk about an old expression that was coined by a sarcastic person, this White Crow, you can find out the value a little lower. Our website is full of surprises and useful information, so read it, getting to know the very essence of things. I recommend visiting this resource, as we regularly post interesting news.
However, before I continue, I would like to recommend a couple of other publications on the topic of phraseological units. For example, how to understand Making a mountain out of a molehill; meaning of the expression They carry water to the offended; what does Broken Hour mean? what does rest in peace mean, etc.
So let's continue What does White Crow mean??
White Crow is a metaphor intended to denote a person who has a value system or behavior that is different from other people in that society
White Crow- this is what they say about a person who is somehow sharply different from others in his actions and thoughts
If you live in rural areas, then it is not surprising for you to see a white mouse or a white rabbit. On TV we were repeatedly shown white cows, horses, deer, and even white blackbirds. There are places in the United States where you can encounter white squirrels. In Tsarist Russia, sturgeons were pulled out of the river more than once white. Maybe you think that there is no such thing among amphibians" perversions"? You are mistaken, toads white colors, and even with red eyes like hot coals, are quite common in nature.
Some particularly inquisitive citizens will be interested in the nature of such an anomaly. However, " the box just opened", not worth mentioning here evil spirits, it’s all about a special pigment, which is practically absent in white animals. Creatures with such a deviation are usually called albinos. It is worth noting that albino crows are an extraordinary rarity.
This expression was first used by a satirist and poet Juvenal, who in one of his works expressed the idea that " A slave can become a king, a captive can escape, but such lucky people are rarer than a black crow..."
His contemporaries really liked this comparison, and subsequently began to use it everywhere. Much time has passed since then, but this expression is so " it's ingrained"in our speech, that seeing an unusual person who stands out from his surroundings with strange qualities, immediately" sculpt"there's a label on it -" white crow".
At that time, the thoughts of many peoples seemed to be going in the same direction. Since in the east a similar saying was also born - “White elephant"Among the aborigines of the Indochina peninsula, elephants with white skin and red eyes are highly valued, mainly because of their rarity.
After reading this short article, you will now be aware of White Crow meaning phraseological unit. And only you can decide whether to be offended by this innocent nickname or not.
What do you call a person who is not like the majority? One of the options is “white crow”. The meaning of phraseological units will be discussed using clear examples.
Definition
Let's start with the obvious. Crows are usually black, sometimes black and gray, but never white. Albinos are generally a rare phenomenon.
Hence the white crow (see below for the meaning of the phraseological unit) is an object that stands out strongly from general series. This is not just a quantitative difference, but a natural internal feature of something that creates a completely different idea of \u200b\u200bthe state of affairs. Vague wording. Examples will help us clarify this.
Examples
Imagine a typical school environment. With the usual division into “hooligans” and “nerds”. Hooligans don’t learn; they love to make trouble in in a broad sense this word. Botanists, on the contrary, are diligent students, do not drink alcohol, and read books. The reader knows for sure both of them. So, the white crow (the meaning of the phraseological unit is studied with all care) is a bully, to the point of trembling in his hands book lover, and absolutely any: historical, artistic, scientific.
He is considered a man “out of this world” by fellow bullies and nerds alike. People are prone to maximalism, so you have to be a hooligan or a nerd, but until the very end, “to the bottom,” as V.V. Mayakovsky said. A person who perceives reality as a mosaic in which elements can be freely shuffled makes a strange and wonderful impression on those around him. They talk about this: “Oh! There's a white crow." The meaning of phraseological units now does not cause difficulties.
This is not a sentence
In fact, being very different from your surroundings is not so bad, because it can be so-so. But we must understand that this characteristic does not mean anything. Among hooligans, a person who reads books is a black sheep. Then, for various reasons, the company may change, and the person will find himself in an environment where it is a shame not to read, not to be interested in something, not to develop.
There is a wonderful literary analogy of a person for whom the definition of “white crow” is suitable (the meaning of a phraseological unit, there was an example with it a little earlier, but we still decided to concretize our reasoning). We are, of course, talking about Alex from Burgess’s work “ A Clockwork Orange». Main character works, without a doubt, a terrible person, but at the same time he has a developed (or innate) sense of beauty and some kind of intelligence. This is what makes him stand out from the crowd.
The world's nature is very multifaceted and mysterious, presenting humanity with many amazing mysteries, one of which is albinism. This rare phenomenon, which manifests itself in the animal world, is explained by a failure in genetic code when there is no pigment in the skin and hair that is responsible for color.
This leads to the fact that the animal is born with a white color, unusual this species. In the animal environment, such an individual is called an albino, from the Latin word “albus”, that is, “white”. This phenomenon occurs most often in rabbits and mice, less often in horses and cows. Cases have been recorded in squirrels, deer, and blackbirds. It is very rare to see a white tiger or elephant.
How do you like white toad and sturgeon? But the greatest rarity is the white crow, although all its relatives are gray or black. So it is not surprising that it was she who received the honor of immortalizing herself in the famous phraseological unit “white crow”.
The meaning of the phraseological unit “white crow”
"White in rona" is a person who is very different from others in his outlook on life, behavior or his appearance. The values, interests and goals of such a person differ greatly from the society in which he is located.
This is manifested in his extraordinary statements and actions. Such a person is considered strange and even crazy. But that's not true. He’s just concerned about completely different topics, which the vast majority are not interested in at all.
And for him this is almost the most important thing in life. But he may be indifferent to established and recognized values in society. It can also stand out due to its demeanor. He behaves quietly and modestly, does not bother anyone, may have a strange gait or constantly mutter something under his breath, is uncommunicative and taciturn.
His appearance can also set him apart from others. I don’t mean any physical defects, but self-expression in clothes, piercings, tattoos. Although in our time this hardly surprises anyone.
“You are the father of a man who fought against autocracy. You can rightfully be proud of Vasily Andreevich. - That’s right, but Vasily is among us black sheep was. And if he went against the king, then my merit is not there. “That’s how to say it,” Rogov laughed. “A bad seed does not produce a bad tribe.”
K.FSedykh (1908-1979), “Dauria”, 1948
“Are you also a collective farmer? - asked Sergei. - No, what are you talking about! — Lena raised her eyebrows in surprise. “I’m a guest here, unfortunately... That’s why my mother calls me black sheep».
S.P.Babaevsky (1909-20000), “Cavalier of the Golden Star”, 1947-1948.
"White Crow" is a contradictory personality. On the one hand, dissent, uniqueness and unusualness, and on the other, misunderstanding of others, the role of an outcast and loneliness. And yet there is something pure and vulnerable in this image.
Origin of the phraseological unit “white crow”
The first mention of the expression “white crow” occurs at the turn of the 1st and 2nd centuries by the Roman poet Decimus Junius Juvenal (circa 60 - no earlier than 128) or simply Juvenal in one of his satires:
“Fate gives kingdoms to slaves, brings triumphs to captives.
However, the lucky one is less likely to be the same white crow It happens".
Juvenal, "7th Satire".
Such a rare phenomenon as a “white crow” prompted the satirist to use such a metaphor. It is clear that this vivid and accurate comparison sunk into the soul of the Romans, if after 20 centuries they use the expression “white crow”.
But still, the phraseological unit “white crow” carries negative character. People generally don’t really like people who are strange, different from everyone else, and stand out from the general mass of people. At the very least, they treat them with great caution and wariness.
Parable about the "white crow"
In fairness, one parable about the “white crow” should be mentioned.
From the very early childhood The “white crow” was disliked by her relatives. She did not understand why and why they hated her, they made fun of her, constantly played dirty tricks and teased her. But the bird did not respond to insults, but simply tried to be in the flock less often and communicate less. She flew high into the sky and indulged in loneliness.
Being without friends, the bird matured early. A hard life early taught the crow to overcome difficulties, which tempered her and made her resilient and strong. For this they began to envy her and hated her even more.
And then the crow’s patience ran out, and she decided to leave the flock and go in search of white crows similar to herself. The disappearance did not go unnoticed. The other birds suddenly remembered all of her good qualities, recalled with regret the insults inflicted on her.
The moral is that you should always remain yourself and be able to find friends and like-minded people.
In conclusion, I would like to say that along with the expression “white crow” there are other similar expressions based on the unusual color of the animal, which is radically different from the main color of animals of this species. These include little-known expressions in Russia and “black sheep”.
The white crow is a very rare bird, so people who fall very far from society and social norms of behavior are also called that. Since in last decades Albino crows have become extremely a rare occurrence, we can talk more about phraseological units. Why do individuals choose this image: by their own will or from birth?
What does "white crow" mean?
The expression “white crow” is used in 2 meanings:
- In the natural world - an albino crow. Albinism is an anomaly, creatures with a similar disease are considered special.
- A black sheep in society is a person who stands out from the crowd with his views, tastes, manners and behavior.
White crows are very unadapted in nature; it is difficult for them to hide from predators due to their light plumage. They are not like others. This explains the origin of the phraseological unit “white crow”; this is how people with unusual behavior began to be called, who stand out from the crowd with their manners and views. This expression is inherent in two polarities:
- Artists, writers, scientists living in their own world of sounds, images and imagination.
- People are stupid and narrow-minded, who are lazy or find it difficult to rise to the generally accepted level.
"White Crow" - psychology
As a term, this phrase has found application in psychology. By the standards of psychology, a “black sheep” is a person whom society considers a stranger because he is different from others. This is not about appearance, but about moral values and assessments of what is happening. Often teenagers or creative individuals choose this behavior in order to express themselves and achieve recognition. Characteristics such people:
- do not hide their views that differ from the generally accepted ones and are proud of them;
- do not want to accept society’s stereotypes in order to pass as one of their own;
- demonstrate their opposition to the principles of society.
Is it easy to be a “black sheep”?
A “White Crow” is a person with his own, unlike a nonconformist, such a person does not set out to stand out, he simply considers his moral values to be more correct. At all times, such people have had a hard time because:
- they are misunderstood, offended and often despised;
- trying to suppress individuality;
- they are lonely or find friends among the same individuals;
- their opinion is ignored by the majority.
What to do if you are a “black sheep”?
Many parents are interested in the question: how to live as a “black sheep”? Children themselves are not always burdened by loneliness; sometimes teenagers even strive to show their difference. And the mother and father are concerned about how the child will manage in adulthood. Often adults are burdened by their inability to adapt to society. Psychologists give the following recommendations:
- do not treat your environment aggressively, remain friendly, accept the views of other people;
- celebrate what you can learn from others;
- calmly express your position, without offense or categorical judgments;
- if the problem is a physical disability such as a large or short stature, you can turn it into a virtue. Sign up for modeling courses, basketball, or become a salesperson in a clothing store for short people;
- get used to your individuality, accept it as it is.
How to become a “black sheep”?
It is very easy to fall into the category of those who are called “black sheep”; it will be enough to express views radically opposite to generally accepted positions, change the style of clothing, hairstyle and manner of speaking. Give up your mobile phone, iPad, iPhone, pages on social networks, demonstrate your independence from norms. Although in lately Internet sentiment has begun to highlight the concept of “black sheep” as a positive when it comes to business on social networks. Advice on what you need to not be afraid of being a “black sheep”:
- come up with an original idea for your ad;
- surprise the audience with an interesting offer;
- do not be afraid to invite guests and communicate;
Parable of the White Crow
The unique light plumage gave rise to the instructive parable of the white crow. Since childhood, she was not loved for her strange color, so she had to grow up quickly. Many hated this crow, but she could not understand why and why. They did dirty tricks, but the bird responded kindly to insults, and in order to communicate less, it began to soar high in the sky, away from its relatives. The life of the white crow was difficult, but she grew up strong and resilient, for which she was envied even more.
And one day a white crow decided to fly away in search of white birds like her, so that she could be accepted into a new flock. And only after the disappearance of the white bird did others appreciate its qualities and began to regret their mistakes. The moral of this parable is that you should not be afraid to be yourself, maintain pride and dignity, be able to look for like-minded people and never try on someone else’s fate.