Applying Metaphors And Proverbs We Live By In The Public Service

Understanding past, present and future happenings, phenomena and realities in the world has, is and will always put all of us in a spot. Since issues are now much more complicated and interrelated, explaining and understanding of past and present events, and future scenarios thus become problematic, especially the rationale and logical reasonings associated with them. While anything tangible, visible and physical are easier to explain, such a case is not true when we are confronted with something intangible, invisible and non-physical. To overcome this hurdle, the use of metaphors, proverbs and other figures of speech have proven to be useful as we confront extraordinary happenings, phenomena and realities. Most of us still remember vividly the lessons from Aesop’s fables when they were related to us at a tender age. In fact the fables are meant for a good early reading as well as in introducing us to the more unfamiliar but colourful world of metaphors. When we enter into the real world (including work associated with public service), we will almost invariably encounter more metaphors and proverbs. Though of a different dimension, such metaphors and proverbs are salient in our search for experiential knowledge, wisdom and perhaps truth.

In the study of languages, be it English, Bahasa Malaysia or Iban, we are also introduced to the learning and discovery of metaphors, proverbs, similes, peribahasa, pepatah, kiasan, bidalan, jako sempama, jako kelaung, and what have you. So what are metaphors and proverbs then? Let us deal with metaphors first. According to George Lakoff and Mark Johnson, metaphors to some people are “mere devices of poetic imagination and rhetorical flourish” i.e. it concerns with extraordinary rather than ordinary language. Thus, metaphors are generally viewed as a property of language that is oblivious of thought and action. The contrarian view is that metaphors pervade our everyday life – especially in our thoughts and actions. We can conceptualise our thought and actions as fundamentally metaphorical in nature. The concepts that rule our thoughts are not just matters of the intellect. In fact metaphors govern our everyday functioning, even down to the most mundane details as evidenced by three expressions that reflect the metaphor ARGUMENT IS WAR :

I’ve never won an argument with him.

He attacked every weak point in my argument.

He shot down all of my arguments.

Secondly, let us look at proverbs. A simple definition states that a proverb is a “popular short saying, with words of advice or warning”. Put simply, one of the main ingredients of a proverb is wisdom. Another definition describes proverbs as “ concise overt descriptions of cultural concepts”. Some proverbs are cultural statements of universal truths. Understanding proverbs is therefore an effective tool in culture learning. Furthermore, once a saying has become “proverbial”, the saying is used as part of popular wisdom. Because of this element of wisdom, the Dutch succinctly describe proverbs as the daughters of experience”. Proverbs are fluid in nature and in a constant state of flux. True proverbs must be distinguished from proverbial expressions for instance overworked idiomatic phrases like “to cry for the moon”. On its own, it offers no advice and gives no warning. Hence it is not a proverb. However, it can very easily be turned into a proverb by incorporation in it a form of advice. For example, “Don’t cry for the moon” which means never ask for the impossible.

Next, let us examine how happenings, phenomena and realities of this world can be expressed through metaphorical applications. Harvard case studies relating to public service, service delivery, public values and so on are often best taught and understood through the medium of metaphorical expressions. Thus, common sayings like “ Things I like to do” versus “Things I don’t like to do” or “What I like” versus “What the public likes”; similarly “Things we have” versus “things we need”, and “Things I have been thinking to do” versus “Things that I have done”. These are very simple phrases but undoubtedly contain hidden meanings and implications. We are also concern here to distinguish doing things that are associated with private and personal values versus those associated with public values. A statement like “things I like to do” would clearly imply skills, passion and even expertise, and if the utterer is a leader or top-notch personality in the area that he or she is good at, then rest assured, he or she can attract and motivate a horde of enthusiastic followers. On the other hand, the statement “things I don’t like to do” reflects a dislike toward the task at hand and yet the utterer is obliged to do. Consider therefore the relevance of such saying in the work we are tasked to do in the civil service or public service.

Very often in the civil service and for the cause of the public service, officers and civil servants are asked to undertake jobs, tasks, missions and assignments which may belong to the category of what the particular officer considers as “things I don’t like to do”, but as public servants, the officer still have to perform and deliver – in fact to deliver their best in the most efficient, effective and economic way. Clearly this requires skills, expertise, passion and panache in executing the jobs. Fortunately, we have many able and multiskilled officers who execute their jobs well and at times surpass expectation. Such an ideal situation is best described as having “round pegs in round holes” or “square pegs in square holes”.

At divisional, district and sub-district levels, we often hear comments like “I don’t have the resources to do things” but we seldom hear statements like “Even though I don’t have the resources (funds and staff), I have been able to prepare my Divisional or District Development Plans, Quarterly or Annual Reports”. These examples relate to the metaphorical expressions “Things I like and I do” versus “Things I don’t like and therefore don’t do” or “I know but procrastinate and never do”.

As an example of applying metaphors and proverbs in the real world, we can consider the usage of metaphors when we explain the development of Native Customary Land in the State to the landowners. Very often we get bogged down with technical jargons and “officialese” (to quote Sir Ernest Gowers) which can very easily be misunderstood, misinterpreted or wrongly deciphered by the rural folks. Development of such land will involve the future, in terms of expected future benefits, or the early arrival of the future, to use Alvin Toffler’s terms (when your yield in 2010 has arrived in 2001), opportunity costs (profits, loss or things forgone), and the impact of the development on them (which often can be explained from a historical perspective by comparing past and present). The language employed will obviously not be one of economics, finance, or management but rather a figurative language that is laden with metaphorical terms and expressions to ease understanding.

Another example of the application of metaphor relates to what is known as “comfort zones”. Officers who have been stationed in one place for a very long time almost always refuse to be transferred elsewhere. What can make matters worse is that these comfy officers may not have fully appraised their superior’s intention. Metaphorically speaking, transfers will enable the officer concerned to gain valuable experience, exposure and exciting new tasks and challenges which can prepare him for further career advancement in the civil service. After all, every cloud has a silver lining.

Another area is those relating to leadership, management and administration in the civil service – which encompasses and transcends all levels at the kampung or village level (where the role of the community leaders or Ketua Masyarakat/ Ketua Kaum is critical as they are expected to lead, manage and administer the rakyat under their jurisdictions. The rural school teachers and other opinion leaders are often very influential in explaining and shaping their ideas to the minds of the communities. The supporting staff in the civil service (those previously categorized in scales C and D) who are often mixing and relating with their own peers should also master this form of communication. Those at departmental and agency levels, or those in the divisional, district and sub-district levels would often be communicating and relating their thoughts, ideas and whatever knowledge they have in explaining happenings, phenomena and realities. The language used will often be couched to the level of understanding of the target audience. Thus, where the jargon of economics, finance, government, technology, education and so on are not easily explained and hence understood, the use of metaphors and proverbs offers another dimension in our quest to disseminate such information to the rural population. However, usage of these metaphors and proverbs requires linguistic skills, prowess and mastery.

What skills do we have or do we need in communicating with our superordinates, subordinates and so on? Knowledge of metaphors, proverbs, pepatah, kiasan and other figures of speech are therefore important when we communicate with folks at the grassroots level. Practical application of metaphors in the Iban community, for example, almost always involve the pervasive use of “jako sempama” and “jako kelaung”. In the context of the Iban community, it will be advisable not to speak in direct terms but rather concepts and ideas should be delivered indirectly using metaphorical language that conveys the subject matter in hand. If the message is meant to disappoint the audience, jako sempama and jako kelaung should be cleverly used to make such disappointment more palatable to the recipients.

What this editorial hopes to drive home is that we need to start thinking differently. Firstly, apart from logical and rational thinking, we can resort to Edward de Bono’s lateral and parallel thinking techniques. One can also look to metaphors and proverbs as a way of thinking and analyzing issues, problems and crises confronting us. As the civil service deals with public issues, public woes, public dissatisfaction and public expectations, communicating the rational ideas of government can be further enhanced using the power of metaphors and proverbs.

Secondly, you may ask, what have metaphors, proverbs, similes, pepatah got to do with the civil service? A lot, we might add, directly or indirectly. We can explain or relate what we are doing in an easily understandable manner, in the “layman’s language” so to speak. It allows us to relate our work, service and efforts in the language easily understood by the beneficiaries, or the public at large – particularly in the area of development communication, and to address and answer public woes, complaints and dissatisfaction. This subject matter will be addressed accordingly in our next Editorial.