On English proverb variation from the perspective of linguistic creativity

Proverbs are usually regarded as structurally fixed expressions. However, in daily communication, language users often change them to suit their communicative purposes many ways, resulting proverb variations. Using the data from Corpus of Contemporary American English (COCA corpus), this study attempts present varieties “There two sides every coin” and explain variations perspective linguistic creativity. This also explores EFL learners' use via Chinese corpus TECCL. The shows that, first can roughly be divided into types: canonical non-canonical uses, each having three ways alteration, i.e., addition modifiers, substitution content words, reduction. Second, learners tend a mechanical way with little variation, which inflexible proverbs. Finally, variation by nature is creative manipulation fit context, form creativity that reflects cognitive human beings.