英语也有类似的用法,用mother表示源泉。英语有句谚语是"Necessity is the mother of invention. "。(需要是发明之母。)这谚语说的是需要可以启发人们去发明创造,也是说需要是发明的源泉。美国科学家富兰克林有句名言:"Diligence is the mother of good fortune."(勤奋是好运之母。) 这就是说,一个人只有勤奋, 才会有好运气。含有mother表示"源泉"的谚语或格言还有不少。又如:Practice is the mother of knowledge. (实践是知识之母。)Experience is the mother of wisdom. (经历是才智之母。)Prudence is the mother of resource. (谨慎是智谋之母。)Moderation is the mother of health.(适度是健康之母。) Belief is the mother of unity. (信仰是团结之母。) Thinking of danger is the mother of peace. (思危是居安之母。) Insistence is the mother of victory. (坚持是胜利之母。) Greed is the mother of demon. (贪婪是恶魔之母。) Comfort is the mother (that) aspiration disappears. (安逸是志消之母。) Lazy is the mother of neediness. (懒惰是贫穷之母。) Will is the mother of strength. (意志是力量之母。)  Indulgence is the mother of repentance. (放纵是后悔之母。) Repetition is the mother of study. (重复是学习之母。)

     有时候,人们不用mother,而以father代之,如法国文学家伏尔泰有这样一句名言:"Labor is often the father of pleasure."(勤劳常是快乐之父。)此外,我们经常把祖国比喻为母亲,英语是用motherland表示,有时也可以用fatherland。father的另一个延伸意思是"缔造者"。"创始人"。如:George Washington is called the father of the USA.(乔治·华盛顿被称为美国的国父)。