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The comparison of the proverbs and fixed expressions from both the Arabic and the Greek culture reveals the great similarities in the sociocultural linguistic features and the cultural values that prove the interconnectedness of the two cultures despite their historical and spatial differences. Both cultures have a long-standing tradition of respect for wisdom, family and community relationships and both have many proverbs that have encoded these norms, including those that encourage fidelity, obedience to elders and the sharing of resources in time of adversity (Abudabbeh, 1996; Barakat, 2005). Furthermore, the role of religion as the main determinant of societal values and ethical behavior is evident in both traditions, and proverbs help to sustain these communal norms (Gogonas, 2012; Bremmer, 1994).

         The study has also found some common themes across these two cultures, such as hospitality, honor, and the common perception of moral values. This shows that both cultures give much emphasis to the relationship and respect in the society (O’Gorman, 2005; Jeter, 1991). These proverbs can be seen not only as a way of cultural representation but also a means of uniting a community, a fact that demonstrates that language contains the values and beliefs of a culture. Some of the other themes that are evident in the proverbs include patience and the need to work hard, which show that there is a general appreciation of the traits that are healthy for the society (cf. Lomotey & Csajbok-Twerefou, 2021).

         Furthermore, the study also highlights the role of proverbs in the transmission of cultural knowledge and wisdom from one generation to another, and how language is used to create and sustain cultural identity. This research also demonstrates that in both cultures, simplicity and elegance in communication are appreciated, and therefore, offer a common ground for expressing complex concepts. Also, the study of humor, irony and metaphor in proverbs gives a deeper insight into the tastes and cultural manifestations that can help people from the two societies to understand each other. The effect of the environment and culture on metaphors used in proverbs proves that these factors determine the perception and manifestation of culture in people’s communication.

         In terms of theoretical contributions, this analysis adds to the body of knowledge in the field of intercultural communication by proposing a model that focuses on the cultural significance of proverbs as expressions of group knowledge and social expectations. By looking at the linguistic features and the content of Arabic and Greek proverbs, the study gives a conclusion on how cultural values influence the processes of interpersonal communication and relationships (Kramsch, 2002; Gálik, 1991). Furthermore, knowing these features help foster cultural comprehension and communication between the two cultures and thus the world, since it reveals the essence of man and the moral lessons that are gained from language, thus offering a more culturally nuanced approach to intercultural communication (Lomotey & Csajbok-Twerefou, 2021; Nedeva, 2014). This comparison helps to expand the knowledge of the sociolinguistic reality of both cultures and also stresses the role of proverbs in cultural mediation and mutual understanding.

         In its limitations, the study has not aimed at collecting exhaustive lists of proverbs from both cultures. This selective approach may have failed to capture some important proverbs that may give more insight into the respective Arabic and Greek cultural values and beliefs. Moreover, the research focuses on the proverbs used in the Arab and Greek cultures but does not include the regional differences within these cultures. The use of different dialects and local culture may lead to the development of proverbs that are culturally important but may not have been captured in a cross-dialectal analysis. Although the study focuses on the cultural connotations of proverbs, it has not explained in great detail how the proverbs are employed in various situations (e.g. formal and informal language), and how the usage may change the meaning of the proverbs.

         An interesting follow-up study could focus on a more detailed comparison that goes beyond the identification of themes to examine how the structure and function of proverbs differ across cultures. Moreover, the quantitative design may lead to the researcher’s bias in the interpretation of the proverbs, which may lead to different results for different researchers. In addition, future work should involve the collection of a more comprehensive list of proverbs from different dialects of both cultures, including the regional sub-categories and less known proverbs that may offer cultural richness. Along the same lines, future research could be the investigation of the historical evolution of certain proverbs and how social political changes influenced the formation of the cultural message of the proverbs. A specific focus on the use of proverbs in specific contexts (such as in literature, in politics, in everyday conversation) would greatly help the understanding of the role that proverbs play in the society. Moreover, the comparison could be extended to other cultures with similar historical relations or values to gain a more general understanding of how proverbs work as cultural objects in various communities. The analysis of the proverbs can also be informed by other disciplines like anthropology, linguistics, and sociology to offer a more complex perspective of the role of proverbs in cultural identification and social regulation. Our project has just paved the way to a promising interdisciplinary research pathway that will, hopefully, contribute towards a better and deeper understanding of Arabic and Greek cultures and their respective encodings though language.