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Sneezing

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rjoubert

rjoubert

Programmer
Oct 2, 2003
1,843
US
It's amazing how many people say "God Bless You" or "Bless You" when someone sneezes. Why are we blessing someone for spreading their germs around? I ask that rhetorically, since I am guilty of saying that myself.

I've heard that people in the old days were fearful that your soul was attempting to escape when you sneezed, and saying "Bless You" would force it back in. Has anyone heard of any other origins?

I'm also curious to know what is said, if anything, across the pond (in European countries) when someone sneezes.
 
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A quick google found this linek to World Wide Words which says that 'touch wood' and 'knock on wood' is relatively recent.
World Wide Words said:
The phrase itself is relatively modern, as the oldest citation for the British version of the phrase, touch wood, that I can find dates only from 1899. The American equivalent knock on wood is roughly contemporary, with my first example from 1905.
Click to expand...

Ceci n'est pas une signature
Columb Healy
 
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Apparently my version is a sailing terms:
University of Hull said:
If any forbidden word was uttered, bad luck could be averted by 'touching cold iron'. Landlubbers might 'touch wood' for protection; but aboard ship, iron had magical properties: 'Touch wood - no good / Touch iron - rely on'.
Click to expand...

from their website here

Fee

The question should be [red]Is it worth trying to do?[/red] not [blue] Can it be done?[/blue]
 
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In Wales we say 'bendith' which is literally the word for a blessing or benediction.


Geraint

The lights are on but nobody's home, my elevator doesn't go to the top. I'm not playing with a full deck, I've lost my marbles. Barenaked Ladies - Crazy
 
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Yes we do. Hi Geraint - how are you?

Fee

The question should be [red]Is it worth trying to do?[/red] not [blue] Can it be done?[/blue]
 
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Woah stop that Welsh malarki right now! We didn't take over Wales to let you carry on talking that funny tongue....

Only the truly stupid believe they know everything.
Stu.. 2004
 
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Ahem, do you want to swing first Fee or shall I?

Dwi'n da iawn diolch, ond wedi blino!


Geraint

The lights are on but nobody's home, my elevator doesn't go to the top. I'm not playing with a full deck, I've lost my marbles. Barenaked Ladies - Crazy
 
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Hey, don't start bad mouthing the Welsh...keep in mind they gave us Catherine Zeta-Jones!!! [love2]
 
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(And quite frankly you can keep her!)

Ha. She comes from the same village as me, and in fact went to the same school. We weren't close chums though.

Fee

The question should be [red]Is it worth trying to do?[/red] not [blue] Can it be done?[/blue]
 
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Geraint - BTW - I've just started (again) welsh lessons from Univ of Lampeter. Can we start a welsh langauge user group so I can practice do you think?

Hwyl fawr...

Fee

The question should be [red]Is it worth trying to do?[/red] not [blue] Can it be done?[/blue]
 
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Fee, you can ask Mike for my email address if you like so we can both practice. Our Welsh lessons in work were cut short (lack of funding sadly)


Geraint

The lights are on but nobody's home, my elevator doesn't go to the top. I'm not playing with a full deck, I've lost my marbles. Barenaked Ladies - Crazy
 
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Maybe if they spent the money on the lessons instead of writing everything twice....

Only the truly stupid believe they know everything.
Stu.. 2004
 
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willif said:
(And quite frankly you can keep her!)
Click to expand...

Can I really keep her??? Wow...thanks...that's the best gift ever!!!
 
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There's so much sneezing where work I say nothing, just cringe, I wish they would put the chronic sneezers off in a room by themselves so they can sneeze all over each other to their hearts content, all you usually have to do to suppress a sneeze is close your mouth and breathe through you nose, or hold your nose, but these people seem to revel in it, can't stand it!
 
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We have to sneeze...

from FactMonster.com said:
We sneeze to clear our breathing passages. We all have a natural reflex to sneeze whenever a small foreign substance enters our airways. So don’t hold back your sneezes-let ‘em rip!
Click to expand...
 
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rjoubert Yes, but not over everybody else !!!!!!

<Do I need A Signature or will an X do?>
 
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...and not 50 times a day, put them all in a sealed room together..
 
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If the room is airtight, the smaller the room and the more people in it, the quicker they will stop sneezing....



Only the truly stupid believe they know everything.
Stu.. 2004
 
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The reason people currently say 'bless you' is just a kind gesture to distract attention from your sneeze and onto the others 'bless you' comment.

Sneezing is a slight embarrassment and the 'bless you' comment helps alleviate that.

My two cents.
 
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On a humorous note, I think people should say bless you for another bodily function called flatulence.
 
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I believe StuReeves' theory would hold true for that as well...

If the room is airtight, the smaller the room and the more people in it, teh quicker they will stop flatulating. [neutral]
 
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