Superstitions

UnderstandLanguageandcultureinEnglishandAmericanSuperstitionsLiLiqunWhatissuperstition?•Asuperstitionisabeliefinsomethingthatisirrational,non-physicalanddoesnotfollowtherulesofscience.•Superstitionsarebeliefsthatcertainthingsoreventswillbringgoodorbadluck.Is“superstition”thenametoonegative?•Withthedevelopmentoffolklorestudiesinthelate18thcentury,useofthederogatorytermsuperstitionwassometimesreplacedbytheneutraltermfolkbelief.•Bothtermsremaininuse;thus,describingapracticesuchasthe“crossingfingers”asfolkbeliefimpliesaneutraldescriptionfromtheperspectiveoffolklorestudies.Whatisthepointinlearningsuperstitions?•Manypeoplebelievethatluckplaysanimportantpartintheirlives,andtheywishsomebodyluck(=goodluck)inmanysituations.•Althoughthebeliefsandpracticesofsuperstitionsarebasedonneitherreasonnorfact,superstiotionssteadfastlyremainapartofthelanguageandbackgroundofpeople.•Understandthelanguageandtheculture.1.Crossyourfingerstomakeawishcometrue•Itissaidthatbadluckistrappedatthepointwherethetwofingersmeet.Sowhenwecrossourfingers,westopthebadluckfromescapingandallowourwishestocometrue.1.Languageinuse•A:Congratulations!Iheardthatyougotthatjobinthedepartmentstore.•B:Notyet,butIhopetohearsoon.•A:Well,I’llkeepmyfingerscrossedforyou.•B:Thanks.IneedallthegoodluckIcanget.2.Ifyousingbeforeseven,youwillcrybeforeeleven•There’sanoldbeliefthatthemorningistooearlytobehappy.Happinesshastobeearnedeachday---otherwise,youaresuretohavebadluck.2.Languageinuse•A:(singing)Oh,whatabeautifulmorning!•B:Doyoureallywantthatnewjob?•A:OfcourseIdo!•B:Thenyou’dbetternotacttoohappy,atleastbeforenoon.3.AskingGod’sblessingforasneezer•Peopleoncebelievedthesoulcouldescapefromthebodywhenapersonsneezed.Tostopthisfromhappening,peopleaskGodtobless---andsotoprotect---thepersonwhosneezes.3.Languageinuse•A:Ahchu!(loudnoise)•B:Godblessyou!•A:Thanks.IsurecoulduseHisblessing.Ifeelacoldcomingon.4.Coveryourmouthwhenyouyawn•Anoldsuperstitionsaysthatyawningiscausedbythedevilandthatevilspiritsenterthebodywhenyourmouthisopenwide.Coveringyourmouthstopsthem.Now,itissimplyconsideredrudenottocoveryourmouthwhenyouyawn.Itisalsobelievedthatwatchingsomeoneelseyawnwillcauseyoutoyawntoo.4.Languageinuse•A:Oh,Ijustcan’tstopyawning.•B:Atleastyoucouldcoveryourmouth!•A:Sorry.Ididn’tmeantobesorude,butI’vebeenstudyingsinceearlythismorning.•B:Iknow,butyawningiscatching.Ifyoudon’tstop,I’llsoonstart.5.Gettingridofacough•Peoplehavetriedmanystrangeremediestogetridofacough.Onecureistotakeahairfromthecoughingperson’shead,putitbetweentwoslicesofbutteredbread,feedittoadog,andsay,“Eatwellyouhound.MayyoubesickandIbesound.”5.Languageinuse•A:You’vebeencoughingallnight.Haveyoutakenanymedicine?•B:Yes,I’vetriedallkindsofmedicines.Nothingworked.•A:Iknowwhattodo,I’llfindadog.Yougetsomebreadandbutter.•B:Youandyourridiculouscures!Frankly,I’dprefersomethinghottodrink.6.Whistlingbringsmisfortune•Peopleusedtothinkthatwhistlingwasthenoisemadebyevilspiritsandthatitinvitedmisfortune.Whistlingwasconsideredveryunluckyinaclosedplacesuchasahouseoraship.Itwasconsideredespeciallyunlucky,forexample,towhistleinatheatredressingroom.6.Languageinuse•A:Mary,stopyourwhistlingrightnow!•B:ButMom,I’mjustwhistlingwhileweclean.I’mhappyandexcitedabouttheparty.•A:Butit’sbadlucktowhistleinthehouse.Doyouwanttoruinyourfather’sbirthday?•B:OK,I’llstop.Idon’twantanythingtogowrongattheparty.7.Somethingold,somethingnew,somethingborrowed,somethingblue•Whengettingmarried,bridestraditionallywearorcarrysomethingold,somethingnew,somethingborrowed,andsomethingblue.“Somethingold”canbeanythingthathasbroughtgoodlucktoitsownerinthepast.“Somethingnew”isasymbolofhopeforthefuture.“Somethingborrowed”addsthegoodluckofthegivertothebride.Andblue,consideredaluckycolor,isatraditionalprotectionforallwomen.7.Languageinuse•A:Anna,theceremonyisabouttobegin.Areyouready?•B:Yes.I’mwearingmygrandmother’snecklace(old)andmybeautifulweddinggown(new).Dad’sluckypenny(borrowed)istiedintomybouquetwithablueribbon(blue).Everythingisperfect.8.Orangeblossomsforeternallove•Orangeblossomsareoftenfoundinthebridalbouquet.Theorangeblossomtreerepresentseternalloveandsoisaperfectsymbolforawedding.8.Languageinuse•A:Silvia,haveyouchosentheflowersforyourbridalbouquet?•B:Notcompletely,butIknowIwanttouseorangeblossoms.Theyaresobeautifulandsmellsowonderful.•A:Forsure.Andtheyalwaysmakemethinkoflovers.9.Tyingoldshoestothenewlyweds’car•Thiscustombeganinatimewhenthefatherofthebridegaveheroldshoestothegroomasasymbolthathewasnowresponsibleforhercare.9.Languageinuse•A:Whataracketthecouple’scarmadewhentheydroveaway!•B:It’snowonderwithallthosetincanstiedtotherearfender.Butwhatwerethoseoldshoesdoingthere?•A:Maybesomeonethoughtthey’dcomeinhandyifthecarranoutofgas.10.Saying“breadandbutter”toavoidseparation•Superstitionhasitthisway:Breadthathasbeenbutteredcanneverbeunbuttered.Sowhentwopeoplewalkingtogetherarepartedbysomething,theysay“breadandbutter”tobesurenothingseparatestheirfriendship.10.Languageinuse•PamandJillwerewalkinghomefromschooltogether,justastheydideveryday.Astheycametothemailboxonthecorner,Pa