Learn more. Say for example your two cousins are in an argument, to keep Them from arguing what would you say to knock on wood? Why We Knock on Wood. Have you ever paused in your tracks when a black cat crossed your path, or thrown salt over your shoulder after spilling it? Dawn is a Digital Content Editor who has been with Graham Media Group since April 2013. While the origins of “knock on wood” may never be known for certain, the superstition remains popular around the globe and has even given rise to several local variations. OK, but what about the whole throwing-it-over-your-left-shoulder business? Touch wood is a superstitious phrase spoken when one has acknowledged some good fortune and wishes the good fortune to continue.Touch wood is the British counterpart to the American knock on wood.Touch wood dates at least from the early seventeenth century, and perhaps earlier. Besides spreading disease, sneezing means that your enemy has mentioned your name and Swedes combat such terrible luck by saying “prosit”. Superstition is a belief in supernatural causality that one event leads to the cause of another without any physical process linking the two events, such as astrology, omens, witchcraft, etc., that contradicts natural science. chairs). There are dozens of other superstitions people follow, and many theories as to where they originated. Meaning and Origins. knock on wood. Other researchers consider knocking on wood a more recent phenomenon. Superstitions surrounding evil spirits are ancient, and the idea of touching wood to avoid them is also quite old. But why? A different theory is that, because people were hung at the top of rungs of the ladder, their spirit would reside in the triangle the ladder created as it leaned against the gallows. We spoke with a few experts to find out where these beliefs come from and why we … In Irish folklore, touching trees was a way of thanking leprechauns for good luck. Knocking on wood. In medieval times, ladders were often associated with gallows, which is where people faced death by hanging. Because a mirror reflected the soul, when one was broken, it signified a break in the person’s health and well-being. Let's break down the meaning and origin of wood knocking. Knock Wood Do you knock wood when you say something like, "I'm going to get that promotion." If you need help with the Public File, call 210-351-1241. “The claim that the latter goes back to when we believed in tree spirits is complete nonsense.”. Knock your knuckles on a piece of wood to bring good fortune or ward off bad luck. Telling someone to ‘knock on wood’ is a motor reflex just like saying ‘that’s what she said’, it comes out before you can even stop yourself. It has often, in ancient world, been considered a perfect number. It’s believed the “bad luck” was brought about as a way to keep people from wasting it. Exapme say "I've never gotten hurt, knock on wood" or couldnit work for other things? However, the practice is much older than that, and there are a few conflicting origin stories as to where it came from. Knocking on wood … And interestingly enough, superstitious actions like knocking on wood aren't all alike at quelling fears, found researchers from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. One common explanation traces the phenomenon to ancient pagan cultures such as the Celts, who believed that spirits and gods resided in trees. For them to argue, what would you say to knock on wood? Other parts of Europe, during the Middle Ages, thought of cats as companions of witches, or even witches in disguise. What does knock on wood expression mean? knock on wood definition: 1. said in order to avoid bad luck, either when you mention good luck that you have had in the past…. Are some of them silly? Knock on Wood: Poems About Superstitions [Wong, Janet S., Paschkis, Julie] on Amazon.com. But it’s not just the superstitious who knock on wood. Or, maybe rather than knock on the nearest piece of wood, you say the phrase, "Knock wood." • In Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro and Serbia there is also the habit of knocking on wood when saying something positive or affirmative about someone or something and not wanting that to change. FACT CHECK: We strive for accuracy and fairness. In many cultures, it’s a common superstition for people to knock their knuckles on a piece of wood to bring themselves good fortune or ward off bad luck. Cats, clovers, ears, and garlic are just a few of the items that carry superstitions. It is said that if you bury the broken pieces of a mirror underground and under the moonlight, you can avoid the bad luck. For those familiar with the Bible, another origin of the superstition comes from the famous Last Supper painting, which shows Judas (remember, the guy who betrayed Jesus) having knocked over salt, spilling it all over the table. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! From that the superstition Spread. The French superstition of toucher du bois, or to knock on wood, doesn’t seem strange on the surface since many other countries have the same superstition in their respective cultures.But are you familiar with the origin of it? “Given that the game was concerned with ‘protection,’ and was well known to adults as well as children, it is almost certainly the origin of our modern superstitious practice of saying, ‘Touch wood,’” he argues. Knocking on wood originated with the children's game of tree tag where the tree was safety. Salt was quite the expensive commodity in ancient times, so wasting it was frowned upon. 44). Even though many cultures have believed for thousands of years that sneezes expelled evil spirits, it is said that in the sixth century A.D., a fatal plague was spreading through Italy. I’m not a particularly superstitious man but I’m certainly guilty of knocking on wood and/or telling people to ‘knock one wood’ … Frequently the movement of knocking on nearby wood is followed by da pokucam u drvo / да куцнем у дрво ("I will knock on wood"), or sometimes by da ne ureknem / да не урекнем ("I don't want to jinx it"). Knocking on tree trunks may have served to rouse the spirits and call on their protection, but it could have also been a way of showing gratitude for a stroke of good luck. Dawn Jorgenson, Digital Content Editor, Graham Media Group. knock on wood phrase. In the past, the French believed that spirits lived in trees. Knocking on wood may not actually prevent a bad thing from happening, but it does do a good job of lessening our elevated fears, a new study shows. When a black cat would cross your path, it meant the devil was watching you. There's a long list of superstitions many of us follow, but why? From time to time, we all rap our knuckles on … 30. It turns out there are explanations. Superstitions are just like all illusions that make people better about certain events and things which cannot be controlled (Marmor, 1994, pp. Definition of knock on wood in the Idioms Dictionary. Yet another theory is that people knocked on wood to chase away evil spirits or prevent them from listening in when they boasted about their luck, thereby preventing a reversal of fortune. As with many superstitions, there are subtle variations and sometimes not so subtle varying origins. Wood and trees have an association with good spirits in mythology. A person who clings on to superstition are those who cannot see the future so they will just knock on wood to gain positivism amidst the hopelessness that is already consuming them. Live Science says the pope urged the healthy to pray for the sick and ordered a light-hearted response, which eventually led to “God bless you” when someone sneezed. One can also knock on wood three times after talking about something lucky or serendipitous, in order to ward off the evil spirits who might purposely ruin it. Traditionally, when you speak of your own good fortune, you follow up with a quick knock on a piece of wood to keep your luck from going bad. Often, when a superstitious person knocks on wood or touches wood, he jocularly taps his head. SUPERSTITIOUS people do all sorts of puzzling things. If someone walked under a ladder, it was believed that person would eventually face their death by hanging. But chances are, they’ll be sticking around for years to come. Italians ‘touch steel’ rather than wood, perhaps more related to iron horseshoes; Poles and Russians touch unpainted wood, Turks knock twice, Latin American knock on wood with no legs (i.e. The phrase originated based on a superstition that knocking or touching wood will ward off evil spirits. Twice a week we compile our most fascinating features and deliver them straight to you. Each of those revolve around a 13th guest at ancient events: Judas (who betrayed Jesus) at the Last Supper, and Loki (a Norse god known for being mischievous) at a dinner party in which there was already a perfect balance of 12 gods in attendance. Because walking under it was considered a desecration of God, it would, in turn, invite the devil in, bringing bad luck. Touching the trees is an acknowledgment of the spirits and puts protection over you from evil spirits. The knock on wood/touch wood superstition has pagan origins, from the spirits and creatures who inhabited the woods – knocking on tree trunks would awaken them for protection. Why do we touch wood, or knock on wood, to ward off bad luck? Please try your request again later.This shopping feature will continue to load items when the Enter key is pressed. Yet while the phrase “knock on wood”—or “touch wood” in Britain—has been part of the vernacular since at the least the 19th century, there seems to be little agreement on how it originated. Knocking on wood is a superstition that started way back in the 19th century. Do you only knock on wood when you don't want to jinx yourself? Apparently, the Pilgrims brought the notion to America, and the association between witches and black cats continues to this day. I do not think it is necessary to have read Ladder but do think it would lend to a better reading experience since there are many references to the plot of the first book. Whether superstitious or not, most folks when gifted with a blessing, especially an unexpected one, feel compelled to literally knock on wood. Whether it's bad luck, mysterious injuries, and foul weather, any of it can be prevented by simply, knocking on wood. As for knock on wood: “To touch wood or knock on wood is a superstition action to ward off any evil consequences or bad luck, perhaps because of some recent action you’ve taken or untimely boasting about your good fortune (“I’ve never been in danger of drowning, touch wood”); it can also be a … As with many superstitions, there is also a Christian explanation: that the wood represents the Cross, so when you touch or knock on wood, you are asking God to help your luck. Surely we’ve all knocked on wood to ward off bad luck from something we’ve said, right? People may knock on wood to deflect bad luck. Genre - Poetry Grade Level - 3-5 Theme - Superstition, Tradition, History Summary - Knock on Wood is an anthology of poems written by Janet Wong. ​As one of the more commonly-known superstitions, there seems to be various theories on where this one came from. After severe chronic sneezing, death often quickly followed. Italians, meanwhile, say the phrase “touch iron” when trying to avoid tempting fate. It was considered good luck to tap trees to let the good spirits know that you were there. Knock on wood: The quirky explanations behind these 7 common superstitions Turns out there may be a remedy to bad luck for breaking a mirror Dawn Jorgenson , … This may have started more as bad form than bad luck. HISTORY reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is complete and accurate. All Rights Reserved. So apparently, this wasn’t something that came about for the sake of being polite. A long, long time ago (think ancient Egyptians, Romans and Greeks), mirrors were valuable, and (of course) possessed some mystical attributes, according to the Psychic Library. The pure kind, sea crystals./Spilled salt is magic flung wild." I'll knock on wood. (Not getting cousins to argue, just curious) Why do people knock on wood? Knock on wood: 7 common superstitions and the quirky explanations behind them Turns out there may be a remedy to bad luck for breaking a mirror. Touching wood also became a significant superstition within Judaism during the Spanish Inquisition. Knock on Wood is the second book in the Superstition Mystery series and picks up right where the first book, Lost Under a Ladder, leaves off. This is the Crazy Russian at the Knock on Wood Trail at Superstition. To build on that, there are two events that play into the theory that 13 is an unlucky number. This one may date back to ancient pagan times, when people believed spirits lived in trees, and touching or knocking on the tree would protect them from bad luck. or touch wood. Some believe the devil hangs out over the left side of the body, waiting for an opportunity to pounce, so throwing salt over that shoulder puts it right in his face, stopping him from attacking. People would knock on wood to beseech friendly spirits for help or to thank them for their assistance. While the origins of some of these popular superstitions seem pretty silly, many people still do them today. In case it’s not enough that breaking a mirror may bring bad luck, that bad luck is said to then persist for seven whole years. Turkish people often pull on one earlobe and knock on wood twice to ward off a jinx. Maybe. You may be surprised to know that black cats are actually thought to bring good luck in England, Ireland and ancient Egypt — so much so that the cats were well-protected from death and injury. © 2020 A&E Television Networks, LLC. Here are four theories as to where the superstition comes from But that doesn’t answer the question of why we believe black cats bring bad luck. Since at the least the 19th century the phrase “knock on wood”—or “touch wood” in Britain—has been part of the vernacular The phenomenon has been traced to the Celts, an ancient pagan culture, who believed that spirits and gods resided in trees. Christians, meanwhile, have often linked the practice to the wood of the cross from Christ’s crucifixion. Do you knock on wood or avoid stepping on cracks to prevent something bad from happening? In short, History.com says Western cultures have long associated the number 12 with good and completeness — think 12 days of Christmas, 12 months, 12 zodiac signs, 12 tribes of Israel and 12 labors of Hercules, to name a few. By walking under it, some assumed a dead body could fall on them, causing injury or death. Many people in Northern Europe and North America knock so reflexively that they do not even realize that they are doing it, showing how ingrained the tradition is in these cultures. And yet another theory suggests that the triangle created by leaning a ladder up against a wall signified the Holy Trinity -- the spirit of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. All the poems in this text are themed around superstitions in current or historical societies. The first recorded evidence of people saying “Touch wood” (the British version of “Knock on wood”) comes from the 1800s. In Roman times, it was believed that each person’s body would undergo physical regeneration every seven years. Knock on Wood Lyrics: I don't want to lose this good thing / That I've got, 'cause if I do / I would surely, surely lose a lot / 'Cause your love is better than any love I know / It's like thunder There is good news, though. Responding with “knock on wood” after the exclamation of a positive statement is said to bring a person continued good luck, a superstition … Knocking on wood is the most common superstition used among people almost completely involuntarily. This superstition is so legit that the term triskaidekaphobia was coined for those who have a fear of the number 13. In his book “The Lore of the Playground,” British folklorist Steve Roud traces the practice to a 19th century children’s game called “Tiggy Touchwood,” a type of tag in which players were immune from being caught whenever they touched a piece of wood such as a door or a tree. So its successor 13 has gotten a bad rap as a sign of bad luck. While the origins of “knock on wood” may never be known for certain, the superstition remains popular around the globe and has even given rise to several local variations. She graduated from Texas State University with a degree in electronic media. Psychic Library says knocking on the wood was also seen as a thank-you gesture to the gods for bringing blessings and good luck.
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