Re: [tied] Touch wood (piotr & max)

From: Che
Message: 9197
Date: 2001-09-08

Mmm... Isn't the "iron" spell found, at least, in French? I had always believed the English form was that, too. About the origin, I have always thought that "iron" is more logical that "wood", for being a metal and all that. Wood may have that "passive healthy power" while iron feels more "active", so... In spain they also knock whatever that is at hand, usually tables or doors. In Catalonia this expression is replacing the original "iron", but both's use is the same and both come together with a knock (notice that it may be more interesting to find an iron thing to knock, sometimes it's not easy!)
Anyway just asking for curiosity, nothing else that I supposed it was kind of a Roman thing because of its spread around Europe.
----- Original Message -----
From: Piotr Gasiorowski
To: cybalist@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Saturday, September 08, 2001 1:10 AM
Subject: Re: [tied] Touch wood

One touches wood to ward off bad luck, or more specifically to prevent the fulfilment of something one has just said: "I've never been to hospital -- touch wood!" (or "knock on wood!" in American English) -- in this case, cancelling an untimely boast lest the gods should make sure that you _do_ go to hospital. In Poland (and I think in Holland too) people often actually accompany the words with a knock on the (preferably unpainted) underside of a table top.
 
Piotr
 
 
----- Original Message -----
From: Che
Sent: Saturday, September 08, 2001 12:53 AM
Subject: Re: [tied] Touch wood

Does this "touch wood" mean "I hope we're lucky"? If it does, it's funny to think why some languages have "touch iron" and others "wood". I had only heard this "wood" thing in Spanish. Anybody knows about it? (maybe some kind of Roman stuff?)


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