--- In cybalist@..., "Piotr Gasiorowski" <gpiotr@...> wrote:
> 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
>
>
Danish: <bank under bordet> "knock under the table". No mention of
wood here. Some might also knock.
Torsten