Sunday, 02 August 2009
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Say Gesundheit!
Did you know that the practice of blessing a sneeze dates as far back as 77 AD? In some legends, it was believed that when one sneezes, the heart stops beating. The phrase 'bless you' is to ensure the return of life to the sneezer. However, another belief states that the soul is thrown out of the body when one sneezes, turning the body into a vessel where the devil can freely lounge. Thus, the phrase 'bless you' is used as a sort of shield against the evil spirits.
A common variation of 'bless you' is 'gesundheit' which is a German word for good health.
Just a trivia for school... I decided to write it down. There are more but these are the ones I like. :)
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Comments (5)
Cool stuff, I have heard that before.
I picked up the habit from a very young age (because mom used to say it each time I sneezed) and until today, everytime I hear a sneeze I say "bless you". If a stranger (in a room or on a bus or something) sneezes, I say it quietly under my breath.
@AlterEgo909 - Cool. :)
@smirnoffinthesky - That will cast out the evil spirits. XD
Our teacher told us this, then refused to say bless you when I sneezed, even though she did for everyone else. I think she was secretly wishing I would die :( She usually just acknowledged me by giving a good long stare.
@xsteph_ox - Your teacher seems scary... especially when you said she acknowledged you by giving a good long stare. Thinking about it makes me shudder.