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Anonymous Posted 18 years ago
Vocabulary
an evil eye
Hello! There is an expression "an evil eye". But when one wants to ward off the evil eye - how can it be put in words? When one knocks at the wood and says"tfu-tfu" - what phrase may be said in this case?
Top answer
Hi, There is an expression "an evil eye". ' But when one wants to ward off the evil eye - how can it be put in words? When one knocks at the wood and says"tfu-tfu" We don't normally say this in English when we knock on wood.
- Hi, There is an expression "an evil eye".
- ' But when one wants to ward off the evil eye - how can it be put in words?
- When one knocks at the wood and says"tfu-tfu" We don't normally say this in English when we knock on wood.
- - what phrase may be said in this case?
- People used to say '*** willing', but I don't hear that much anymore.
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9 Answers
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Hi,
There is an expression "an evil eye". We usually speak of 'the evil eye.'
But when one wants to ward off the evil eye - how can it be put in words? When one knocks at the wood and says"tfu-tfu" We don't normally say this in English when we knock on wood.
- what phrase may be said in this
There is an expression "an evil eye". We usually speak of 'the evil eye.'
But when one wants to ward off the evil eye - how can it be put in words? When one knocks at the wood and says"tfu-tfu" We don't normally say this in English when we knock on wood.
- what phrase may be said in this
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Thanks a lot, Clive! I just need it for some translation, so it must be said something. Well, let it be "*** willing".
00
I would just say "knock wood" (or "knock on wood"). Or, if you are translating within a Jewish context, you could just transliterate and say "keyn aynhora." (The way I'm used to hearing it, the pronunciation is more like "kin-anorra")
Here's what Wikipedia says:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashken
Here's what Wikipedia says:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashken
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To ward off bad luck, we look something made of wood, touch it, and say "Touch wood". I would say that most modern Britons do not consciously believe and the evil eye.
Incidentally - sying "tfui-tfui" is a polite form of what originally [and in some places still is] spitting, usually in the direction of the person believed to have the evil eye.
Incidentally - sying "tfui-tfui" is a polite form of what originally [and in some places still is] spitting, usually in the direction of the person believed to have the evil eye.
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My mum does it and says 'touch wood'.
If she is feeling particularly superstitious she says 'touch wood and whistle' and follows it with a couple of little whistles.
To be honest, (and without wanting to be too rude about my mum) it's only really old people/superstitious people who do this nowadays.
I can't think of anyone else I know who does it other than as a joke.
If she is feeling particularly superstitious she says 'touch wood and whistle' and follows it with a couple of little whistles.
To be honest, (and without wanting to be too rude about my mum) it's only really old people/superstitious people who do this nowadays.
I can't think of anyone else I know who does it other than as a joke.
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I meet it in all ages and walks of life - whether superstitious and not obviously superstitious.
Like so many of these popular spell
Like so many of these popular spell00
Thanks to everyone for help! No, it's not a Jewish context, so "keyn aynhora" won't do (though I know what it means). Now I must think and choose either "*** willing" or "knock on wood/touch wood".
By the way, I think whistling may be used instead of "tfu-tfu" in this case.
PS: "Anonymous" - that's me.
By the way, I think whistling may be used instead of "tfu-tfu" in this case.
PS: "Anonymous" - that's me.
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Hi,
When I was a child, we used to say "DV', pronounced deevee. I didn't know what this meant at the time, but years later when I learned some Latin I discovered that it means 'Deo Volente' (*** willing).
Clive
When I was a child, we used to say "DV', pronounced deevee. I didn't know what this meant at the time, but years later when I learned some Latin I discovered that it means 'Deo Volente' (*** willing).
Clive
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Hi Iren, thanks for registering and welcome to the Forum! (It's more fun to respond to people with screen names than just various "Anonymous"es.)
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