italian superstitions knives italian superstitions knives

TIP: Knife sharpening stones, or whetstones, come in such a wide variety that it can be challenging to choose the best stone to sharpen your knives. I sometimes wonder how human beings made it as far as we have! As a symbol of good luck, in the Italian tradition, during the rehearsal dinner, the best man makes a toast with prosecco, usually exclaiming, "Per cent'anni," or "A hundred years," to wish . Whoever opened an umbrella in the house did not pay respect to the Sun God and so would risk bringing misfortune to their family. I know what its like to start from scratch and to even go back to absolute basics and learn what a verb is! I would not have the space on my hands for all the scars! A small coin is the most popular "payment" given. Wait until someone else crosses its path first! Posted by Leighton Taylor on May 13, 2014. Want my "9 Steps to Reach Fluency Faster" playbook? A tickling nose is a sign of getting drunk. An itching of the right eye means sadness. The word salario, meaning salary, is derived from sale, meaning salt. The expression In bocca al lupo literally means into the wolfs mouth to which, according to custom, one must always reply with Crepi il lupo (may the wolf die). You also wont see many Italian going outside with wet hair! The Greeks used it for upset stomachs. Vixi (VIXI) in Latin means "I have lived / I lived", implying "My life is over.". #3: In Greece, putting a knife with a black handle under your pillow is believed to keep away nightmares. Like that, the gift turns into a purchase and no harm will be done. Your email address will not be published. Like many countries, Italy has its fair share of wacky traditions and superstitions. We promise to never spam you or sell your email address. Here we explain ten of the most common. Crazy, right? #21: Slicing hot cornbread with a knife implies cutting your luck. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); We match you with expert teachers in over 300 subjects so that you can learn something new through 100% (See you there!). Egyptian women pinch the bride on her wedding day for good luck. You see it everywhere, the cornicello charm which looks like a spicy red pepper. Instead, the knife should be put down on a table and the person on the receiving end should pick it up. Learn the local language with my unique 80/20 method. A baby born at full moon will be lucky. While this may have been a belief in the past, thrusting a knife into a door of your home today might require you to have protection from your spouse! In ancient times, salt was invaluable. I grew up making sure I didnt walk under a ladder. In China the first coins were tiny knives, equal in value to one knife. what its like to start from scratch and to even go back to absolute basics and learn what a verb is! if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'sharpyknives_com-portrait-1','ezslot_19',126,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-sharpyknives_com-portrait-1-0');This superstition says that you will not catch any fish if you drop a knife while out fishing and the knife lands with the blade pointing to the land. The superstition about giving a knife to a friend is that the relationship is doomed because the knife will sever the friendship. Italian Superstitions: Il Malocchio. Like any group of fanatics, we knife lovers are not immune to superstitions, so, to embrace knife fanaticism, today I bring you 26 superstitions all about our most beloved subject: knives. This superstition is not taken so seriously anymore as nowadays people get married and go on holiday on any day of the week (unless, of course, its Friday 17th!). This superstition is based on the religious fact that bread is considered a symbol of life, therefore, its bad luck to turn the bread up-side-down or stick a knife into it. The idea is that once you cut yourself accidentally with a knife, you have a special bond with the knife. If you are single, be careful when a friend or family member clean the house in your presence. This alternative interpretation of this expression stems from the fact that since wolf cubs are held in their mothers mouths, they are actually protected and safe. For the Christians the triangle represented the concept of the Holy Trinity and crossing a ladder meant breaking the sacredness of the Holy Trinity. #5: One prevalent belief still held by people today is that gifting a knife to someone will cause the relationship between the giver and the recipient to be severed. Like a bad rash that won't go away, it will follow you wherever you go. Traditional Irish Folklore. Men must never give their wives or girlfriends a gift of perfume. Tuesday, on the other hand, was already unlucky among the Romans because it was dedicated to Mars, the God of war and discord. Many countries think the number 13 is unlucky. The Italian culture was heavily influenced by the Roman Catholic church, which reveres religious symbols as holy relics, and any insult to these symbols was an insult to the faith. Don't worry about reading a Top 13: in some countries, 13 is thought of as an unlucky number, but in Italy 13 is a lucky number. If someone handed the knife to you closed, you should hand it back closed to avoid bad luck. This sign could be seen as the old-time equivalent of the modern sign stating, trespassers will be shot! It acted as a deterrent to inform would-be criminals that the homeowner has no problem defending his household with violence. A similar belief was that a knife placed under the mattress of a woman in labor would increase the chances of her giving birth to a boy. #17: One old wives' tales about white-handled knives is that they can tell you if your future spouse will be dark or fair by spinning it around. The Romans believed the herb to be an antidepressant, and ancient Celtic warriors took it for courage. KRUDO Knives, providing expertly designed knife and tool solutions for everyday situations. After all, you dont want to take any chances! Of course, of all tools, the knife is one of the oldest and most useful. A knife that falls and sticks into the floor means bad luck in the near future for the knife owner. We'd love to have you along for the ride! Find Private Teaching Jobs on TakeLessons. The Italian culture has many beliefs passed down from generation to generation and even though many of them may seem absurd to an outsider, they are taken more or less seriously by natives! Today, this superstition is often interpreted to mean that giving knives as wedding gifts will cause the newlyweds to quarrel. Review this list before traveling to Italy to make sure that your trip isnt cursed byMalocchio or the evil eye. At any Italian meal, there will most likely be olive oil and salt. The superstition makes good sense from a safety point of view but became a general omen of bad luck. A knife that falls and sticks into the floor means bad luck in the near future for the knife owner. Thank you for your support! Most people have air conditioning, a lot of people have black cats, and by the way hotels rarely go over the 5th or 7th floor we certainly dont have 20 stories hotels, here unless maybe in Milan or Rome. It is believed that uncrossing or straightening them immediately will prevent bad luck or a quarrel from happening. Copyright 2023 Sharpy Knives - Passionate Sharpeners, Custom Knives: Should I Buy One? The Wickedness Eye (Malocchio) The Evil Eye is of the most ancient superstitions in Italy. God Bless You. It is said that the more you eat the richer youll become, so eat up! The Evil Eye (Malocchio) They say to drop olive oil in a bowl of water and if it forms one large drop you have the Malocchio. This popular belief has a very ancient origin and has to do with the shape of an open ladder, the triangle. When 17 is viewed as the Roman numeral, XVII, and then changed anagrammatically to VIXI (just change the position of numerals), you will get your answer! Some givers often tape a penny to the blade so that the receiver will simply just return it as "payment.". SharpyKnives.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Check out these moving superstitions from around the world and try your luck. There is a superstition to never grab or pass a knife from hand to hand. If someone knows please? This symbol can still be found nowadays as a lucky charm that Italians carry around to protect themselves. Luckily, tossing a pinch of the spilled salt over your left shoulder or dabbing a bit of spilled oil behind each ear is believed to prevent the misfortune. Also blood related: Never sheath a knife after battle if it has not tasted blood, as it will fail you the next time you need it. To prevent this from happening, the recipient should give a "payment" to ensure that the relationship will not be cut. Yes, the dreaded evil eye ( malocchio ), the fear of every Italian. Start learning here! Here are six more knife superstitions and knife traditions from the ancient world. 1. I will never give away, trade or sell your email address. Italians are - for the most part - superstitious. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. If you must accept it, pay the giver a penny, which will reverse . Nothing is worth taking that chance! Consequently, the islanders wanted their most beautiful virgins to conceive offspring by them, as many as each sailor could sire during the one-month period of restocking supplies available on the islands. A knife crossing another knife, or even a utensil, had different meanings in different cultures. Knives have been a part of human culture, survival, and religion for millennia, so unsurprisingly, many superstitions and beliefs have arisen over the years. Their coin-like shape represents money and is, therefore, a symbol of richness and wealth that you wish for the coming year. Cats (Felines) Some of us grew up that it is a sign of good luck if a black cat crosses your path. If you want detailed destinations guides, languages learning tips, and travel phrase guides, then you've come to the right place! Some have even given knives away just because this happened. For example, if you slept in a bed with knives beneath it and evil spirits never attacked you, then of course the knives offered protection from evil spirits. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Planning a trip? if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'sharpyknives_com-leader-2','ezslot_6',114,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-sharpyknives_com-leader-2-0');This implies that if you find a pocket knife lying about that someone else has opened it, you should not close it. To ward against it, the Italians use a good . There is no doubt that knives have played a pivotal role in our history and still have a prominent role in our future. In Italy, this is true especially when it crosses your path! An Italian superstition says that when you get out of bed you should always place your right foot first and then your left one. If the mirror cracks by itself, on the other hand, it means that the owner may lose a close friend. If, however, the falls with the blade pointing out to sea, you will have a good catch that day! Throwing it on the floor or on the table was unlucky because you had to buy it again. You can unsubscribe at any time. The recipient can then return the penny as "payment" so that the knife is no longer considered a gift. There are two origins of this superstition. This superstition is similar to gifting a knife to a friend, but in this case, the superstition is that the knife will sever the love between the couple.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[580,400],'sharpyknives_com-netboard-1','ezslot_17',135,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-sharpyknives_com-netboard-1-0'); Many people take this superstition further and will not give a knife as a wedding gift to avoid it becoming a problem for the couples relationship. Andrea Malossini's book - which collects over one thousand superstitious - reports, in an orderly manner, Italian superstitious beliefs along with a brief description of their origin and mening.The intent is to give the reader an idea of Italian superstitions, in a smooth and easy way, hoping, thanks to the suggestion in the titles, to . Photo by SOG. Knives are considered bad luck to give as a wedding gift, since knives represent a broken relationship. As a matter of fact, opening an umbrella indoors may bring financial bad luck: its a sign that you may soon no longer have a warm and cosy roof to live under, or you will be hit by some sort of tragedy such as losing your job or experiencing a natural calamity. Thats because they dont want the umbrella to accidentally pop open inside the house! In fact, Italy is said to be one of the most superstitious countries in the world. 3. That counteracts any chance the knife has of cutting the ties that bind your relationship. Make sure to follow some important rules or you might attract some misfortune! Download your free PDF guide with 125 Italian travel phrases. The first comes from ancient Rome, where umbrellas were used to protect against rain and sun. If the knife's handle comes to rest pointing at you (or whoever is asking the question), then that means your future spouse will be fair. However these superstitions were probably through 50 years ago certainly not now. #2: Sticking a knife into a cradle's headboard is believed to protect the baby. This superstition is still very much alive today, even among theatre actors, who never bring a real mirror on stage to prevent it from breaking. For more tips, visit my guide on Italian culture to learn 18 weird things that Italian do that no one warns you about. A toast is always done with champagne or wine. #20: Some hunters believe that the knife you use to kill game (not dress it) should never be handled by a woman. If youre single and you see someone sweeping the floor, make a run for it. Bad Luck Speaking of bad luck, knife superstitions are full of situations where knives can lead to bad luck. medianet_height = "250";
At least, thats what people in ancient China believed. If the oil beads in a row through the centre, they must pray to a male saint. A black cat crossing your path brings bad luck, and so does a priest you meet on the road. Forget Friday 13th being unlucky! Some ancient knife traditions hold that you never really own a knife until it has tasted your blood or bitten you. Ive even heard of one man who has a tendency to buy knives that have serial numbers that contain significant dates such as 1776, 911, or 1415. The superstition remains so well known to this day that Masakage, the Japanese knife-maker, includes a five-yen coin in . Not sure if you really needed to know this information but, Padua: An Overlooked Town in the Veneto Region, CLICK HERE FOR DISCLAIMER & PRIVACY POLICY. The belief is usually ominous in nature or that the event can shape subsequent events or the future.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'sharpyknives_com-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_11',104,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-sharpyknives_com-large-leaderboard-2-0'); Superstitions are mostly disappearing from our society, but certain people still hold onto these traditions, sometimes without even realizing it themselves. So including any kind of coin did the trick with a knife gift. Even though in general thirteen isnt an unlucky number in Italy like it is in other countries, at an Italian dinner table its considered very bad luck. This old Chinese belief is similar to the Greek superstition about sleeping with a knife under your pillow. 6. A knife, they say, will cut the ties that bind a friendship together. As a native English speaker who learned Italian as an adult, I know what its like to feel hopeless and lack the confidence to speak. After 30 days of using Intrepid Italian, if you dont want to celebrate your new-found Italian skills with an Aperol Spritz, you dont have to pay a penny! The evil eye (to mati) One of the well-known superstitions in Greece but also in numerous other countries, the 'evil eye' is believed to be caused by a compliment or jealousy. In Italy, this is a sign of good luck will come your way. if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'sharpyknives_com-narrow-sky-2','ezslot_14',116,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-sharpyknives_com-narrow-sky-2-0');In some cases, an eligible young woman would hope that accidentally dropping the knife would result in a gentleman caller that would be a potential suitor. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed this post. Did you know that if you are walking outside and a pigeon poops on your head, it is a sign of good luck in Italy? If someone brushes over your feet by accident, then youre destined to be single for the rest of your life. Be careful though! Sons were more desirable in ancient times to carry on the family line. Youll finally be able to connect with your Italian partner, speak to your relatives and enjoy authentic travel experiences in Italy that youve always dreamed of, and so much more. The girls sired on previous days waited on each man hand and foot! It's serious bad luck. This superstition comes from the fact that as far back as the days of the Ancient Roman Empire, oil was considered a luxury so if you spilled some, it would be money wasted. These items were very expensive way back when and it is said that spilling them would bring bad luck. In Italy, its common for people to tocca ferro or touch iron. We just hopethey arent touching a hot iron. 1. We grow up with unspoken regulations to ward off bad luck, and just as casually perform rituals to draw in good fortune. You can unsubscribe at any time. During the sixth century, it was tradition to congratulate people who sneezed because people then believed that sneezing helped expel evil from their bodies. But the 17th can 'va' a cagare or vaccaga' [excuse my rudeness ;-)] As mentioned before, today's date is just another day in Italy and is associated with the goddess of fertility. You will move or leave your home if your knife turns with the blade upward. Superstitions about knives come from an age where a lack of understanding required an explanation for unexplainable events.