Achoo? A question...

[TheSoap]

Does anyone happen to know what one would do if someone were to sneeze? Do the Japanese acknowledge sneezes as we do? Basically, how would you (or would you) say "bless you" to a sneeze in japan?

It's an odd question, but I've always wondered this...

[yankumi]

To the best of my knowledge, "bless you" is pretty much a Western tradition that goes back to a time when it was believed that sneezing could allow an evil spirit to enter the body, you were "blessing" the person to keep them safe. As far as Japan, my understanding is that others would not acknowledge the sneeze but rather the person who sneezes would apologize for their rudeness (regardless of whether they intended to sneeze or not).

[Hatori]

cool! i nvr knew that! lol

[Infidel]

Well, someone might remark that someone must be talking about you.

[nprz]

ishnar wrote:
Well, someone might remark that someone must be talking about you.

http://www.netlaputa.ne.jp/~tokyo3/e/sneeze_e.html
Some contradictions about Japan, but usually 4+ sneezes means you are catching a cold, but less than 4 each have different meanings.

[yankumi]

nprz--thanks for that post, it's very interesting to read it from a different perspective as I have seen the sneeze question on a number of forums.

I don't say bless you when my children sneeze because--I am not sure why. Probably because at times I lean towards paganism and shy away from customs with Christian roots. But my elder daughter had heard others say "bless you" for sneezes so when she sneezes she says "bless me!" and I have started to respond "you are blessed".

Because I know you are all interested in my family traditions

[Infidel]

Heh, Bless you comes from paganism. Just like Easter.

Generally, any superstition comes from paganism. Christianity scoffs at superstition but that doesn't stop christians from knocking on wood, avoiding the 13th floor, or saying bless you to someone for sneezing.

[yankumi]

Well. Easter might come from Ostara, but in our family, we don't celebrate Christ rising from the dead. And when we celebrate Ostara, we do it properly on the Equinox.

However, I can find nothing to suggest "bless you" comes from paganism. While the origins might be obscure, the saying still seems to carry a connotation of the Devil, of an absolute evil which might corrupt the soul,--neither of which are pagan in nature, as paganism does not acknowledge a belief in the Devil nor absolute evil.

[tanuki]

In Spanish you say "¡salud!" and in German "Gesundheit!", both meaning "Health!". And, hey, I don't know this...in English, do you say something for the second and third sneeze?

In Spanish, we have:

1. ¡Salud! (Health!)
2. ¡Dinero! (Money!)
3. ¡Amor! (Love!)

In German:

1. Gesundheit! (Health!)
2. Langes Leben! (Long life!)
3. Viele Kinder! (Lots of children!)

Funny, huh?

[Hatori]

wow! I didn't know all of this stuff! lol...... i like looking at all of this fun and funny stuff achooo!

[sparky]

Just on a minor note, in Portuguese we also say "Health!" (which is "Saúde!" ).

[ParanoiaK3]

In Klingon, we say "Hab SoSlI' Quch!"

[yankumi]

jorge_val_ribera--that's really interesting! In English you just say bless you again--which can get on my nerves if I am having a sneezing fit and will tell my husband fine! I am blessed! don't say it again!

[TheSoap]

That is REALLY interesting...

I have inferred, of course, through watching anime, that a kind of superstition is that when one sneezes, someone is talking about them behind their back...

[PandanoTake]

God bless you in america is said because it is thought that when you sneeze your heart skips a beat, or the other reason is because when you sneeze the devil enters your body, and there is also the one where the devil leaves your body.