To this day, people in the English-speaking theatrical world superstitiously say "break a leg" instead of "good luck". The origin is indeed most likely Yiddish in origin. Luftwaffe pilots used it as well. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Break_a_leg
I believe we have the same in Polish: „Połamania nóg!” Never thought about it but often wondered, why this day something so obviously unpleasant to convey sth so positive.
The Hebrew/Yiddish "beracha/brocho" happened to phonetically sound like the German "brechen", and then it clearly took on an ironically reversed meaning. The German "toi, toi, toi" to ward off bad luck may also come from "mazel tov". French theatrical people (and ballet dancers worldwide) wish each other "merde" (excrement) before a performance, ostensibly tied to horse-drawn carriages (and their droppings) bringing large audiences. Homophones drive sayings in other languages as well: In Mandarin, the word for "eight" (八, bā) sounds like "prosper" (發, fā), so 8 is considered very lucky.
As a part-time linguist (part-time because linguistics was only one of several courses I read at the university) I am forever in awe of how languages can connect while remaining their own selves. Thank you for this fascinating set of vocabulary that proves that:) Especially for the French "merde" being used in this context (I had no idea!)
To this day, people in the English-speaking theatrical world superstitiously say "break a leg" instead of "good luck". The origin is indeed most likely Yiddish in origin. Luftwaffe pilots used it as well. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Break_a_leg
I believe we have the same in Polish: „Połamania nóg!” Never thought about it but often wondered, why this day something so obviously unpleasant to convey sth so positive.
The Hebrew/Yiddish "beracha/brocho" happened to phonetically sound like the German "brechen", and then it clearly took on an ironically reversed meaning. The German "toi, toi, toi" to ward off bad luck may also come from "mazel tov". French theatrical people (and ballet dancers worldwide) wish each other "merde" (excrement) before a performance, ostensibly tied to horse-drawn carriages (and their droppings) bringing large audiences. Homophones drive sayings in other languages as well: In Mandarin, the word for "eight" (八, bā) sounds like "prosper" (發, fā), so 8 is considered very lucky.
As a part-time linguist (part-time because linguistics was only one of several courses I read at the university) I am forever in awe of how languages can connect while remaining their own selves. Thank you for this fascinating set of vocabulary that proves that:) Especially for the French "merde" being used in this context (I had no idea!)