The ever-changing rainy weather in the UK means that catching a cold is nothing but a regular occurrence in Britain. You will have definitely heard someone sneeze while out and about. This would have no doubt been followed up by someone saying “bless you” to the sneeze. Show There is no need to stare strangely. This is common practice to the point that saying “bless you” is actually correct social etiquette. The phrase is an English one but not necessarily religious, making this social etiquette seems very confusing. Usually a blessing is associated with a religious ceremony or prayer but saying “bless you” after a sneeze does not mean the person is religious. In fact they could be a full-blown atheist because saying “bless you” after a sneeze is a part of culture now rather than religion. The origin of the practice of the social etiquette is hotly debated. Here are our two favourite histories of the phrase: 1. It was believed that could stop the spreading of the Black DeathLet us set the scene in about 590AD. The bubonic plague was spreading and killing people daily so a cough or a sneeze could be a sign of the Black Death. If someone sneezed a quick “God bless you” was thought to stop the disease from killing and spreading. Of course today we know that did not work. And unfortunately the plague went on to kill more than one million people in England alone. 2. It was believed that could protect your soul and bodyThe other option is based on an idea that your soul was trying to escape when you sneezed. Saying “bless you” was believed to help keep it in you. Alternatively a sneeze was the body’s way of expelling a demon and saying that phrase would shield you from the evil. Whatever the origin, nowadays it is polite to say “bless you” when someone sneezes, just like saying “thank you” or “please”. Many people have become accustomed to saying "bless you" or "gesundheit" when someone sneezes. No one says anything when someone coughs, blows their nose or burps, so why do sneezes get special treatment? What do those phrases actually mean, anyway? Wishing someone well after they sneeze probably originated thousands of years ago. The Romans would say "Jupiter preserve you" or "Salve," which meant "good health to you," and the Greeks would wish each other "long life." The phrase "God bless you" is attributed to Pope Gregory the Great, who uttered it in the sixth century during a bubonic plague epidemic (sneezing is an obvious symptom of one form of the plague). Advertisement The exchangeable term "gesundheit" comes from Germany, and it literally means "health." The idea is that a sneeze typically precedes illness. It entered the English language in the early part of the 20th century, brought to the United States by German-speaking immigrants. Virtually every country around the globe has its own way of wishing sneezers well. People in Arabic countries say, "Alhamdulillah," which means, "praise be to God." Hindus say, "Live!" or "Live well!" Some countries have special sneezing responses for children. In Russia, after children are given the traditional response, "bud zdorov" ("be healthy"), they are also told "rosti bolshoi" ("grow big"). When a child sneezes in China, he or she will hear "bai sui," which means, "may you live 100 years." For the most part, the various sneeze responses originated from ancient superstitions. Some people believed that a sneeze causes the soul to escape the body through the nose. Saying "bless you" would stop the devil from claiming the person's freed soul. Others believed the opposite: that evil spirits use the sneeze as an opportunity to enter a person's body. There was also the misconception that the heart momentarily stops during a sneeze (it doesn't), and that saying "bless you" was a way of welcoming the person back to life. We now know that sneezing is a reflex action and is most often the sign of something relatively benign, such as a cold or allergy. A sneeze also can be provoked by being outside in the sunlight or from smelling a strong odor. Still, we persist in the custom of saying "bless you" or "gesundheit," mainly out of habit and common courtesy. For more information on sneezing and related topics, check out the next page. Advertisement Originally Published: Nov 30, 2006 Lots More InformationRelated Articles
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What to say when someone sneezes in English
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