OK, if this is WHY we say “bless you” after sneezing:
My follow up question is – is this strictly a European thing? That is, did other cultures – Asian, African, indigenous Americans – evolve a similar response independently? Or are any of those cultures who “respond” to someone’s sneeze only doing it because of its Western origins spreading to their region of the world?
Are there modern cultures that do not say anything at all after someone sneezes — just like most coughs are ignored? (Though I have a friend who loves to immediately respond to someone coughing by offering them a cigarette. Always good for a laugh.)
People in Cameroon certainly didn’t acknowledge sneezes. I haven’t seen it in China, either.
Oddly, it is really really hard not to say “bless you”, even when you know the culture doesn’t call for it and nobody will understand what you are saying or why. There is something maddeningly incomplete about a sneeze on its own.
Our family did not train us in this tradition. So when Eldest Offspring went to kindergarten, he was able to come home with the prescription: “you’re supposed to bless me when I sneeze.”
I asked him why. He said, “because if you don’t, I have to say ‘excuse me.’” This made sense to me and the blessings began. Sort of. We never did get really religious about it.
Muslims will often say Alhamdulillah after sneezing. As far as I know it means “praise God” so it might be a related cultural tradition. Though it undoubtedly has its origins in Arabic culture, I’ve heard it from Muslims from Africa and Asia as well. It also seems to be something the sneezer says, not something said by those around him.
It’s not even entirely a European thing, is it? A good portion of Europe uses ‘health’ (e.g. German Gesundheit and Spanish Salud).
By European tradition, I mean the fact that they say ANYTHING. I’d assume without that influence, the “normal” response would be to ignore it the way you’d ignore someone coughing.
Meh, not really. It’s just a habit/compulsion, stop saying it now and you will soon stop noticing. I stopped caring long ago, it’s a silly ritual, and doesn’t bother me in the least to hear an isolated sneeze - in fact I’m so used to hearing nothing if I hear someone say “bless you” it’s kind of annoying.
Re: the OP - In Spanish-speaking Latin America people sometimes say “salud” (health) but like much of Latin culture I would suspect it’s a carry-over from European culture.
In Wales, most people don’t say anything, although a few people do. The usual explanation is that it’s a Catholic habit (which doesn’t really explain the English, American, or German custom). I second that it’s very odd to sneeze and have no one react.
As far as superstition goes — the act is a custom, not a superstition. The superstition is the idea that something bad will happen if you don’t bless the sneezer. I don’t think most people hold that belief anymore, though I could be wrong. As far as I can tell, it’s no different than saying “pardon me” when you fart.
Involuntary bodily movement (from self) + verbal response (from self [belch, fart, hiccup] / others [cough, sneeze]) = polite, by custom rather than logic. The original reasons for the usage are long gone, as evidenced by the fact that no one agrees what they were.
<belch> <excuse me / pardon me>
<cough> <are you okay?>
<sneeze> <bless you / gesundheit>
Well, I’m originally from Scotland and have absolutely no memory or experience with the “bless you” thing after a sneeze. It seemed very North American when I got here. Or maybe I just don’t remember it from the UK? It still bugs me though. I never offer any blessings, and when someone does to me it seems very artificial.
I’m from Alabama and certainly, most people here say “Bless you” after someone sneezes, but I just never got in the habit of it, and I never say it. Actually, I think it is a little awkward when it does happen because I never know quite how to respond. I definitely don’t feel uncomfortable when no one reacts to a sneeze.
Looking back I guess I did hear that a few times after sneezes in Cameroon.
I know it’s just culture, but I was surprised how deep this bit of silly ritual runs in me. I’ve been out of town for two and half years, and every unblessed sneeze still hangs there like a sentence without a period.
An old girlfriend and I had an mundane, pointless, rather inebriated discussion about what one should say when people coughed. We decided the correct thing to say, instead of “God Bless You”, was "You ignore it!"
I wish my boss could break herself of the “Bless you” habit when I sneeze, especially since I’m one of those “three-sneeze-in-short-succession” people. Plus she can’t just say “God bless you”…she accompanies it with gagging noises, and sometimes says “godblessyougodblessyougodblessyou” to cover all three expected sneezes. I am of the camp that believes the sneezer should say “excuse me” if anything at all is to be said, so I sometimes try to get that in after the sneeze and before she can bless me… I really wish she could just ignore them. It is (almost) the only thing I would change about her.
I’ve been known to have some fairly epic sneezing fits, and even on a less prodigious day can sneeze more than once throughout the course of a morning or afternoon. On occasion, I’ve made it known to people that just one blessing will cover (at least) a whole day’s worth of sneezes so far as I’m concerned.
Interesting that it’s described fairly uniformly here as ‘custom.’ Is it impolite NOT to offer benedictions? I generally don’t, but have often wondered if it was another example of my inadvertent rudeness. I’d feel better if I knew people weren’t taking offense at my post-sneeze silence.
I’m partial to the Seinfeldian, “You’re SOOOOO goodlookin’!” following a sneeze.
Also, in the move, “Singles,” Bridget Fonda’s character longed for Matt Dillon’s character to say, “Bless You,” after she sneezed.
Having said those things, I couldn’t care less whether or not someone blesses me; I do, however, always say “excuse me.” And I also, courteously, sneeze into my elbow (or a Kleenex) and not my hands!
Here in Japan sneezes almost always go unacknowledged. However, I have known some people here who will apologize after sneezing. Although, growing up in Ohio I heard the same thing. Even now I almost always say “Excuse me” after a loud sneeze.
Me too, and I would much prefer this to “Bless you.” I mean, really, since the whole point is to let me know you heard me sneeze (it’s a good thing that you heard me sneeze pats head), might as well congratulate me on a sneeze well done as try to keep my soul from flying out of my body. Which I’m confident was never going to happen.
