# Do people in other parts of the world still cover their mouth when they yawn **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 5, 2012, 8:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-in-other-parts-of-the-world-still-cover-their-mouth-when-they-yawn/639940 "2012-11-05T08:31:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2012, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-in-other-parts-of-the-world-still-cover-their-mouth-when-they-yawn/639940/21 "2012-11-09T11:59:13Z")
I’m never going to Sweden if the end of the earth is caused by people not covering their gobs when they yawn. ---
**Author:** ![gracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8e7dd6/32.png) [@gracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gracer)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2012, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-in-other-parts-of-the-world-still-cover-their-mouth-when-they-yawn/639940/22 "2012-11-09T12:15:24Z")
OK I actually learned a lot about Swedish history and culture from that 🙂 Thanks! > [@Wakinyan](#): > > Today, on my way to work (I’m writing this at work), there was a woman of about 65-70 who looked like a normal old lady. During the thirty minutes we sat facing each other she yawned like a baboon not once, not twice, but five times, showing the full inside of her mouth. Meanwhile, to the left of me, was a woman of about fifty, she only did it once, but on the other hand she was able to open her mouth much wider and keep the yawn last longer. > > […] > > But listen: I ain’t no monkey. I can’t climb no trees. Nobody’s gonna make a monkey out of me. Also, now I am laughing like a monkey. And I have seriously just eaten a banana. But I promise I will still cover my mouth when I yawn and I promise that I will visit Sweden soon, because it sounds awesome 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2012, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-in-other-parts-of-the-world-still-cover-their-mouth-when-they-yawn/639940/23 "2012-11-09T12:18:44Z")
You’re going to an ABBA Concert when we are on the eve of destruction? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2012, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-in-other-parts-of-the-world-still-cover-their-mouth-when-they-yawn/639940/24 "2012-11-09T12:52:35Z")
Everyone I know covers their mouth when they yawn (Pennsylvania). Sneezing into your elbow snuck up on me and caught me unaware, though. ---
**Author:** ![Springtime\_for\_Spacers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Springtime\_for\_Spacers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Springtime_for_Spacers)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2012, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-in-other-parts-of-the-world-still-cover-their-mouth-when-they-yawn/639940/25 "2012-11-09T15:23:20Z")
South Yorkshire, UK, can’t think when I last saw an uncovered yawn. Yawns whilst reading the thread: I’ve lost count 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2012, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-in-other-parts-of-the-world-still-cover-their-mouth-when-they-yawn/639940/26 "2012-11-09T17:27:20Z")
I think people cover their yawns here - I’ll have to look more carefully. I know I do - I tend to spray spit out of my salivary glands when I yawn, so I’m quite careful about that. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2012, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-in-other-parts-of-the-world-still-cover-their-mouth-when-they-yawn/639940/27 "2012-11-09T17:38:21Z")
Islamabad, Pakistan, yes they do. ---
**Author:** ![picker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/picker/32/13969_2.png) [@picker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picker)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2012, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-in-other-parts-of-the-world-still-cover-their-mouth-when-they-yawn/639940/28 "2012-11-09T18:16:35Z")
I do here in Wisco. So do most people. It’s commonly known around these parts that every time you yawn, a ghost sticks its dick in your mouth. ---
**Author:** ![Wakinyan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wakinyan/32/352_2.png) [@Wakinyan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wakinyan)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2012, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-in-other-parts-of-the-world-still-cover-their-mouth-when-they-yawn/639940/29 "2012-11-09T22:56:45Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > It seems like a heck of a jump from not covering yawms to the downfall of society. Most of what you sad sounds like heaven to me. Of course, I was having a bit of fun writing that piece. Sweden is good, except > [@TruCelt](#): > > the lack of etiquette. ---
**Author:** ![cece\_ryder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d78d45/32.png) [@cece\_ryder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cece_ryder)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2015, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-in-other-parts-of-the-world-still-cover-their-mouth-when-they-yawn/639940/30 "2015-08-30T19:11:12Z")
It’s a basic act of polite society. I am a teacher in the D.C. metro area, and it takes me all nine months to get the children (eleven year olds) to remember to please cover their mouths. They tell me their parents don’t do it, and that their parents don’t care. Sadly I’ve noticed some of my friends don’t bother either. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2015, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-in-other-parts-of-the-world-still-cover-their-mouth-when-they-yawn/639940/31 "2015-08-31T13:35:06Z")
I know it’s a bumped zombie thread but this is too fun not to share. I have a habit of saying “Excuse me” when I yawn. My five year old granddaughter told me one time “Grandpa, you don’t need to say excuse me when you yawn. Only when you burp or fart!” ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2015, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-in-other-parts-of-the-world-still-cover-their-mouth-when-they-yawn/639940/32 "2015-09-01T04:44:00Z")
> [@Dervorin](#): > > This thread made me yawn. Apparently they can be contagious even through the Internet. Einstein described this as “spooky action at a distance”. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 8:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-in-other-parts-of-the-world-still-cover-their-mouth-when-they-yawn/639940/33 "2015-09-02T08:36:29Z")
Here in Minnesota, most people do cover their mouths. If they don’t, I remind them by making complimentary remarks about the state of their tonsils, effectiveness of their tooth-bushing technique, etc. Just our Minnesota-nice way of encouraging people to do the right thing and cover their mouth when they yawn. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-in-other-parts-of-the-world-still-cover-their-mouth-when-they-yawn/639940.md?page=1)