# Sneezing and "God Bless You" **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 19, 2013, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sneezing-and-god-bless-you/661388 "2013-06-19T19:32:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sneezing-and-god-bless-you/661388/21 "2013-06-20T18:44:01Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > I wish this would go away too. People think you’re rude if you don’t say bless you! Congratulations! You are the first person I have ever known that thought this. ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sneezing-and-god-bless-you/661388/22 "2013-06-20T18:57:56Z")
I’ve repeatedly heard that Gesundheit is German for “I hope I don’t catch your cold.” I put no stock in this, but… ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sneezing-and-god-bless-you/661388/23 "2013-06-20T22:59:41Z")
> [@drewtwo99](#): > > The proper response to someone sneezing of course is, “you are so good looking!” What is the deal with airline food? I tend to go with gesundheit. I just like the way it sounds. ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sneezing-and-god-bless-you/661388/24 "2013-06-20T23:02:09Z")
It annoys me when anyone says something after I sneeze. It’s not that I’m offended because of my beliefs or lack thereof. I guess that it’s because I’m shy/awkward and sneezing slightly embarrasses me, so I’d rather people not acknowledge it. I also don’t usually say anything after someone else sneezes. I hope my not saying anything isn’t considered rude. And yes, I am one of those people who can stifle a sneeze. The trick is to hold your breath right before you sneeze. ---
**Author:** ![Find\_Friends](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c37758/32.png) [@Find\_Friends](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Find_Friends)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2013, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sneezing-and-god-bless-you/661388/25 "2013-06-20T23:09:58Z")
> [@drewtwo99](#): > > The proper response to someone sneezing of course is, “you are so good looking!” [{Music} Buh-blink-blink-blink-blink… Ba-dah-dah Dah-dah-DAH– dadah daDAH!]([Seinfeld - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seinfeld)) ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sneezing-and-god-bless-you/661388/26 "2013-06-21T02:42:51Z")
> [@snowthx](#): > > **Lamia** , in Japan, do they offer any such comments for a sneeze, or other bodily noise? Your comment got me wondering what people in other countries say for a sneeze, or other noise, and why. They don’t say anything for sneezing, and to the best of my recollection there’s no similar stock phrase for coughing, etc. If someone sounded like they might be choking or something then of course one might ask if they were okay, but I assume that’s the same pretty much everywhere. ---
**Author:** ![OurLordPeace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e8c25b/32.png) [@OurLordPeace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OurLordPeace)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sneezing-and-god-bless-you/661388/27 "2013-06-21T03:20:47Z")
If I say anything, I now say gesundheit, due to my atheism. When I was a small child, I think I asked my mother about the reason behind “bless you,” and she said that sneezing might indicate sickness, hence the need for divine intervention. That doesn’t answer the question of why there’s nothing similar for coughing, of course. ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sneezing-and-god-bless-you/661388/28 "2013-06-21T03:25:25Z")
I find the whole thing rather silly, and am thus on a one man crusade to change the custom to this: The person who just sneezed says, “Excuse me!”. After all, you’re the one who sneezed; you’re the one who should say something. This crusade consists entirely of me saying excuse me whenever I sneeze. So far, zero converts. I also don’t bless anyone else. I agree with good ol’ uncle Al Crowley that there is no God but man, and I don’t want to wind up contractually obligated to shower blessings on anyone on account of a reflex. Aside: I have allergies, and so sometimes have proper sneezing fits. In such a case, if you are a barbarian who insists on trying to bless me, one blessing is sufficient to cover the entire sneezing fit. You don’t have to say it after each sneeze. In fact, as I may sneeze several times a day, one blessing on the first sneeze is sufficient. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sneezing-and-god-bless-you/661388/29 "2013-06-21T03:29:34Z")
> [@OurLordPeace](#): > > If I say anything, I now say gesundheit, due to my atheism. Interesting user name/post combo. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sneezing-and-god-bless-you/661388/30 "2013-06-21T03:36:24Z")
> [@OurLordPeace](#): > > If I say anything, I now say gesundheit, due to my atheism… I’m an atheist too, but I saw gesundheit because everyone in my mother’s family does. I did confuse our German exchange student in high school once when she sneezed, I reflexively said “gesundheit”, and she got all excited and started talking to me in German. :smack: She wasn’t aware English speakers use it too. ---
**Author:** ![OurLordPeace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e8c25b/32.png) [@OurLordPeace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OurLordPeace)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sneezing-and-god-bless-you/661388/31 "2013-06-21T05:05:05Z")
> [@snowthx](#): > > Interesting user name/post combo. I’m a fan of the band Our Lady Peace, I had just been listening to them when I joined this site, and I am male. ---
**Author:** ![Remember\_me](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/82dd89/32.png) [@Remember\_me](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Remember_me)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sneezing-and-god-bless-you/661388/32 "2013-06-21T05:38:40Z")
> [@LawMonkey](#): > > I find the whole thing rather silly, and am thus on a one man crusade to change the custom to this: The person who just sneezed says, “Excuse me!”. After all, you’re the one who sneezed; you’re the one who should say something. This crusade consists entirely of me saying excuse me whenever I sneeze. So far, zero converts. This is actually the current position of Knigge, the German equivalent of Ms. Manners. The person who sneezed should say “Entschuldigung”, while the people around him should ignore the sneeze. It is actually very rare to observe this “correct” behaviour, I would say “Gesundheit” beats “Entschuldigung” at least 20 to one, maybe even more. ---
**Author:** ![Kenm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bc79bd/32.png) [@Kenm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kenm)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sneezing-and-god-bless-you/661388/33 "2013-06-21T05:51:06Z")
I say, “Stop that!” ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sneezing-and-god-bless-you/661388/34 "2013-06-21T06:52:18Z")
My mom never just sneezed. It was always a burst of sneezes. And she’d sneeze loudly with added effects. So after the third sneeze, I’d ask her, “Are you done?” I recall my dad giving the occasional “zig a zint” after a sneeze. I’m not sure of the spelling. I’m sure it’s Yiddish, my grandparents immigrated in their late teens, early 20’s. ---
**Author:** ![Lust4Life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lust4Life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lust4Life)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sneezing-and-god-bless-you/661388/35 "2013-06-21T17:36:26Z")
Its a custom left over from previous times that has outlasted its origins and become part of social politeness, like saying How do you Do as a greeting. I was told that in times past people thought that a sneeze was your soul trying to leave the body , but an interest in history has led me to believe that what are trivial symptons nowadays, were precursors to a diseases that might very well kill you off shortly. And people were trying to prevent this with a very quick prayer. But that’s purely my guess. ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sneezing-and-god-bless-you/661388/36 "2013-06-21T17:55:36Z")
At our house we say “Zablewski”, because I think it’s funny. After reading this thread I am now going to have to invent words for coughs, burps, and farts as well. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sneezing-and-god-bless-you/661388/37 "2013-06-21T21:41:29Z")
Another one for “gesundheit” or “salud.” If I really want to screw with them, I go with “nazdrowie” which is the Polish equivalent of salud (“to your health!”) ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sneezing-and-god-bless-you/661388/38 "2013-06-21T22:43:05Z")
> [@purplehorseshoe](#): > > Another one for “gesundheit” or “salud.” If I really want to screw with them, I go with “nazdrowie” which is the Polish equivalent of salud (“to your health!”) Yep, I am going to switch to “gesundheit”. If they use their hand instead of their inner elbow, I will say “nice catch!”.😛 ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2013, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sneezing-and-god-bless-you/661388/39 "2013-06-22T00:35:46Z")
> [@OurLordPeace](#): > > If I say anything, I now say gesundheit, due to my atheism. > > When I was a small child, I think I asked my mother about the reason behind “bless you,” and she said that sneezing might indicate sickness, hence the need for divine intervention. That doesn’t answer the question of why there’s nothing similar for coughing, of course. Yeah. I’m atheist too, but how come people don’t try to invoke divine intervention for really, really bad illnesses like cancer? Or injuries like paralysis? I think it has to do with the self-aggrandization that comes free with faith. In the back of the mind, some may tell themselves, “Cool. They guy won’t catch a cold 'cause of ME!” :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2013, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sneezing-and-god-bless-you/661388/40 "2013-06-22T02:11:29Z")
> [@August\_West](#): > > At our house we say “Zablewski”, because I think it’s funny. After reading this thread I am now going to have to invent words for coughs, burps, and farts as well. Once I was with three of my friends. One of them farted. Another of my friends said “That didn’t happen” and the third one said “No, it didn’t.” So maybe “That didn’t happen” can be the thing you say after someone farts? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sneezing-and-god-bless-you/661388.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sneezing-and-god-bless-you/661388.md?page=3)