Concetti Chiave
- In Britain, Friday the 13th is considered unlucky, while in other cultures, like Argentina, it's Tuesday the 13th.
- Seeing a black cat is a sign of good luck in Britain, contrasting with other cultures where it's seen as bad luck.
- Breaking a mirror is believed to bring seven years of bad luck in Britain; it's advised to remove it from the house immediately.
- British formalities have relaxed over time, but queuing politely and using 'please' and 'thank you' remain important.
- Personal questions about money or age are generally considered inappropriate in British culture.
Superstitions in britain
Professor Angela Webster answers to your questions about British Culture.
Miriam Diaz from Cordoba in Argentina asks: "I recently discovered that Friday the 13th is unlucky in Britain. For us, it is Tuesday the 13th! What other superstitions are there in Britain?"
Professor Culture replies: well, thirteen is an unlucky number because it comes after 12 a very lucky number. A lot of buildings don’t have a 13th floor and some airplanes don’t have seats with number 13! Some other things which bring good or bad luck are:
* Black cats in Britain, to see a black cat brings good luck, but in some countries it brings bad luck.
* A broken mirror a broken mirror brings you bad luck for seven years. Take it out of the house and don’t look at it!
* Touching wood this doesn’t bring good luck but it stops bad luck. We do it when we are talking about good things. For example, we say, ‘I’m doing well at school, touch wood’.
* A rabbit’s foot this bring good luck but it is not very lucky for the rabbit!
* Spilling salt this bring bad luck. To stop the bad luck, throw some of it over your left shoulder and make a wish!
British formality and etiquette
Soffia Varga from Budapest in Hungary asks: "In books and films, British people are often very formal. Is this true?"
Professor Culture replies: no it’s not! In the past, British people were very formal but now they are more informal. However, some things are important:
* Wait in queues. British people get very angry when people ‘jump’ queues!
* Always say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ when you ask for and receive things.
* Don’t ask personal questions like ‘How much money do you earn?’ or ‘How old are you?’
Domande da interrogazione
- What are some common superstitions in Britain related to luck?
- Why is the number thirteen considered unlucky in Britain?
- How has British formality and etiquette changed over time?
In Britain, seeing a black cat is considered good luck, while a broken mirror brings seven years of bad luck. Touching wood is believed to prevent bad luck, and a rabbit's foot is thought to bring good luck, though not for the rabbit. Spilling salt is seen as bad luck, but throwing some over your left shoulder can counteract it.
The number thirteen is considered unlucky in Britain because it follows the number twelve, which is seen as very lucky. This belief is so strong that many buildings skip the 13th floor, and some airplanes avoid having seats numbered 13.
British people were very formal in the past, but they have become more informal over time. However, certain etiquette remains important, such as waiting in queues, saying 'please' and 'thank you,' and avoiding personal questions about money or age.
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