Knocking on wood: Difference between revisions - Wikipedia

Line 4:

==Origin of use in the English language ==

There are connections between ancient spirituality and trees influencing fortune. In the pre-Christian beliefs of the Germanic peoples, for example, three [[Norns]] send fate up into the universe through a tree. Languages descended from these peoples include concepts such as "knock on wood", "touch wood" or "three times wood", although only the first two expressions are in the descended English language specifically. Meanwhile, the ancient [[Celts|Celtic peoples]] also believed that the act of touching wood called on spirits or gods of the trees .<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ray |date=2017-05-18 |title=Why do we knock on wood? |url=https://blog.ed.ted.com/2017/05/18/why-do-we-knock-on-wood/ |access-date=2022-08-26 |website=TED-Ed Blog |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=history>{{cite news|url=https://www.history.com/.amp/news/why-do-people-knock-on-wood-for-luck|title=Why do people knock on wood for luck?|work=History|last=Andrews|first=Evan|date=August 29, 2016}}</ref>. Christians tie the practice to the symbolism of the wood of the cross of crucifixion.<ref name=history/> Folklore researcher [[Steve Roud]] suggests that the widespread, modern use however derives from a form of [[Tag (game)|tag]] called "Tiggy Touchwood" in which players are safe from being tagged if they are touching wood.<ref name=history/>

== Similar traditions across the world ==