Why Do We Say 'Bless You' When Someone Sneezes?

[Leah]

Why do we say "Bless You" or other similar remarks in different languages after someone "sneezes"? I heard we say "bless you" because an evil spirit has passed by us and that is why we sneeze! Any thoughts?

 

[Math Is Hard]

According to http://www.snopes.com/language/phrases/blessyou.htm" , this is a very, very, very old tradition. Here is one of the earliest references cited:

[Greek Anthology, ante AD 500]
Dick cannot blow his nose whene'er he pleases, His nose so long is, and his arm so short; Nor ever cries, God bless me! when he sneezes -- He cannot hear so distant a report.

Apparently, it is not known exactly how the tradition came about, but there are several theories:

At one time people believed a man's soul could be inadvertently thrust from his body by an explosive sneeze, thus "Bless you!" was a protective oath uttered to safeguard the temporarily expelled and vulnerable soul from being snatched up by Satan (who was always lurking nearby). The purpose of the oath was to cast a temporary shield over the flung-out soul which would protect it just long enough to regain the protection of the corporeal body.
Conversely, the sneeze itself was the expulsion of a demon or evil spirit which had taken up residence in a person. Therefore, although the "Bless you!" was again a protective charm meant to protect the sneezer from evil, in this version it was meant to ward off the re-entry of an evil spirit which a tormented soul had just rid itself of.

The heart was believed to momentarily stop during a sneeze (it doesn't), thus the "Bless you!" was uttered either as a supplication for life to return or as a congratulation upon its successful restart.

Others claim an association of the practice with particular dire diseases (most often the bubonic plague, or "Black Death," as it is sometimes known). They say an infected person's sneeze was sure sign he'd soon be pushing up daisies, thus the "Bless you!" was intended as a benediction to the nearly-departed, a way of commending his soul to the care of God now that he was beyond the help of anything in the mortal world.

Yet other folks echo the theme of other superstitions about sneezes, that these expulsions are either in themselves lucky or foretell good fortune coming the sneezer's way. For them, the "Bless you!" is a recognition of incoming good luck, possibly even an attempt on the blesser's part to attract a bit of it to himself.

Finally, some see the sneeze as a blessing bestowed by the sneezer upon the sneezed-upon. Answering a sneeze with "Bless you!" is seen as nothing more remarkable than replying "Good morning!" to the person who had just greeted you with the same phrase.

 

[cefarix]

Hmm well in Islam the person that sneezed says "Alhamdulillah" (Praise be to God), because the sneeze has gotten ridden of bad things from your body. The other person then says "Yarhamukallah" if the sneezer is a male or "Yarhamukillah" if the sneezer is a female, meaning "May God have mercy on you". The sneezer then responds with "Yahdeekumullahu yuslihbalakum", meaning "May God guide you and recitfy your affairs."

 

[BobG]

I generally just scream and duck. I'm certainly not going to say "Bless you". A sternutation (the medical term for a sneeze) can expel material out of the nasal passages at over a 100 miles per hour. No one wants to be hit by snot traveling that fast.

Next question:

Alexa asks, "Can a human sneeze while sleeping?"



"Thats a good question, Alexa."

 

[Danger]

My usual response to a sneeze, which I got from my mother, is "Stop that!"

 

[hypatia]

People also use to think that the heart skipped a beat while they sneezed, which is not true. But my Grandfather suffered a aneurysm, which led to a hemorrhagic stroke from sneezing.

 

[honestrosewater]

My usual response to a sneeze, which I got from my mother, is "Stop that!"

You got a sneeze from your mother?

I know, I know. I just can't help myself.

 

[matthyaouw]

A sternutation (the medical term for a sneeze) can expel material out of the nasal passages at over a 100 miles per hour.

I'd really like to know who measured that, and what a nasal anemometer looks like.


Gesundheit- German for "health". It is thought to have worked its way into the English language around 1900. You would simply be wishing good health onto someone who sneezes. Some think it came in much earlier, again, with the black death. When someone sneezes, you would say it to wish good health upon yourself, through fear of contracting the plague. I have to wonder if this is true- had the link between sneezing and transmission of disease been made yet? I'm pretty sure pathogens had not yet been identified as the cause of disease.

 

[Danger]

I know, I know. I just can't help myself.

Nor, I daresay, could a team of the world's best psychiatrists.