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Yankee
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 Wed Jun 14, 2006 21:23 pm Happy vs. lucky |
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Exactly Amy. You can be lucky but not happy or happy but not lucky. You can also be lucky and at the same time happy because you are so lucky. Most people who are happy also seem to be lucky most of the time.
Happy thinking and good luck,
Torsten
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Tamara
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Yankee
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| Fri Jun 16, 2006 10:33 am Difference between having good luck and being lucky? |
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Hi Ami
Thanks for the cat story and for As for my ears, charm sounds as being a French word, mascot – as, maybe, African or American Indian.
Anyway, though it’s funny and stupid, there are some superstitions (and rules) that I never break. And my children do either. 
For example, to be lucky when taking exams (just today my son is taking his GSCE, Science separate, exam), you should put a five-kopeck coin in your left shoe just under your heel. This is a very old student’s superstition… and quite reliable Sure, it works
Also, in some (many?) cultures there is a general rule (in variations) that I would express as ‘to be lucky, don’t scare your luck off’.
For example, in my culture it’s definitely for bad luck to talk about some good results (of a critical activity or action) in advance.
One interesting saying (in East Slavonic culture) is when someone is going to make risky thing (exams ) to wish: Nor a fuzz, nor a feather! (sorry for my poor direct translation, but I don’t know an analogue. Maybe, Pamela knows.)
And the right response for it is To devil!
As I know, it came from a hunter context. And it means exactly the same as ‘good luck!’ (So, the same thing here: direct wishing of bad luck, together with your right response, must reverse and bring you a good luck).
Tamara
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Tamara
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| Fri Jun 16, 2006 11:09 am Difference between having good luck and being lucky? |
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| Tamara wrote: | | Thanks for the cat story and for As for my ears, charm sounds as being a French word, mascot – as, maybe, African or American Indian. |
Hi Tamara
Actually, mascot apparently also came into English from French (mascotte)
The way I would understand the meaning of mascot today would be as a symbol and/or good luck charm for a team or an organization (i.e., not just for one person, but rather for a group of people).
But a lucky charm is often something for just one person.
| Tamara wrote: | | (So, the same thing here: direct wishing of bad luck, together with your right response, must reverse and bring you a good luck). |
That reminds me of the expression "Break a leg!" which began as a way to wish an actor good luck before a performance so that his performance would be a good one.  It's the same sort of thing that you mentioned: wishing someone bad luck in order to make sure the opposite happens. 
Amy
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Yankee
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| Fri Jun 16, 2006 22:04 pm Difference between having good luck and being lucky? |
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Thanks, Amy, for the above explanation.
| Quote: | | wishing someone bad luck in order to make sure the opposite happens. |
Just to illustrate another case of this:
Many native Russians, after saying, for example, 'Tomorrow from 11 till 12 I am having an important interview.' perhaps will add: 'Swear me during the time, please!'
This means that if you are not a false, but true friend , then, at stated time, you must start thinking about the person negatively, - something like 'He is bad, good-for-nothing, a perfect fool and sluggard, not competent and lazy, he doesn’t deserve the position he wishes to get'
Certainly, it’ll help him to do his best and to win
But how about breaking the spell?
If you did something wrong or it just happened (and now this evil omen drags your to your bad luck ), what are you doing?
Turning round several times? Saying something special? Knocking on wood? Spitting (or making a show of that) three times behind your left shoulder? …
(The last two are traditional ways for Russians to get good luck back - when we did or said something that could scare it away )
P.S. Sorry for off-topic…
Tamara
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Tamara
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Fan of Arabian horses
I'm here quite often ;-)
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Yankee
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| Sat Jun 17, 2006 9:53 am Difference between having good luck and being lucky? |
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| Fan of Arabian horses wrote: | Hmmmm....... If Torsten would answer your P.S. he probably would say: Don?t worry! Communication is an ongoing process and everything may happen there.........!
Michael |
Exactly Michael. As long as we write in English, we can talk about anything. The good thing with a forum is that once a discussion starts, anyone join can join on in and bring up new questions.
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Tamara
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| Meaning: "Crumb" of eraser | Where is "an" before everyday? |
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