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Art/Literary - Idioms / Maxims / Sayings / Superstitions | | Italian term or phrase: facendo gli scongiuri al catafalco | Part of a theatre play. In this scene three boys play around a bed that is prepared for a funeral wake. One of the boys is dead and tries to occupy the bed, the others try to block him 'facendo gli scongiuri al catafalco'.
Any other translations I have found for the phrase are 'touch wood' 'crossing your fingers' etc. which are completely unsuitable for this context. Any ideas? |
| bdonohueKudoZ activityQuestions: 19 (none open) Answers: 0
| Local time: 18:56
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| | English translation:making superstitious gestures towards the bier | Explanation:
Knocking on wood or crossing fingers describe specific gestures, and yes, not appropriate in this case. But "scongiuri" is generic, so why not use a generic description? |
| Selected response from:
One-L Michele
Italy
Local time: 19:56
| Grading comment Thanks. I think you make a valid point. It may be best to generalize the translation, that way each company who produce the play can use local gestures to communicate the desire to keep evil spirits at bay.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer |
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| Discussion entries: 0 |
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14 mins confidence:  
26 mins confidence:
1 hr confidence: peer agreement (net): +1 making the sign of the horns
Explanation:
I suppose they're Italian children - and also assumed classical gestures for warding off death - one could be grabbing their crotches (which could be to ward off any evil/negative/misfortune I suppose) -but decided on the more commonly understood, even out of Italy, makking of the horns gesture. It is not only used as the 'cuckhold' sign in Italy - but also to ward off evil. "But Dio explained that he was taught the so-called corna sign by his Italian grandmother, as a way to scare off the "evil eye", a look which is said to cause bad luck. It's like knocking on wood for superstitious purposes (more on this below). "
Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sign_of_the_horns
Reference: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/8687002.stm
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The translation workplace 
