ENGLISH AND RUSSIAN OMENS AND SUPERSTITIONS. SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES

ИССЛЕДОВАТЕЛЬСКИЙ ПРОЕКТ НА ТЕМУ

Секция: Межкультурная коммуникация

Авторы:

Скученко Ксения,

ученица 11 «В» класса

МБУ «Школа № 70»

г.о. Тольятти Самарской обл.

Царева Алла,

ученица 11 «В» класса

МБУ «Школа № 70»

г.о. Тольятти Самарской обл

Научный руководитель:

Фурман Елена Николаевна,

учитель английского языка

МБУ «Школа № 70»

г.о. Тольятти Самарской обл.

Тольятти 2021

THE CONTENT

Introduction………………………………………………………………………3

Chapter I. Theoretical foundations of the study of signs and superstitions

1.1. The concept of signs and superstitions…………………………….……….5

1.2. Causes of signs and superstitions………………………………..…………6

Chapter II. Research part on identifying the similarities and differences of beliefs and superstitions in Russia and the UK………………………………………..10

2.1. Similarities between Russian and English signs and superstitions ............10

2. 1. 1. Superstitions about animals……………………………………………12

2. 1. 2. Superstitions and omens about the "damn dozen"…………………….13

2. 1. 3. Superstitions and omens about the knife………………………………14

2. 1. 4. Superstitions about salt and salt shaker………………………………..17

2. 1. 5. Superstitions about sneezing……………………………………………18

2.2 Differences between Russian and English signs and superstitions..............18

2.3 Results of statistics and sociological survey………………………………19

Conclusion……………………………………………………………………….22

Literature………………………….……………………………………………24

INTRODUCTION

Philosophy and medicine have made man the most intelligent of animals, divination and astrology the most insane, superstition and despotism the most miserable.

Year after year, day after day, we witness more and more new scientific discoveries, technical inventions. It is already difficult to surprise us with something. But here's what's interesting-regardless of social status, the number of diplomas and titles, people still superstitiously continue to spit over their left shoulder and knock on a piece of wood, "so as not to jinx it". Not everyone will risk going on a long journey without sitting down on the track. And, probably, even the most notorious skeptic at the sight of a broken mirror will flash the thought that this is not good.

The relevance of this topic lies in the fact that superstition has so

entered our lives that it has become an integral part of our nature.

Many people, for example, carry with them some little thing that, as they firmly believe, brings them happiness. It can be a coin, a button, a toy, a pebble, a decoration, a playing card, and so on. Such a thing is usually called a talisman and try never to part with it.

Every day, a reasonable person spits over his left shoulder, knocks on wood, keeps silent about his achievements, just so that no one jinxes him. Why does a person trust such circumstances? What makes him act this way and not otherwise? We will try to find the answers to these questions in the course of our research.

The purpose of the work is to study the signs and superstitions, their place in Russian and British society.

The object of research is omens and superstitions.

The subject of the study is the similarities and differences of signs and superstitions in Russia and Great Britain.

Research hypothesis: We assume that the superstition of a particular people depends on its socio-cultural characteristics (standard of living, education, historical roots, etc.).

Based on the purpose and hypothesis of the study, we were assigned the following tasks:

1) to analyze the literature on the history of signs and superstitions, as well as the reasons for people's belief in signs and superstitions;

2) identify the most common signs and superstitions of Russia and the UK, issue information brochures;

3) identify the similarities and differences between omens and superstitions in Russia and the UK;

4) conduct a sociological survey on this problem, process statistical data, and draw conclusions.

Research methods: theoretical (analysis of literature, work with Internet resources, generalization of data), practical (sociological survey, publication of brochures).

The theoretical and practical significance lies in the fact that the studied and generalized material can be used by people of different ages: teachers, my peers when conducting extracurricular activities and for self-education.

When working on this topic, we mainly used Internet resources, dictionaries, and literature on our chosen topic.

It should be noted that the question of superstitions and signs is not fully understood, in particular, the history of their occurrence. In our research, we relied on the opinions of people around us, as well as on statistics provided on Internet forums that study this issue.

CHAPTER I. THEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS OF THE STUDY OF SIGNS AND SUPERSTITIONS

1.1. THE CONCEPT OF SIGNS AND SUPERSTITIONS

Before we begin to consider the topic of superstition and superstition, it is necessary to separate these two concepts. What is a sign, and what is a superstition. Despite the fact that these concepts: folk signs and superstition are closely related to each other, however, they are different in essence.

The expert of the great and powerful Russian language V. I. Dal explains superstition as "erroneous, false belief in something; belief in cause and effect, where there is no connection". And although many of us claim that we do not believe in "grandmother's omens", but, in fact, everything is different. Superstition is firmly embedded in our lives.

The word "superstition "is formed with the help of the adverb" sue", or" in vain " – "in vain, for nothing, in vain, in vain". There is a narrower, ecclesiastical, definition: sue – " the opposite of our eternal good, spiritual life." We speak of man as "vain," and of life as " all vanity."

The concept of "superstition", as well as the concepts of Truth, Falsehood, Delusion, Prejudice, is not clearly defined in principle, and the attribution of a particular idea to superstition is largely subjective. As a rule, superstitions include ideas that connect objects and phenomena between which it is impossible to establish an objective connection (for example, it is difficult to establish a connection between luck and the number 13, given the conditional nature of any ordinal account).

Superstition is an individual prejudice, which is a belief in the possibility of foreshadowing the future and influencing it through the use of some otherworldly forces. It contains the assumption, often unconsciously, that it is possible to find protection from these forces or to reach a compromise acceptable to a person with them. As a rule, it manifests itself at the behavioral level in reduced ritual forms: the use of talismans, tattoos, magical gestures, etc. A special place is occupied by omens: certain events are attributed a prognostic value.

Folk signs are a kind of hints-warnings that attentive people noticed, fixed in their minds and passed on from generation to generation. This includes observing the behavior of animals before a "sudden element", and certain, repeated changes in nature that determined, for example, what winter would be, or whether a drought should be expected, or on the contrary, the summer would be rainy and cold.

After all, it is in the modern world that there is such a science as meteorology, air flows are monitored and analyzed.

In ancient times, there was nothing like this. But a drought or other element that can lead to the destruction of the crop, and, consequently, doom to starvation, forced to be more attentive to the events preceding the misfortunes. That is, in such folk signs there is nothing mystical, magical or unknown.

Superstitions have a different origin. When faced with something inexplicable, but affecting the event, or radically changing it, regardless of the consequences (positive or negative), a person without being able to change or prevent the "inevitable", began to note for himself that it is better not to fight with the "inexplicable", it is much more effective to take it into account and not do something that can negatively affect further events, or on the contrary – to act in such a way as to get positive consequences.

This approach to the definition of the concepts of superstition and superstition can be called scientific, but what are the prerequisites for the appearance of these phenomena?

1.2. CAUSES OF SUPERSTITION AND SUPERSTITION.

Where do superstitions come from?

Superstitions have existed since the dawn of civilization to this day. Millions of people around the world are still infected with superstitions and are not going to abandon them at all.

It is almost impossible to explain exactly how superstitions are born. Maybe the reason is in some natural phenomena that frighten people with their mystery, or events that they would like to prevent. However, people begin to believe in some explanation of the phenomena that occur, or are strengthened in the idea that it is in their power to make certain actions to make these phenomena occur at their will. Superstition is a belief, usually born of fear, which contradicts the considerations of reason and cannot be confirmed by experience.

For example, the subject of hoaxes and fears of people for centuries were celestial bodies, in connection with which superstitions arose. A special fear was caused by mysterious aliens-comets. According to superstitious people, a comet is a sign of impending war or other disaster.

The moon is also surrounded by a halo of mystery. Many people believe that if you stare at it for a long time, you will become a madman. The word "lunatic", by the way, comes from the Latin "luna" (moon).

Since ancient people could not understand the behavior of animals, they created superstitions around them. A black cat that crosses your path is a sign of failure, an owl's cry is a sign of approaching death, and so on.

Sailors, constantly struggling with the elements, have always been subject to superstition. For example, winds and storms are dangerous, so superstitions are associated with them. Many sailors believe that whistling causes wind or storm. Even the tradition of baptizing a ship with a bottle of wine broken on its bow, which has survived to this day, also turns out to be a tribute to an old superstition: wine was considered a sacrifice to the sea god Neptune!

By and large, all superstitions are nothing more than counting the statistics of events, that is, people noticed what happened under certain conditions and deduced a pattern. For example: a person was going to work, a black cat crossed his path and he was unlucky that day, few people will pay attention to this, but if this happened again, 10 times and he finds out that other people had the same cases, then his computer-brain automatically outputs statistics: “a black cat crossed the road - unfortunately.” Such patterns are deduced by our brain, guided by logic. But sometimes there are other reasons for their occurrence. For example, the misinterpretation of legends: according to ancient legends, the mirror was a window to another world and our essence was displayed in it, and if we broke it, we essentially broke our essence, and we began to be unlucky, for 7 years, because the number 7 was considered an exoteric number.

Some signs generally arise spontaneously as a joke, which is spread among people more superstitious like the Japanese superstition: if three people are photographed, then the one who is in the middle of the photo will die first.

Omens originated in ancient times, when people with bated attention looked closely at the surrounding nature, and caught the connection between the behavior of animals and weather changes. Signs were created related to the position, shape and color of the clouds, indicating an increase or decrease in temperature, wind, rain or storm. So, for example, signs about the weather appeared when people for several generations, living with nature closely and closely interacting with it, found that many natural events are preceded by certain signs, signs. So, a red sunset in the warm season almost always means that the next day there will be a strong heat. At the same time, a red sunset in winter is a sign of the onset of cold weather. Many natural signs are also associated with the behavior of animals, birds, insects, and even plants. For example, if a cat begins to hide its nose when it sleeps , it leads to cold weather. If swallows or swifts begin to fly low and restlessly-to rain or storm.

Household signs appeared after people began to notice, after which certain events occur with them. Many household signs are associated with superstition. For example, a well-known sign about a black cat that runs across the road is associated with the fact that black cats were considered by some peoples to be diabolical forces. At the same time, there are peoples where cats, on the contrary, were considered deities and prayed to them - this was especially evident in Egypt. Therefore, the signs characteristic of the peoples of one locality may not coincide or be directly opposite to the signs of other states or epochs. Everyday signs often affect the subconscious of a person, causing him to have a particular reaction, than they really are the prerequisites for certain events. For example, a sign about spilled salt leads to a quarrel at the table. What gave rise to such signs? Naturally, it often happened that a person could be scolded for clumsy behavior, hence a quarrel arose, but not because it was salt that was spilled. Moreover, the "immunity" to this sign - take and throw three pinches of this salt over your left shoulder, so that there is no quarrel-arose because if you quietly remove the spilled salt from the owners in this way, no one will scold you, because the salt on the table will not be visible.

Household signs can also be associated with the belief about brownies, and evil spirits in general. For example, to whistle in the house-to visit the brownie. The brownie will be offended, will leave and there will be no wealth in the house. Such signs appeared in those days when people were still sensitive to the presence of otherworldly forces in the house, and tried to get along with them. These signs include leaving a small amount of food on the tables to appease the brownie.

There are also numerous signs, one way or another connected with the road, the path. For example, the sign that you can not sew anything on the road, otherwise you will sew up the path itself. The appearance of such a sign may be due to the fact that, sewing things up, you can be late for transport, and of course, no road will work. A good sign is "sit on the path". This is not so much about omens, as the need to sit and think carefully - whether everything you need is collected on the road, once again mentally go through the upcoming cases, in order to make sure that you are ready and have not forgotten anything. Signs like this: when you come home from halfway, be sure to look in the mirror, also arose in connection with the belief about spirits, about energy. In order not to disturb the energy of the path, you look in the mirror, as if to say that you have been home and start the journey anew. Then the path you will get is not" crooked", but smooth.

There are signs generated by a particular profession. For example, the sign of the sailors that a woman on board-unfortunately. This sign, as a rule, is explained by the fact that ship's work is hard male labor, and a woman, especially in a storm, could be a cause of anxiety and excessive care when the entire crew was involved in the fight against the elements.

There are driver's signs for taxi drivers, for example, a sign - do not take money before you start the trip, take it only after you have already arrived. This could arise from the fact that superstitious drivers began to think that they took the money, which means that the trip can be disrupted, because they usually do not pay in advance, do not congratulate and so on. This already depends on how superstitious the taxi driver is, and not on how such signs correspond to the everyday realities of life.

Popular signs like "as you meet the year, so you will spend it" are also not devoid of special meaning. We all know how important it is to start any business. If the beginning is good, with a spark, went quickly and smoothly - then the whole thing will be argued. People associate the beginning of the year with the beginning of a new life. And so it is necessary to arrange this very beginning as best as possible, so there were similar signs about the meeting of the new year, a new month, a new week, and even a new day, because the mood that you had when you woke up, gives a charge for the whole day.

As for the origin of the mystical power of Friday, 13, there are several versions. The most popular explanation is given by the Last Supper, which was attended by 13 people-Jesus and 12 of his disciples. The thirteenth was the traitor Judas.

Another explanation is that the conclaves of witches always consisted of thirteen participants. The records of the courts do not always confirm this rule, but the people believed in it firmly. It is believed that on this day all the ghouls, witches and other evil spirits gather for a demonic sabbath from all over the world. Friday was also "guilty" of the fact that, according to legend, Adam and Eve tasted the forbidden fruit and were expelled from paradise on this very day.

There is another version: 700 years ago, the most powerful and richest organization in Europe – the Order of the Templars-ceased to exist. Militant monks built roads, waged wars, and financed the construction of Gothic cathedrals. But in 1307, they disappeared from the historical arena as mysteriously as they appeared on it. On one day, April 13, Friday, they were all captured, put behind bars, and then burned at the stake of the Inquisition.

Some astrologers believe that the very number 13 in numerology is the beginning of everything new. In the Middle Ages, in contrast to the dozen-the number 12-people who were engaged in dark affairs decided to "invent" the damn dozen, which is indicated by the number 13. Friday as a negative day in combination with the "damn" number is chosen because dreams from Thursday to Friday are considered prophetic.

So, the sources of today's superstitions are:

the superstitions of the ancestors (historically formed superstitions);

pagan rites and traditions, legends and legends (worship of idols);

fear of the unknown;

fear of death;

fear of getting a curse, evil eye, disease, etc.

As we can see, all the signs are based on everyday observation of everyday life, and correctly drawn conclusions. It's just that many signs have so firmly entered our lives as a kind of ritual that we do not think about where these signs came from, what was the reason for their appearance. Therefore, many signs are considered superstitious by people, and therefore are ignored. But, nevertheless, in many countries, signs are followed, but different circumstances are treated differently in different countries.

There are superstitions in every culture. Both the advanced European and the Tuareg aborigine believe in the miraculous power of talismans and fear the evil eye. Some signs of residents of different countries are similar: a horseshoe-a sign of good luck, the number 13-a gloomy "damn dozen", a broken mirror-wait for trouble. But it happens that the same omen has a completely opposite meaning.

Anyway, we can say that every country has its own signs and superstitions, sometimes they are similar to the superstitions of other countries. The only difference is that the attitude to the subject of superstition is different.

CHAPTER II. RESEARCH PART ON IDENTIFYING THE SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES OF BELIEFS AND SUPERSTITIONS

IN RUSSIA AND THE UK

2.1 SIMILARITIES BETWEEN ENGLISH AND RUSSIAN SIGNS AND SUPERSTITIONS

Despite the fact that Russian culture is very different from English, and our countries have passed through different historical paths, many signs and superstitions coincide.

First of all, these are signs that are common all over the world, such as, for example, happy and unlucky numbers, superstitions about mirrors and weather conditions, ceremonies dedicated to common holidays and some signs related to animals.

So, let's understand why both in Russian, and in English, and even in world superstitions it is so often mentioned that the number 13 is unlucky.

There are many superstitions connected with nature, charms, spirits, objects, flowers, incidents, and so on. But there is probably no other superstitious omen to which most people attach so much importance in one form or another as the recognition of the number 13 as unlucky. In many hotels there is no floor number 13-the bill goes from the 12th immediately to the 14th. Many hotels do not have room number 13. Many people will never invite 13 people to dinner [10].

Oddly enough, there is no single accepted explanation for the origin of the superstition associated with the number 13. There are many different opinions on this.

Some experts believe that the number 13 has become unpopular since the time when a person began to learn to count. Using 10 fingers and two feet as separate units, he managed to count to 12. But then came the unknown number 13, which scared the man.

In religious circles, the number 13 and the superstition that arose around it is associated with the Last Supper, at which Christ and the 12 apostles were present – 13 in total, and Judas was the thirteenth.

Some refer to Norse mythology, to the mass at Valhalla, where 12 gods were invited. Locke, the god of controversy and evil, imposed himself on the thirteenth. As a result, the beloved of the gods, Balder, was killed.

Another oddity of the number 13 is that it was considered lucky in ancient China and Egypt.

Superstitions about happy and unhappy days of the week are as widespread as superstitions about numbers, and most of them are associated with Friday. Neither Great Britain nor Russia is an exception to this superstition.

In ancient Rome, the sixth day of the week was dedicated to Venus. When the northern peoples adopted the Roman method of calculating the days of the week, they named the sixth day after the goddess Phrygia, or Freya, who was to them what Venus was to the Romans, and since then the word "Friday" has appeared, that is, the day of the goddess Friga.

The Scandinavians considered Friday the luckiest day of the week, and the Christians – on the contrary-the most unlucky. This is explained by the fact that it was on Friday that Christ was crucified on the cross.

Muslims say that Adam was created on Friday, and according to the legend, Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit on Friday, and they also died on Friday. [7]

Superstitious people believe that the combination of the unlucky number 13 with the unlucky day Friday gives a completely unlucky day!

As already mentioned, both in England and in Russia, many superstitions are associated with mirrors. The most common sign says that if you break a mirror, then you will be accompanied by failures for seven years. Literally, in English, it sounds like: "If you break a mirror, you will have seven years of bad luck". It is believed that if you break a mirror, then the evil spirits that live in the Looking Glass will pursue the person who did it and take revenge for the fact that he "evicted them from the house". In ancient Greece, it was believed that a person sees the will of the gods in a mirror. That's why if the mirror was accidentally broken, it meant that the gods didn't want a person to see the future, which meant trouble.

Special importance in both countries is given to signs and superstitions dedicated to wedding ceremonies. First of all, it's the time of the wedding. "IfyoumerryinLent, youwilllivetorepent" - say the British, which corresponds to the Russian sign that getting married during Lent is not good, that the newlyweds will constantly quarrel, regret marriage, and there will be no happiness for their family. This is due to the biblical traditions, because it is a great sin to get married during the Fast [4].

Perhaps the most common wedding superstition says that the girl who caught the bride's bouquet at the wedding will definitely get married next. If a girl catches the bride's bouquet after a wedding, she will be next to meggie. Therefore, both young English and Russian girls try to catch the bride's bouquet at the wedding.

As a rule, brides at the wedding wear a veil. And yet this custom is also associated with superstition. There are many different stories telling about the origin of this custom. All of them belong to the hoary old days.

We know that many ancient peoples had a custom not to show the bride to her future husband before the wedding. So it was in Egypt, where the groom never saw the bride's face until the wedding! When he removed the veil from the bride's face, it was one of the components of the wedding ceremony. This custom existed among the Arabs, the Hindus, and other peoples of Asia and Europe. It was believed that seeing the bride before the due time was a bad omen, it promised evil relations in the family and misfortune.

Also in England and in Russia, there is a sign that at the wedding, the bride and groom need to throw rice grains. Although this superstition is not so common, it also arose a long time ago. The wedding ceremony, like many other important events in life, is full of symbols. This means that we perform certain rites as symbols of what we would like to wish for, avoiding direct expressions.

The use of rice is one such symbol that has been used in the marriage ceremony for centuries. In ancient tribes, for example, the process of eating rice together meant that from that moment on, he and she became husband and wife, that is, eating together symbolizes living together, and rice indicates local food.

In some cases, rice at the wedding was used not to bring the bride and groom together, but to protect them from evil spirits.

It was believed that evil spirits are always present at weddings, and by throwing rice in the wake of the newlyweds, people appease the spirits, and they do not harm the newlyweds.

But for most of the ancients, rice was a symbol of fertility, procreation, and the custom of throwing rice on the newlyweds reminds us of this. That is, we would like to wish this: "May you have many children and abundance in your life together!»

2. 1. 1. Superstitions about animals

In all countries there are signs associated with various animals, fish, birds and insects, not to mention plants. A superstition that has been known to everyone since childhood is the superstition that the ladybug brings good luck. For this to happen, when the ladybug sits on your hand or clothes, you need to say something like this: "Ladybug, fly to heaven, bring me bread, black and white, but not burnt." Not everyone believes this, but just in case, especially children, say this saying. Children who grew up in the UK say: "Ladybird, flytothesky, givemehappytime". It is not known for certain where this superstition came from, but there is a version that the ladybug is an intermediary between God and man, so when we say this saying, we try to ask for happiness through the ladybug [8].

Another sign, popular both in Russia and in England, is associated with the cuckoo. These birds begin to sing in mid-April. They say that at this time you need to hold a silver coin in your hand – then the whole year will be happy.

And, finally, the most numerous superstitions associated with obtaining good luck, amulets and talismans. For example, the English often have this sign: "Ifyoutouchwood, yourgoodluckwillcontinue". In Russia, there is also a belief that if you touch a tree, you will not only be lucky, but also will not be sick this year. And, by the way, both in the UK and in Russia, it is believed that by knocking on wood, people ward off the evil eye and evil spirits. But if you constantly mention evil spirits or even the devil himself, he will appear. Ifyoutalkofthedevil, hewillappear.

I would also like to say that some talismans in England coincide with Russian.

Superstitions and omens about dogs:

If a dog is given a lamb bone on the night of the Resurrection of Christ, it will go berserk. (Wales).

If someone else's dog follows you , it's a good sign.

If a dog has dug a big hole in your garden, it portends death in your family. (Gypsy belief).

A dog's howl is a sure sign of death. (Everywhere, except in Lancashire, where the omen is considered true only if the dog howls under the window of the house).

Superstitions and omens about mice:

If the house suddenly gets mice, it means that someone will die in the house.

If the mice squeak behind the patient's bed, he will not recover.

If you spot a shrew on your way out, your trip will be unsuccessful.

The signs listed above are only a small part of them. People tend to notice and relate to the things that are happening around them. So, a lot of signs have arisen about the number 13 or as it is usually called "the damn dozen".

2.1.2. Superstitions and omens about the "damn dozen".

Both in Russia and in the UK, there are a lot of signs associated with the number 13.

The fact that a meeting with the number 13 is a bad omen is a very controversial issue. There are many pros and cons, there are even fans of the number 13. And only your own experience and knowledge of numerology will help you deal with this.

Dr Alex Scanlon, from the British Department of Health, said:: "Friday, which falls on the 13th, really can not be considered the same day as all the others. It was found that on this day in London, hospitals receive 50% more patients than the average for a week. It is also known - and this is confirmed by police statistics-that many people prefer not to use a car on this day." The explanation for all this "devilry" is quite simple: it's all about autosuggestion. If a person expects an accident to happen to them on Friday the 13th, they experience anxiety and discomfort on that day, which can lead to an accident.

People who are afraid of "ominous" days are quite common. Scientists consider paraskadekatriaphobia a serious ailment. Many famous people have suffered from this phobia. For example, Napoleon did not appoint any important business on such days, and even more so battles. Goethe generally preferred not to get out of bed for twenty-four hours. The composer Arnold Schoenberg was so afraid of the number 13 that he almost died of his morbid superstition. He spent the whole of Friday, July 13, 1951, under a blanket, shaking with fear. A quarter of an hour before midnight, his wife looked into the room to say that there were 15 minutes left to be afraid. At that moment, Schoenberg raised his hand with difficulty, squeezed out the word "harmony" and died. Time of death 23.47-thirteen minutes to twelve.

What makes so many people fear the same day? It is difficult to say where the very first fear of the combination of Friday and the 13th actually came from. Perhaps the whole point is that in the Middle Ages there were legends that 12 witches participate in witchcraft sabbaths, and Satan becomes the thirteenth in this company. With the same success, the cause of this phobia can be called a historical fact that took place in the 14th century. Then misfortune happened to the Order of the Tapliers , the most powerful and richest organization in Europe. In 1307, on Friday, April 13, they were all captured, put behind bars, and then burned at the stake of the Inquisition. They left behind many legends, but their famous treasures were never found.

The Americans were the most susceptible to superstition. A large number of high-rise buildings in the United States do not have a 13th floor. After the 12th, the 14th immediately follows. Many airports do not have a 13th gate. Some airlines exclude this day from their flight schedules. Hospitals and hotels do not have the 13th ward and the 13th room. Coupled with other facts, each time on Friday, the 13th, the US economy suffers losses of $800-900 million. After all, making purchases on this day is considered a bad sign.

So, for example, in Britain, surgeons are afraid of Friday the 13th. Some of them cancel the operations scheduled for that day. British doctors believe that the risk of failure on Friday, the 13th, doubles. In cinemas, there is no seat number 13. There is no house number thirteen in any French town or village. No French hotel has room number thirteen. And hardly any British hotel has a door decorated with this number.

In Russia, the number thirteen is widely considered unlucky at the present time. Especially undesirable, as in England, is the presence of thirteen people at the table: "The thirteenth guest is under the table."

Many years ago, on one of the streets of a certain English city, an official numbering of houses took place. At the same time, one homeowner got the number "13".She protested in writing against this decision and, when her protest was rejected, complained to the Supreme Court. The rental agents testified under oath that the thirteenth number really caused the woman considerable losses, since such a house is almost impossible to rent out. The landlord won the case, but died of a heart attack the next day. And despite the fact that the number of her house was changed to 12a, it was empty for many months.

On Friday, November 13, 1931, aviator J. A. Mollison flew from Lympne to Cape Town, wanting to break Mrs. Salman's record. He failed. On the same day, the liner "Aquitaine" was supposed to sail from New York to England, but the departure had to be postponed after midnight due to the protests of many passengers.

By the way, it was in the thirteenth pillar of the Paris tunnel that the car with Princess Diana crashed. In 1970, the Apollo 13 spacecraft aborted its flight to the Moon due to an explosion of an oxygen tank on board. It was launched on April 13 at 13 hours 13 minutes from the launch pad No. 39 (three times 13).

In the UK, there is a superstition that indicates that there should not be 13 people at the table, because one of them can die. Therefore, if there are still 13 people at the table, then the 14th place is taken by a mannequin, who is cared for in the same way as the other guests. But Lord Robert ("Bobe") testifies that shortly before the Afghan War, he dined with twelve other officers. All thirteen went through the entire war without a scratch.

Thousands of brides were married on the thirteenth, in a green dress, and with a retinue of thirteen people - and all this did not hurt them.

There are "Clubs of Thirteen," which meet in groups of thirteen on Friday the thirteenth - and also without any harm.

Ms. Peggy Salman, making a record flight from Cape Town to England, took off on Friday the thirteenth - and safely set her record.

The Church calls on those who are afraid of Friday, 13, to drop superstition. The priests claim that no combination of numbers - random or natural-can ever determine human life and should not affect human actions. According to them, all days for an Orthodox Christian should be the same. Every day, he must equally follow God's commandments, be afraid of sin, and be afraid of offending his neighbors in some way.

But, despite all the admonitions of the church, people continue to believe not only in the magical combination of numbers, but also give magic to everyday objects. For example, superstitions about the knife…

2.1.3. Superstitions and omens about the knife.

Many peoples believe that you can not give someone a knife — this can lead to a quarrel and deterioration of relations. To avoid this, the recipient of the knife makes a symbolic "purchase" - gives a coin to the giver.

A knife thrown into a tornado can stop it, causing damage to the evil spirit of the whirlwind.

A knife stuck in the door jamb protects the house from the invasion of evil spirits.

If the knife falls while eating, it is not lifted to the end. This also means that a man must appear.

If the knife fell and stuck the point-to a quarrel.

To eat with a knife is to be angry.

The knife is involved in many magical and ritual actions, for example, the legendary werewolves turned into wild animals by jumping over a knife stuck in a stump.

With the help of a knife, the witches allegedly spoiled the cows. To do this, a knife was stuck in the right cowshed, with a string tied to it, and a spell was pronounced, after which the string was lowered into the milk trough, and milk was milked from the cow. After that, the cow could only be eaten, she no longer gave milk.

The American Indians drilled an eye — hole at the point of the knife. The knife saw with this eye — and never cut its owner.

The crossed knives on the table-unfortunately.

Since ancient times, salt spilled by someone also brought misfortune. About this food product, there are many signs and superstitions.

2.1.4. Superstitions about salt and salt shaker.

Why do they say: "To scatter salt-to quarrel” Because in ancient times, such carelessness could really be severely punished.

A person gets sick from a lack of salt. It protects meat and other products from spoilage. Apparently, these qualities in ancient times and struck people, made salt one of the symbols of life, a symbol of constancy, eternity. It was not only highly prized, but also considered sacred.

In some eastern countries, it has become customary to seal contracts with salt. At the conclusion of an alliance between tribes or peoples, the leaders took it in their mouths from a single salt shaker. That's where the sign came from: if you sprinkle salt, it will lead to a quarrel, enmity. In the ancient world, this was literally the case – spilled salt meant the end of friendly relations between comrades. In India, a traitor to friendship was called a " traitor of salt”.

In Russia, salt was considered a symbol of prosperity, because salt was very expensive, worth its weight in gold. They treated it carefully and put large salt shakers on the table only on special occasions, meeting the distinguished guest with "bread and salt".

Similarly, people's relationships can be judged by the superstitions about sneezing.

2.1.5. Superstitions about sneezing.

In England, if a person sneezes, they will say: “God bless you! ”. The Germans and Russians wish good health, the Italians-happiness, in the Near and Middle East, they clap their hands and bow in the direction of the sneezer.

One explanation for these traditions is related to superstition. This custom arose because ancient man believed that the soul exists in the form of air or breath, which are contained in the head.

With a sneeze, the soul could fly out for a while, or maybe forever, until it meets God. "God bless you! "- an appeal to God, so that the soul does not fly out. Bowing in the direction of the sneezer also means: "Don't let your soul fly out.”

So, after examining several examples of superstitions and signs, we can say that most people prefer to find an explanation for something with the help of these very superstitions. There is not a single country in the world whose citizens do not believe in any animals, household items. In our opinion, this is due to the fact that superstition today is an effective psychological defense against stress caused, on the one hand, by the fear of an unpredictable world and, on the other, by the fear of responsibility for one's own fate.

2.2. Differences between English and Russian signs and superstitions.

But, as you know, there are many differences between English and Russian superstitions. Perhaps one of the most important differences is the interpretation of the omen when a black cat runs across the road. If in Russia this means to fail, then in England the black cat symbolizes just the opposite-happiness and good luck. Literally, this sign from the point of view of the English sounds like this: "If a black cat crosses your path, you will have good luck". Perhaps this is why many famous people in the UK choose black cats as their pets [11].

In Russia, cats have always been afraid of such coloring pages. This religious superstition about the black cat bringing bad luck originated many thousands of years ago.

When people believed in the existence of witches, they associated the black cat with a witch. They believed that the black cats were witches in disguise. To kill a cat did not mean to kill a witch, since a witch could take the form of a cat nine times. This is where the myth that cats have nine lives came from.

In the Middle Ages, it was believed that witches and wizards used the brain of a black cat to make a mysterious potion. As a result of all these associations, the black cat in Russia and many other countries has become a symbol of failure.

There is also a superstition in England that if you have an itch on your left hand, you will lose money. If you scratch your left hand, you will give money away. In Russia, it is believed that when the left hand itches, it, on the contrary, promises a great profit.

It should also be said that in Russia, spiders were associated with nothing more than evil spirits and diseases. In England there is such a superstition: "If you see a small spider, you will get a lot of money", which literally translates as: "If you see a small spider, you will get rich".

If in Russia black crows were associated with something bad, then in England they are considered birds that bring good luck. Therefore, it is not surprising that in the famous London Tower they keep crows.

In Russia, there is a superstition that if you talk at a time when you sew up your clothes, you can sew on your memory, and you will forget everything. In English speak: «If you mend your clothes on your back, you will leave much money to lack». This means that if you sew up your clothes, you will lose your wealth.

There are also many signs in the UK that have no counterpart in Russia. For example, such a sign: "If you walk under a ladder, you will have bad luck", which means that if you walk under a ladder, you will have bad luck. [4]

I would also like to remind you about the English and Russian mascots, which differ from each other. For example, in the UK, it is believed that a rabbit's foot brings good luck. The rabbit is a symbol of kindness, comfort, gifts and protection. In Russia, a similar talisman is considered a bear's claw. The bear is the king of the forest, the evil spirits are afraid of him, and the man who carries the bear's claw takes the power of this beast.

I would also like to draw attention to the superstitions associated with the two most famous holidays in the UK – Halloween and Christmas. For example, it is believed that on the eve of All Saints ' Day, young girls will see their fiance in a dream if they put an apple under their pillow. On this day, they try to steal the gates, furniture and other things to present it in such a way that it is the work of evil spirits.

2.3 Results of statistics and sociological survey.

The British are very superstitious people. This is evidenced by statistics.

Research conducted by sociologists from the Analytical Center of Yuri Levada shows that more than half of Russians (54%) believe in omens, and 42% - prophetic dreams. 22% believe that extraterrestrials appear on Earth from time to time. Astrologers ' predictions tend to be trusted by 29% of Russian citizens. In Russia, even the deputies are afraid of the "damn dozen". Recently it was reported that the Legislative Assembly of the Trans-Baikal Territory postponed to February 11 the adoption of the charter of the new subject of the federation, so as not to sit on Friday, the 13th.

In the UK, every third resident believes in omens.

The English believe that luck will smile if he finds a leaf of clover with four "blades" instead of three, on the first day of the month loudly utters the phrase "white rabbits" and catches as many falling autumn leaves as possible. And, on the contrary, to go under the stairs, break a mirror or see a magpie – omens are very bad. No true Englishman in his right mind will open an umbrella on the doorstep of his house and put new shoes on the table – these actions, residents of the Foggy Albion are sure, call death to the house.

In some parts of England, it is considered a terrible nuisance to see 2 or 3 crows at once. However, as the legend goes, when all the crows fly away from the Tower, the days of England will be numbered. It is not surprising that the preservation of the local crow population has become a matter of national importance. An Englishman will be very annoyed if he sees a bat or hears its screams. It has so happened since the Middle Ages that these animals are considered companions of witches. And the best protection against the evil eye in England is considered to be the rainbow spot of a peacock's feather.

The top 10 modern British superstitions are as follows:

1. To guarantee your success, you need to wear a "happy" wardrobe item – 24% of respondents believe this

2. When playing the lottery, you need to choose such numbers that have a personal meaning for the person (22%)

3. To avoid seven years of misery, when raising a toast, it is necessary to look into the eyes of the person with whom you are going to clink glasses (21%)

4. The "three-day rule" - do not call a young man or girl the day after meeting, but wait a few days to arrange a date instead (17%)

5. It is necessary to avoid hangover theories, according to which "you should not drink wine before beer, but you can drink beer before wine" (16%)

6. For good luck, you need to turn one of the cigarettes in the pack upside down (15%).

7. Requests to forward an email to another recipient must be met (14%)

8. Do not put new shoes on the table (12%)

9. The front door can be painted red - for good luck, but you can not paint it black, because it can bring trouble (5%)

10. If you manage to enter your name in the Google search bar, and it is found only once , it is good luck (4%)

In Russia, almost every household item is associated with some sign, so it is difficult to imagine the top of the most common. According to the study, the most common irrational type of fear in Russia is the fear of the evil eye.

Anyway, we can say that every country has its own signs and superstitions, sometimes they are similar to the superstitions of other countries. The only difference is that the attitude to the subject of superstition is different.

As part of our research work, I conducted a sociological survey. The essence of it was to find out the percentage of people who believe/do not believe in omens and superstitions. I interviewed 27 people. Among the respondents were both boys and girls. In the course of the study, the following results were obtained: 69% of respondents believe in omens and superstitions, 29% do not believe at all, 2% are those who find it difficult to answer. It should be noted that the most common superstitions were: broken mirror-34%; number 13-37%; black cat-25%; about salt – 4%.The third object of the study was the question " Do you know the reason for the appearance of signs and superstitions?» 70% of the respondents had a positive answer, 27% had a negative answer, and 3% of the respondents found it difficult to answer.(Appendix 1)

So, we can say that every country has its own signs and superstitions, sometimes they are similar to the superstitions of other countries. The only difference is that the attitude to the subject of superstition is different.

CONCLUSION

On the way to work, a black cat ran across the road, salt accidentally spilled at lunch, and in the evening it managed to break the mirror — to be in trouble. If, instead of a black cat, a wedding cortege meets and a saucer breaks, and not a mirror, we say "For luck!" with a light heart and expect pleasant surprises. Once upon a time, belief in such superstitions and omens helped explain a world full of secrets.

It turns out that it is psychologically very difficult to fully take responsibility for all your failures. It's hard to accept that getting fired from a job or getting divorced is entirely our fault. An already stressful situation will be supplemented by feelings of guilt, a decrease in self-esteem and even self-hatred. It is much easier to remember a bad sign that happened a couple of days before the resignation, or to conclude that it is all about the damage that was sent by detractors. Thus, in a bad omen lies evidence of the inevitability of what is happening and their failures are perceived as an external evil beyond our control.

Good omens play a slightly different role, encouraging the doubting person and strengthening his confidence in his abilities. It is no coincidence that the symbolism is especially acute before a responsible event, because people tend to seek approval not only from their loved ones, but also from higher forces. For example, putting a nickel under the heel before the exam, the student, without knowing it, resorts to a kind of auto-training, setting himself up for victory. And if you do not believe at least that a black cat is unlucky, and a coin under the heel will attract good luck, you can earn a neurosis — life goes out of control, and you can not find the reason for it.

Humanity is developing, getting smarter, approaching the peak of evolution. And superstitions have lived and still live. And people believe in them no less than 100, 200 years ago.

Omens and superstitions appeared many centuries, and even millennia ago. Ancient people tried to explain the world as they imagined it. This led to the emergence of numerous superstitions and beliefs. And despite the fact that most of them contain almost no truth, people continue to believe them, and so it should be. A person cannot know everything, which means that he will continue to make guesses and hypotheses about how the world works. We're all a bit superstitious. This is inherent in us by nature.

After studying some of the superstitions of Great Britain and Russia, we discovered something new. Knowledge of culture, folklore, traditions and beliefs helps us to get acquainted with the customs of another country, with its history and spiritual life, to enrich our own worldview. The more we know about another country, the smaller the gap between our mutual understanding and friendly relations becomes.

In the course of my work, I gave a comparative analysis of the signs and superstitions in Russian and English. I also got acquainted with the culture, history, and spiritual life of the inhabitants of Russia and Great Britain. Our hypothesis was confirmed that the superstition of a particular people depends on its socio-cultural characteristics (standard of living, education, historical roots, etc.). Based

on our PROJECT, we have published 2 brochures.

Signs, both old and new, make our life more diverse on the one hand, and on the other - can complicate life if you follow the signs too much. Therefore, to everything, including the signs, approach wisely, rule over them, not letting them rule over you.

LITERATURE

Барбин А.В., «Приметы. Суеверия. Знаки» – М.: «Эксмо», 1999

Власова М., Русские суеверия // Энциклопедический словарь. -СПб.: Азбука, 2008

Комарова И., Книга примет. – М.: «РИПОЛ КЛАССИК», 2009

Павленко Г.В.,”Holidays and festivals in Great Britain”.-Таганрог, 2014

Химулина Т.Н. и др., «В Великобритании принято так» (об английских обычаях) - Ленинград: Просвещение, 1991

Даль В.И., Толковый словарь живого великорусского языка. – Москва, 2008

Калашников В.И., «Энциклопедия религий и верований народов мира». – М.: «Престиж-бук», 2011

Лаврова С.А., «Культура и традиции Великобритании». – М.: «Белый город», 2014

Шалаева Г.П., Серия энциклопедий «Все обо всем»: в 10-и т. Т. 1; 2; 5; 7; 8. – М.: «Слово», 2004

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