Saturday and Triskaidekaphobia
A superstition common to many – not just theater people – is a
fear of the number thirteen. There’s even a name for this: Triskaidekaphobia [trih-ska-de-kah-fo-bi-yah].
Especially if it involves a Friday
(and every year has at least one), the number thirteen is heavy with
superstition. It isn’t difficult to find people who swear that bad things
always happen to them on Friday the 13th and there are words for
this fear: paraskevidekatriaphobia
and friggatriskaidekaphobia. As a side note, many high-rise buildings do not
have a named 13th floor, and many elevators don’t go to a 13th
floor.
President Roosevelt
would not travel on the 13th day of any month and would not have 13 guests at a meal. Napoleon and
President Herbert Hoover were also triskaidekaphobic.
The word’s origins are Greek,
from tris,
“three”, kai, “and”, deka,
“ten” (so making thirteen), plus phobia, “fear, flight”. That being said, the
word first appeared relatively recently, historically speaking, in 1911 (in Coriat’s
Abnormal Psychology).
Now you know another fun word!
From
the Big Blue Book of Ballet Secrets
Secret
#:127
“Triskaidekaphobia
is fear of the number 13.”
Link
of the Day:
Quote
of the Day:
“I'm not
nearly as afraid of Friday the 13th as I am of the people who are afraid of
Friday the 13th.”
- Unknown
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