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The Conversation USA

Why we knock on wood

  • Written by Rosemary V. Hathaway, Associate Professor of English, West Virginia University
Knocking on wood may be a holdover from the pagan days of Europe, when tree spirits were believed to bring luck. www.shuterstock.com

Ever said something like, “I’ve never gotten a speeding ticket” – and then quickly, for luck, rapped your knuckles on a wooden table or doorframe?

Americans accompany this action by saying,...

Read more: Why we knock on wood

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