Toi toi toi
{{Short description|Expression of encouragement used in the performing arts}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2025}}
"Toi toi toi" ({{IPAc-en|lang|pron|ˈ|t|ɔɪ|_|ˈ|t|ɔɪ|_|ˈ|t|ɔɪ}}){{cite web|url=http://houston.culturemap.com/news/entertainment/04-15-10-if-you-hear-someone-say-toi-toi-toi-at-tonights-opera-performance-dont-be-surprised/|title=If you hear "Toi, toi, toi" at tonight's Houston Grand Opera performance, don't be surprised|access-date=25 September 2015}} is an expression used in the performing arts to wish an artist success in an imminent performance. It is similar to "break a leg" and reflects a superstition that wishing someone "good luck" is in fact bad luck.{{cite journal |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6DUEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA30 |title=It's a superstitious world: Of black cats, lucky numbers, broken mirrors... |last=Libby |first=Steve |journal=The Rotarian |date=July 1985 |pages=30–31 |volume=147 |number=1 |issn=0035-838X}}{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cNhaO6gHeSoC&pg=PA203 |page=203 |title=Kids Take the Stage: Helping Young People Discover the Creative Outlet of Theater |last1=Peterson |first1=Lenka |last2=O'Connor |first2=Dan |publisher=Random House Digital |year=2006 |isbn=0-8230-7746-2 |edition=2}}{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uWDrgGosVcwC&pg=PT24 |page=24 |last=Helterbran |first=Valeri R. |title=Exploring Idioms: A Critical-Thinking Resource for Grades 4–8 |publisher=Maupin House Publishing |year=2008 |isbn=978-1-934338-14-8}}
Origin
There are many theories as to the origin of Toi toi toi as an idiom. In folklore it was used to ward off a spell or hex, often accompanied by knocking on wood or spitting. One origin theory sees "toi toi toi" as the onomatopoeic rendition of spitting three times, a common practice in many parts of the world to ward off evil spirits. Saliva traditionally had demon-banishing powers. Another theory claims the origin to be a threefold warning of the devil (Teufel, pronounced as TOY-fell) in German (n.b. not the French "toi").
Also from Rotwelsch tof and from Yiddish tov ("good", derived from the Hebrew טוב and with phonetic similarities to the Old German tiuvel "Devil").{{Cite web |url=http://www.forward.com/articles/15158/ |title=Spit Your Way To Safety: Toi, toi, toi! |publisher=Forward Association, Inc. |date=11 February 2009 |access-date=2010-03-29}}
Similar expressions
{{Main|Break a leg|In bocca al lupo}}
An alternate operatic good luck charm originating from Italy is the phrase In bocca al lupo! (In the mouth of the wolf) with the response Crepi! or Crepi il lupo! (May it [the wolf] die!). Amongst actors "Break a leg" is the usual phrase, while for professional dancers the traditional saying is merde (French, meaning "shit"). In Spanish, the phrase is mucha mierda, or "lots of shit", as in Portuguese ("muita merda").{{cite book |last1=Urdang |first1=Laurence |last2=Hunsinger |first2=Walter W. |last3=LaRoche |first3=Nancy |title=Picturesque Expressions: A thematic dictionary |publisher=Gale Research |page=[https://archive.org/details/picturesqueexpre00urda/page/321 321] |year=1985 |isbn=0-8103-1606-4 |edition=2 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/picturesqueexpre00urda/page/321 }}{{cite book |last1=McConnell |first1=Joan |last2=McConnell |first2=Teena |title=Ballet as body language |url=https://archive.org/details/balletasbodylang00mcco_0 |url-access=registration |publisher=Harper & Row |year=1977 |isbn=0-06-012964-6}}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Superstitions|state=collapsed}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Toi toi toi}}