Learn the superstitions about broken mirrors and pigeons on the windows
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| INTRODUCTION |
| John: Hello and welcome to Culture Class: Russian Superstitions and Beliefs, Lesson 4 - Broken Mirrors and Pigeons on the Windowsill. I'm John and I'm joined by Karina. |
| Karina: Привет! (Privet!) I'm Karina. |
| THE TWO SUPERSTITIONS |
| John: In this lesson we will talk about two common superstitions in Russia. The first superstition is about bad luck. What’s the superstition called in Russian? |
| Karina: разбитое зеркало, (razbitae zerkala). |
| John: Which literally means "broken mirror." Karina, can you repeat the Russian phrase again? |
| Karina: [slow] разбитое зеркало [normal] разбитое зеркало |
| John: This superstition reminds you to be careful when you’re brushing your teeth or putting on makeup. |
| Karina: In Russia, it's believed that if you break a mirror, you’ll have 7 years of troubles. |
| John: It's because in the 15th century, when glass mirrors began to appear, they were very expensive. |
| Karina: People wanted to discourage others from breaking them. |
| John: So like many other superstitions, this belief has a practical purpose. |
| John: The second superstition is about good luck. What is the superstition called in Russian? |
| Karina: голубь на подоконнике, (golup' na padakonike). |
| John: Which literally means "pigeon on your windowsill." Let’s hear it in Russian again. |
| Karina: [slow] голубь на подоконнике [normal] голубь на подоконнике |
| John: I usually don’t like pigeons. |
| Karina: In Russia, you might feel differently. |
| John: That’s because it's believed that a pigeon sitting on your windowsill is a good sign... |
| Karina: ...and nothing bad will happen in the near future. |
| John: This superstition probably started because the pigeon is a symbol of peace and love in many countries. |
| Karina: And since pigeons used to bring mail, they’re still associated with good news. |
Outro |
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| John: There you have it - two Russian superstitions! Are they similar to any of your country’s superstitions? Let us know in the comments! |
| Karina: Пока! (Poka!) |
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