Comic Discussion > QUESTIONABLE CONTENT
WCDT: 2343-2347 (17-21 December 2012) Weekly Comic Discussion Thread
Mr_Rose:
Onomatopoeic sneezing. The rhyme originates with the advent of the Black Death and describes, loosely, some of the behaviours and superstitions surrounding it.
Method of Madness:
Oh. Weird, I've seen "Achoo" and I guess that's sort of like it, but...three syllables?
Barmymoo:
Come to think of it, I've never seen it used in any other context than that rhyme as a sneezing sound - usually I'd say "achoo". But Mr Rose is right, that's what I've heard the origin is too. The ring of roses refers to the rash you got, the "atishoo" is the sneezing, and then "all fall down" is dying. The pocket full of posies was a belief that if you kept flowers in your pocket, the bad smells which caused the disease wouldn't reach you.
Method of Madness:
Then why'd they change it to ashes over here?
DSL:
--- Quote from: Method of Madness on 22 Dec 2012, 05:23 ---Then why'd they change it to ashes over here?
--- End quote ---
I'd say, just simple corruption in pronunciation over time. One little kid in a hurry mushes the pronunciation of atishoo, his or her playmates pick up, and the next thing you know it's all ashes.
Happens in the best of languages.
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