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Re: "Toi, Toi, Toi"

Posted by James Briggs on April 24, 2006

In Reply to: "Toi, Toi, Toi" posted by Garrie Douglas on April 24, 2006

: When actors go on stage they are told to "break a leg" but when singers go on stage they are told "Toi, Toi, Toi" (I think this is the correct spelling).
: Has anybody heard of it and do they know how or where it started? Cheers

These are direct uses of German phrases. The 'break a leg' one is a way of offering good luck and, in German, is often said when friends raise a glass of something to each other. Why the German chose this phrase I know not.
'Toi, toi, toi' is another offering of good luck. It's often said along with the Greman equivalent of the Anglo-Saxon crossed fingers when hoping for a good outcome - just as I wished West Ham, my long term football team, good luck in yesterday's FA Cup semi-final. What's more, they WON!