海外文化:英美民俗 不祥之舉:不慎撒鹽

【英文原文】

Spilling Salt

Since ancient times salt has been highly valued because it can be used to preserve food, help wounds to heal, and make food tasty. At one time salt was regarded as being almost as valuable as gold, and soldiers, officials, and working people in Greece and Rome received all or part of their pay in salt. So spilling such a valuable thing has been regarded as a sign that something unlucky is going to happen. Some people believe that if a person has spilled salt, he or she may cancel the bad luck by throwing a pinch of salt over the left shoulder.

【中文譯文】

自古以來鹽就受到珍視，因爲鹽可用來防腐、療傷、調味。人們曾一度將鹽視爲幾乎與黃金一樣貴重的東西。古希臘羅馬的軍人、官員和工人的薪水曾部分或全部用鹽來代替。所以平白無故將鹽撒落就被認爲很不吉利。不過，萬一撒了鹽，還有辦法補救，就是再捏起一小撮鹽，從左肩上向後扔，據說可以辟邪免災。