Break a leg

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"Break a leg" is a well-known saying in theatre which means "good luck". It is typically said to actors before they go out onto stage to perform.

The expression is a theatrical superstition that replaces the phrase "good luck" which is considered bad luck. The expression is sometimes used outside the theatre as superstitions and customs travel through other professions and then into common use.

Contents

[edit] Origins

There are several theories for the expression's origins. All are heavily debated. Like many expressions it is almost impossible to fully trace its origins unless there are some sort of identifying markers found in derived Latin expressions. The below are some of the most popular origins for the expression, but cannot be conclusively proven.

[edit] Traditional Theory

In the U.K., the most common idea of origin for the expression comes from tradition. Historians know from the time of King James I and Shakespeare's King's Men that actors would on occasion receive tips on top of their salaries. Rather than receiving tips directly from the company or theatre, tipping was left to the audience. During the final bows or curtain call, audiences would throw money, usually coins, onto the stage depending on how well they enjoyed the performance. In some bad performances they would throw rotten vegetables, but in the good cases, money. Actors would then 'take a knee', effectively breaking their leg line, on stage and pick up the money. As a result when you wish someone to 'break a leg' it refers to wishing them success in their performance so in end they would have to kneel down and collect a welcoming tip. Theatre evolved and the tradition of tipping changed. This tradition led to the tradition of throwing flowers on stage, as well as presenting flowers. The expression continued through theatre as it was still applicable and later became tradition.

[edit] Antonym Theory

Breaking one's leg is not a good thing to hope for - therefore by some superstition, if "good luck" causes bad luck, then the perceived bad luck of breaking one's leg causes good.

[edit] Bowing

This theory is thought to be an extension of the Traditional Theory. For the curtain call, when actors bow or curtsy, they place one foot behind the other and bend at the knee, 'breaking' the line of the leg. In theatre, pleased audiences may applaud in which time encore bows sometimes occur. On Broadway this is considered the highest compliment to an actor. In wishing someone to 'break a leg' you are ultimately wishing them to bow many times effectively causing them to break their leg line. A continuation of this theory is joke where you wish someone to bow too many times that they 'break a leg'.

[edit] Greek Origin

In the time of Ancient Greece, people didn’t applaud. Instead, they stomped for their appreciation and if they stomped long enough, they would break a leg. Or, some would have it that the term originated during Elizabethan times when, instead of applause the audience would stomp their chairs – and if they liked it enough, the leg of the chair would break. [1]

[edit] Roman Origin

In the time of Ancient Rome, gladiators would fight to the death as a form of popular entertainment in the colosseum[2]. Spectators would sometimes shout "quasso cruris", the Latin equivalent of "break a leg". This essentially would be wishing them "good luck" by requesting they keep their lives and only cripple the other opponent by breaking his leg.

[edit] German Origin

A translation from the German phrase "Hals- und Beinbruch" ("neck and leg fracture"), which comes from the Yiddish phrase "Hasloche un Broche" ("success and blessing").[3] The phrase has also been adopted from German into Polish language as połamania nóg, "breaking of legs", with the word połamanie, meaning fracturing, połamania being the genitive case. In Polish, życzyć, "to wish", governs the genitive case, thus the underlying structure is życzę ci połamania nóg, roughly translated as "I wish you a fracture of the legs". Both in German and Polish, the phrase is most typically used to wish a student good luck before an exam.

[edit] Lincoln Theory

Popular etymology derives the phrase from the 1865 assassination of Abraham Lincoln. John Wilkes Booth, the actor turned assassin, leapt to the stage of Ford's Theatre after the murder, breaking his leg in the process [4]. While Booth's roles as an actor are not well remembered, wishing an actor to "break a leg" is to wish them a performance worthy of remembrance. However, there are references to the expression before the 1860's.[citation needed]

[edit] Non-Literal

There are many non-literal references this expression could be referring to.

  • In traditional curtains, the legs of the curtain were constructed from long wooden rods. In the case of many encores, curtains would be lifted and dropped numerous times causing them to 'break'.
  • The term 'break a leg' may be an abbreviation for the phrase 'break a legend' which roughly means 'go get yourself out there' or related to meaning 'break' (example this is your big break).
  • The term 'break a leg' may also be related to the members of a play / performance since they are known as the 'cast'.

[edit] Peasant Theory

A very whimsical theory is the Groundling or Peasant Theory. In the times of Shakespeare, theatres such as the Globe Theatre were open-air amphitheaters. People who could afford to, sat in the covered balcony seats while those unable to afford the balcony seating prices had crowd the front of the theatre in the open. Mockingly, these audience members were referred to as Groundlings (today's nosebleed audience status). Transfixed by well done performances the 'Groundlings' would drool. Actors would wish each other good luck by saying, "may you give such a stirring performance that you fall on the ensuing spot of the drooling Groundlings, and break a leg".[citation needed]

[edit] Alternate Terms

In some areas, the phrase "break a leg" itself has fallen into bad superstitious repute. In Australia, the term "chookas" can be used instead, and in the UK, "fall down backwards" may also be used. The origins of these terms are as unknown to us as is the origin of "break a leg".

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Theatre Superstitions. Steppenwolf Theatre Company. Retrieved on 2006-11-07.
  2. ^ Roman gladiators; roman history, roman civilization. Bates College. Retrieved on 2006-12-24.
  3. ^ Mark Israel, 'Phrase Origins: "Break a leg!"', The alt.usage.english FAQ file,(line 4544), (29 Sept 1997)
  4. ^ Break a Leg. Dave Wilton. Retrieved on 2006-11-07.
  • Bevington, David. The Complete Works of Shakespeare, Fifth Edition. United States: Longman; 5 edition, 2003

[edit] External links

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