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       COMMENT PAGE FOR:
  HTML   The history of knocking on wood
       
       
        bananaflag wrote 6 hours 32 min ago:
        > Most of human nature is never written down — and machines can't
        learn it from text
        
        Well, the conclusion of the article is that humans cannot either, it's
        not like humans have some magical conduit towards truth.
       
        datawars wrote 8 hours 6 min ago:
        Not uncommon that people will knock on their heads if nothing wooden is
        in arm‘s reach. (Which -  head of wood - which I always see as a nice
        little act of humility)
       
        davidw wrote 16 hours 41 min ago:
        As someone who was around in the 90ies, I think I would have found a
        way to work in the Bosstones, but it's pretty interesting just the
        same. I'll also have to look up what people write about "tocca ferro"
        in Italian.
       
          aregue wrote 3 hours 35 min ago:
          The same expression "tocar ferro" was used traditionally in Catalan
          instead of knock on wood. Ferro translates as iron. Iron in this
          expression refers to a sword. More than trusting in good luck or some
          sort of supra natural protection, the expression "tocar ferro"
          conveys a sense of self reliance, of being prepared and confident.
       
       
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