Vocabulary – Are You Triskaidekaphobic?
Are you afraid of the number 13? Do you think it’s an unlucky number? If so, you are triskaidekaphobic! [Pronunciation: /,trɪs.kə.dɛ.kə.’foʊ.bɪk/]
A phobia is an extreme fear of something (or someone!). For example, claustrophobia is a fear of being in small, closed spaces. Acrophobia is a fear of heights. You can see a list of more phobias here.
In English-speaking countries, 13 is an unlucky number. There is no 13th floor in most buildings. There is no 13th row in many airplanes. Friday the 13th is believed to be a VERY unlucky day! There is even a series of horror movies called Friday the 13th.
No one is quite sure why the number 13 or Friday the 13th is unlucky. It’s a common superstition. Some people believe that 13 is unlucky number because there were 13 people at the Last Supper – the last supper Jesus had with his 12 disciples before he died.
I have heard that in some countries, Friday the 13th is a lucky day! What about your country? Is Friday the 13th a luck or unlucky day?
Well, in my country Egypt, the number 13 is considered as unlucky in general regardless it’s Friday the 13th or not.
In Brazil is the same ! Lots of people thinks of 13 as an unlucky number. But, some of them also have it as your lucky number. For me is just a number… like the other ones…
For us in Saudi it is just a number.
we don’t have lucky or unlucky number.
Rasha
This is my personal experience #13, 29 always occurred bad luck for me. I don’t like these numbers personally.
My goodness, Uzair! You have TWO bad luck numbers?! Do you have any good luck numbers? = )
It’s true in most of buildings no 13 floor or 13 room here in Indonesia, but for me it’s just a number and I don’t have any lucky or unlucky day or number. some people believe in myths very much here
For some people, lucky/unlucky numbers aren’t myths! Sometimes people have lucky/unlucky numbers because something happened to them that involved that number. For example, for Taylor Swift (American country singer) the number 13 is lucky because so many amazing things have happened to her that include the number 13!
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In Italy friday the 17th is an unlucky day
That’s an unusual number! Did something bad happen on Friday the 17th?
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Hello Melanie
13 is not unlucky for me! My birthday comes on 13th 😀
P.S: Melanie do correct me if I am wrong somewhere. 🙂
Hi, Aakanksha,
You can say:
13 is not unlucky for me! My birthday is on the 13th! 😀
Here in R.D is an unlucky number but for me is just a number…. but I have to respect any behavior. Anyway… thanks a lot.
Hello Melanie,
13 is a very lucky number in South China especially to Cantonese speaker. 13 means alive, energetic . I have a quick question for you, can we say someone is very superstition ? Please correct me if am wrong somewhere. Thank you in advance.
Hi, Amy!
You can say, “He is very superstitious.”
‘Superstition’ is the noun
‘Superstitious’ is the adjective
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