Contra invidentium effascinationes: Prophylaxis and the evil eye in some gems of the republican Roman era with grotesque subjects

In the glyptic repertoire of roman-republican age, numerous subjects that must be recognized as amulets with probaskanica function. These objects are designed to protect the owner from the negative effects of the evil eye. The ridiculous and caricatural aspect often seen in these engraved gems characterized the grotesque and/or deformed beings such as hunchbacks, bald, dwarfs, pygmies. A further common typical element is the sexual hypertrophy, another characteristic that, in literature, has always been associated with a clear apotropaic function. From a functional perspective, all these features would contribute to identify these characters as useful expedients to ward off the charm. Instead, from a perspective of antithetical analogy, they communicate positive symbolic concepts, such as the fullness of life, fertility, rebirth and victory over death. Thanks to the analytical study of some pictures engraved in gems conducted by the authors, it has been possible to define a singular set similar for style, subject and type of material, produced between the second and first century BC in the Italian peninsula. The paper intends to explain the figurative and material elements, both constant or variable, that contribute to reinforce the symbolic and amuletic meaning of these gems.

The prenatal period and related prohibitions and prescriptions among the Old Believers of the Republic of Moldova

The author presents some results of her research of the indicated period, which was carried out on the basis of a specially compiled questionnaire in places of compact residence of Lipovans in such villages as Kunicha, Egorovka, etc., as well as in the city of Chisinau. There are a number of preventive actions and prohibitions aimed at ensuring the health and strength of the woman in labor and her baby. Often they are based on common sense, on pragmatics, but not always the informants could explain the reasons for certain prohibitions. A pregnant woman was prohibited from doing, for example, the following actions: sewing; stepping over a long (wire, rope) or sharp object; contacting with animal hair (dogs, cats, etc.); touching her own body when frightened (for example, during a fire); looking at the deceased through the window, etc. According to the testimony of informants, much attention was paid to protecting the woman in labor from the „evil eye”. And if this happened, then they were treated with prayers and herbs. There were also signs by which they tried to guess the sex of the unborn child. Before giving birth, a woman usually confesses to her spiritual father.

The Ritual Importance of the Chuk, a Symbolic Bundle of Thread

The article aims to analyse one of the specific objects of Udmurt traditional culture, chuk (in southern dialects) / tug (in northern dialects), i.e. red thread/yarn; a bunch or bundle of different coloured threads, fringes, ribbons, shreds; towels, bedspreads, and kerchiefs. The multifunctional nature of the object is revealed in everyday and ritual contexts; it can be of different forms and convey various meanings. Depending on the situation, chuk is regarded as a label, a protective charm, a sacrifice gift, or a tangible symbol of a substitute for the human soul. In everyday situations chuk is used in apotropaic magic and folk medicine. For example, red thread/yarn is worn around the ring finger to cure a sty, or it can be worn on an infant’s right wrist to protect him or her against the evil eye. A bunch of wool or linen threads is attached to knitted and woven things when their pattern is copied. The custom of marking young animals with brightly coloured strips of material, usually red, has survived to this day. Chuk is an essential attribute in the Udmurt calendar rites of the spring and summer cycles, wedding ceremonies and recruit rites. In calendar rituals chuk is recognised as a kind of sacrificial offering or gift. Praising flourishing nature alongside youth and early adulthood, the rites of welcoming spring and summer (Vöy, Shrovetide; Akashka/Byddzh’ynnal, Easter; Gershyd, Whitsunday) are regularly marked by the offering of different types of cloth (towels, kerchiefs, head towels for young married women) to mark passage through different stage of life. At different stages of the wedding ceremony (including pre- and post-wedding) the semantics of chuk depends on how it correlates with the participants of the ceremony: in regard to the bride chuk is definitely recognised as a gift, in regard to the groom’s relatives and friends as a way to personify a humorous image of strangers. In recruits’ rites chuk is hammered into the main ceiling beam of the recruit’s house and serves as a material symbol of, or substitute for, the human soul of the recruit, combining the functions of a label, a protective charm and a sacrifice.

WOMIDZ 'EVIL EYE' AS A PHENOMENON OF VERBAL MAGIC OF THE KOMI-ZYRYANS

Belief in the evil eye is among the rare universals of human culture, which still does not have a satisfactory explanation. The author proposes to focus on the traditional ideas of the Komi-Zyryans about the in the evil eye, which make it possible to assert their original verbal-magical character. The concept put forward by the author is based on the following definition is put forward by the author of the concept: “ Womidz is an unintentional, spontaneously induced verbal-magical effect with a negative result, due to the linguistic semantics of the word- womidz . The verbal component underlying the magical act can be expressed by direct speech or is associated with the verbalization by the addressee of unspoken thoughts and intentions of the addressere”. This provision is proved by the analysis of folk terminology and a wide range of phenomena characteristic of the notions of spoilage. According to the author's position, the verbal-magic act of vomidz can be presented in the form of a communicative model: addressere (sender of the word- womidz ) - verbal message (word- womidz ) - addressee (recipient of the message) and object of damage- womidz ; this object can be either the addressee himself or any object of vital importance to him, which is in the field of view.

Ronnie James Dio

Although Ronnie James Dio is often parodied for his lyrical ruminations on dragons, demons, and other Dungeons and Dragons style phantasmagoria, he maintained a humor about himself and possessed a capacity for openness unique to heavy metal. He is known for popularizing the devil horn hand gesture (“malocchio”) at rock shows, though he said its history extended back to his Italian Grandmother who used it as a way of protecting against someone’s evil eye. Dio also said his Grandmother could use it as a curse when provoked. Thus, Dio linked the symbol of the devil horns to protection as much as provocation. Carter’s work likewise considers the polarities in Dio’s work that made him the formidable artist of Heaven and Hell.

SymptomSpeak: Women’s Struggle for History and Health in Kosovo

What are the linguistic dimensions of pain, and what kind of articulations arise from these painful experiences? How does the language of pain circulate, connect, and reach across histories, gendered realities, and social politics? In what ways might the language of pain act on and transform the world by shaping and changing socio-political agendas? I explored these questions among women in Kosovo and discovered a unique symptomatic language which I call SymptomSpeak. SymptomSpeak is a powerful language evoked, shared, and exchanged by women to articulate political, social, and economic grievances, to challenge societal norms, and to demand justice. The language itself consists of a detailed symptom vocabulary which is variously assembled into meaning complexes. Such assemblages shift depending on the social context in which they are conveyed and are referred to as nervoz (nervousness), mërzitna (worried, sad), mzysh (evil eye), and t’bone (spell). I describe in detail how women variously combine and exchange components of SymptomSpeak and, thereby, question dominant framings of reality. Thereby, my intention is to contribute to a new understanding of pain as language which straddles the fine line between socio-political commentary and illness; produces gendered political realities; and challenges the status quo through its communicative power.

The Pragmatic Meanings of Car Stickers in Jordan

This study is aimed at investigating the illocutionary forces of car stickers in Jordan as an under-researched area of Arabic pragmatics. The study is based on authentic data collected over a year as found displayed on cars in the south, mid and north of Jordan. The data collected were found to display a wide range of social, romantic and economic functions including displaying vehicle size and brand, protection against envy, disappointment and betrayal, giving advice, displaying love and romantic challenges, crises and car stickers aimed at attracting others’ attention. Stickers used as a protective measure against evil eye were found to be the most frequently used stickers in our data (32.65%). Though car stickers are equated with amusement and humor, they are used nowadays as a tool to indirectly criticize social, economic and political crises, and this could reflect the social and economic challenges of life. The overwhelmingly rhythmic car stickers examined in the study were found to be instances of decodable expressions whose overall meanings could be recovered by sticker readers.