Comparative analysis of British, Kazakh and Russian superstitions

* THE AIM of our work is to investigate the most common superstitions in Britain, Kazakhstan and in Russia and to prove that in the age of advanced technology and science people don`t believe in superstitions as they used to.
* THE RELEVANCE of the research:
1. The theme is of great interest.
2. Education plays a very important role in modern society and extra knowledge about culture of some countries will be very useful.
3. Comparison of customs and superstitions helps to
understand the cultures of these countries better.
* THE OBJECT of study:
     the most well-known and commonly
used signs and superstitions in the UK,
Kazakhstan and Russia

Classification of superstitions

Similarities between Russian, Kazakh and English superstitions

They are omens and superstitions about lucky and unlucky numbers, mirrors, the weather, ceremonies devoted to common celebrations and some omens connected with animals:
British There is no 13th floor or 13th room number (the 14th follows after the 12th) inmany hotels and houses.

Kazakh There is an old superstition that a man with
13 letters in his name has the fate of the
devil.
Russian Superstitious people consider the
13th of Friday to be an absolutely
unlucky day.

The differences between British, Kazakh and Russian omens and superstitions

Perhaps, one of the most important differences is the interpretation of omens:
*Black cats are still considered to be bad luck in Russia.
In Great Britain black cats are good signs. In England, a black cat crossing your path is a great
fortune.
*In Kazakhstan and Russia a newborn should not
be shown to anyone before baby turns 40 days, and
after 40 days, relatives forbidden loudly to admire
the baby so that they would not get an evil eye.
In Great Britain a newborn is introduced to all the
relatives on the day of arrival from the
maternity hospital, and there is celebration
on that day.

Superstitions of students associated with the exam

Students want to feel safe and to protect themselves from negative feelings. That`s why we deal with student’s exam-related superstitions.
Of course no rituals can help a student that does not study. But these little cultural traditions make a student's life more colorful
and enjoyable for the students.
Student’s exam-related superstitions fell
into two broad categories: the use of
magical objects and the practice of
special rituals.

BLACK CATS IN RUSSIA

can bring bad luck

BLACK CATS

can bring luck according to British people

WOOD

BRITISH PEOPLE TOUCH WOOD TO MAKE SOMETHING COME TRUE

WOOD

RUSSIAN PEOPLE KNOCK ON WOOD TO BRING GOOD LUCK AND NOT TO GET BAD LUCK

The results of statistics and
sociological survey

Conclusion

Now we can say that every country and every nation has its own superstitions, numerous good and bad luck signs. At the same time, some rituals are identical in different countries, although sometimes they have different meaning.
The world moves and civilization
progresses, but the old superstitions
remain the same.