Jesus

Question

Ever heard of a man named Jesus'

Answer 1

¿Has oído de...?
¿Has oído decir de...?

The "ever" doesn't really get translated, but is implied.

Answer 2

Oh, ok - it was exactly 'ever' I was puzzled about...
Thank you, both

Answer 3

Yo me voy a salir un poco de la temática de esta discusión y ya que se habla de Jesús voy a poner mi granito de arena sobre una cuestión...
En muchos paises hay gente que mantiene la costumbre de exclamar ¡Jesús! despues de estornudar, sobretodo en paises católicos y de habla hispana.

Extracto de una página web:
¿Por qué decimos Jesús cuando alguien estornuda?
Normalmente cuando alguien estornuda decimos Jesús o salud.
En Roma, en el año 591, hubo una gran epidemia de peste, los afectados morían estornudando, por tal circunstancia procede el 'Dios te bendiga'.
Por este motivo cuando alguien estornuda se pide a Dios que aparte el peligro.
Con el paso del tiempo se acortaría a Jesús o salud.
Según se cuenta, la salutación tras el estornudo comenzó a utilizarse en África en el siglo VI, con motivo de la aparición de una epidemia.
También se cuenta que fueron los árabes los que propagaron por el mundo la costumbre de invocar a la divinidad.

Answer 4

I have no evidence at hand, but since sneezing has been understood to be related to illness for thousands of years, and people have been believing in gods for just as long, I find it unbelievable that no one asked for the intervention of a god until the year 591. I mean, it just seems the most natural thing for a believer to say, especially back when illness often meant certain death. I would bet that people having been uttering variations on this theme for as long as people have had the power of speech. Now whether it actually cured anyone is another matter...

Answer 5

Well, in Denmark when someone sneezes we say: Prosit!
Prosit - is from latin - proesse / prodesse - meaning: "I hope that it may benefit"
- also the one of the 7 dwarfs in Snowwhite, who sneezes, he's called Prosit here.

It's interesting historical knowledge, the reference between sickness and Godly intervention. But, as it seems, Danes didn't embrace it...

Answer 6

Ok, now we got started:

"Prosit" can be split into pro + sum, meaning "be useful ("in favour be")"; one of many words related to the verb "ser" in Spanish. Other related words: proud, improve, prowess,...

Answer 7

Interesting point Gitte, I always did wonder what that actually ment.
In germany you say gesundheit, meaning good health.

Answer 8

I've been to Germany many times, and "Pros(i)t" is what I've heard every time I had a beer, and the last thing I articulated every night when I went out for heavy drinking. Not exactly something healthy!

But the original meaning of the word is another story, of course.