What to say when someone sneezes?

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Okay the obvious ones are bless you and Gesundheit.

What is pretty much common knowledge now is that the origin of this was the black plague. Someone would say bless you because they didn't want you to die. So I think it is kinda creepy to say to people bless you. I might as well say hope you don't die.

And Gesundheit is just the german word of bless you, or good health.

So, back to topic, what are some new alternatives?

They could be silly frivolous words for all I care, what would be some good suggestion?

It's actually spelled 'gesundheit', although your spelling is interesting too

I can't think of any alternatives offhand...I actually don't say anything when people sneeze or cough unless I'm worried about them, in which case I simply ask if they're alright.

I googled it and just saw that a bunch of them spelled it like this so I copied and pasted...I should have posted it in the morning when I would think clearly enough to make sure the spelling was correct

edit: fixed the error, not sure how I had ended up with the spelling I had before lol

As far as I'm concerned, "bless you" means precisely "I hope that you get over your cold soon". It doesn't bother me that it is originally about the Plague or whatever. That's just an interesting etymological fact.

Just like when I tell someone "goodbye", I am not saying "God be with you".

"Bless you", translated of course.

"...and boom goes the dynamite."

"Cover your mouth, cockboy"

Try Seinfelds suggestion. "You are so good looking!" He suggests a compliment that everyone would appreciate instead of a generic "Bless you".

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when someone sneezes, i exit the situation immediately because i do not want to inhale what they sneezed out and catch what they have (in case it is not a simple nasal irritation due to something in the air).

today i was in an elevator, and someone else in the elevator sneezed, and i instantly seized my breathing mechanism, and i did not inhale until i got out of the lift and i was about 10 meters from the elevator. it was unfortunate that they sneezed at the point where i was fully exhaled, so i did not have any air in my lungs at the point i stopped breathing. as well as this, i ran to get into the lift, so i needed to breathe to recover the oxygen expenditure. i had to travel 4 floors before the doors opened, and i pushed my way out and trotted swiftly to where i again resumed breathing.

to say "bless you" is redundant because it uses up vital air that i could retain until i am out of the danger zone, and it is redundant because it is very unlikely that they had contracted the plague. even if they had contracted bubonic plague or whatever other fatal influenzas of the past that beset people, in todays world, it is unlikely that their sneeze would be an indication of impending fatality.

I don't say anything, and find it strange people are compelled to tell people nonsense.

ew germs

It's just good manners to say "God Bless You" (or whatever is the language equivalent where the sneeze takes place), and in this case, it's not at all about religion or faith. It's just a custom, and I do it despite that I am an agnostic.

Charles

My mom says 'STOP IT!' when I sneeze.

Shouting PIIIIKAAAA before they sneeze?

Y'know... Pikachu. PIKACHOOO!