Itching foot – you are walking on strange ground
Itching hand – you are shaking hands with a stranger
Itching eye – you will be made mad or pleasant
Itching ear – someone is talking about you
Itching nose- someone is coming to see you
Itching folklore from Foxfire Magazine Volume 1 1967
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Tipper
23 Comments
Eldonna Ashley
July 13, 2016 at 11:44 pmIf your leg itches and you’re scratch it you say, “I can’t stop itchin’ my leg.”
Kaintuky
February 10, 2015 at 1:41 pmI have heard W.Virginians pronouce”each” for itch and “feesh” for fish,and several other variations.Heres one somewhat common to S.E.Ky.,”Cletus was givin Bubba the stinkeye(dirty looks)so Bubba stomped a mudhole in hem.Youns(plural for yall)best watch hit roun Bubba”.
Tipper
February 9, 2015 at 3:00 pmChevin
Thank you for the comment! I don’t know much about body language but find it very interesting : )
Have a great evening!
Tipper
Blind Pig The Acorn
Celebrating and Preserving the
Culture of Appalachia
http://www.blindpigandtheacorn.com
Chevin Woodruff
February 6, 2015 at 10:14 amI thought body language says, If your nose itches something met with your disapproval. Those quick thoughts are telling, so someone that might be a stranger to you came, that being you learned something about yourself.
Cknutter
February 5, 2015 at 10:00 pmMy cousin was lonesome for some company so she asked her mother “Momma make your nose itch so somebody will come over”
RB
February 5, 2015 at 12:14 amThe way I heard it and have pretty much experienced it in my life is:
Itching foot – You’re itching for change of location or to travel
Itching hand – If right hand, you’ll be finding/receiving money; if left, you’ll be paying out/losing it (but for me, either hand itches, and the next day, money comes from somewhere, often unexpected. Don’t know why.)
Itching eye – You’re yearning to look at different things, surroundings.
Itching or humming ear – Yep, someone is talking about you
Itching nose – Is allergy. LOL
God bless.
RB
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Tipper
February 4, 2015 at 8:12 pmEd-thank you for the comments! And yes I have and yes I have : )
Blind Pig The Acorn
Celebrating and Preserving the
Culture of Appalachia
http://www.blindpigandtheacorn.com
Ed Ammons
February 4, 2015 at 7:13 pmDo you ever hear itch pronounced like each?
Have you ever heard people say “itch my back for me” instead of scratch my back?
Tipper
February 4, 2015 at 3:52 pmJim-I have never heard the little saying! But I love that all 3 Casadas commented about it : )
Blind Pig The Acorn
Celebrating and Preserving the
Culture of Appalachia
http://www.blindpigandtheacorn.com
Tipper
February 4, 2015 at 3:51 pmYES some people do say inching here too : )
Blind Pig The Acorn
Celebrating and Preserving the
Culture of Appalachia
http://www.blindpigandtheacorn.com
eva nell wike, PhD
February 4, 2015 at 3:49 pmTipper: Some old – some new but all the ‘sayings’ are refreshing to think about – especially when you are ‘putten off vacuming’ or something like that.
Eva Nell
Mary Lou McKillip
February 4, 2015 at 3:14 pmTipper where did all those old saying come about? England or Ireland or the American natives the Indians. I think some were hatched by the Appalachians mountains people on their very own. Folk lores to make people laugh has been around for a long time.
When someone knocks at your door, holler come in if your nose is clean.
Annette Casada Hensley
February 4, 2015 at 1:39 pmI’m giggling as I just noticed that both my brothers posted the same thing. Well, let’s just triple that ditty: My nose itches,
I smell peaches,
Someone’s coming with a hole in his britches!
Ed Ammons
February 4, 2015 at 12:14 pmNo itchy head lice for this old man. There is nothing for them to hold on to up there.
Ldockery
February 4, 2015 at 10:52 amI heard that one as the LEFT palm, Miss Cindy! If the right palm itched we were going to “shake hands with a preacher! ”
b. Ruth
February 4, 2015 at 9:10 amTipper,
I’m just itching to find a saying that’s not on this list!
How about, ‘If your elbow itches, you’re going to sleep in a strange bed’!
Added note: after you sleep in the strange bed and then itch…check for bedbugs!
Left ear itching, someone is saying something nice about you!
Not folklore but,
others to consider:
If in-between your toes itch, check for athletes foot!
If you’ve been sitting’ on a stump in the woods, and later your ‘bum’ itches, check
for poison ivy!
If your legs itch in July, it’s usually “chiggers” from picking blackberries!
That one is an old time saying in our family! LOL
My Mother always said no matter what or where the itch, “Don’t scratch, it will only itch more!” and “Don’t scratch it, you will make it spread!”
That’s all the itches I can scratch this morning!
Thanks Tipper,
PS…Are you itching?
Shirl
February 4, 2015 at 9:08 amSomeone has sure been talking about me lately! In my opinion, the itching in my ear is the start of an earache due to being outside for some time while it was windy and cold without my hat.
Do you all say ‘inching’ like we do in KY?
dolores
February 4, 2015 at 8:57 amI think it is interesting how some of the various folklore came into being. Itching ones nose was noted as a you are going to have a fight or kiss a fool. Itching palm – you are going to get money. So be it for today.
Bill Burnett
February 4, 2015 at 8:06 amItching nose, company coming, itching head, company has arrived. This last one used to refer to lice which at one time was fairly common. How many people’s heads are itching after reading this? The power of suggestion is strong.
Don Casada
February 4, 2015 at 8:05 amMy nose itches;
I smell peaches.
Someone’s a-coming with
A hole in his britches.
(ditty passed on by Mama)
Lue VanWinkle
February 4, 2015 at 7:53 amItching left hand you will spend money unexpectedly, itching right hand you will receive money unexpectedly.
Jim Casada
February 4, 2015 at 7:41 amTipper–I assume you are familiar with the old doggerel about an itching nose:
My nose itches,
I smell peaches,
Someone’s coming with a hole in their britches.
Jim Casada
Miss Cindy
February 4, 2015 at 7:21 amItching palm your going to get some money.