I was reading an article not so long ago and came across this quote:
She could tell much of wandering by the way:
Gap-toothed was she, it is no lie to say. – Geoffrey Chaucer.
“Whatever does that mean?!” I said to myself. No doubt, I had to find out! After doing a bit of research I think I arrived at the right conclusion: it seems that people in England also have this folk belief according to which, gap-toothed women are more lustful that the others. At least they did at the time the “Canterbury Tales” were written, in the Middle Ages time period. Well, this came to me as a great surprise – I thought this was only a silly Romanian myth!
The first time I ever heard about such thing I must’ve been around thirteen years old. One fine day, a neighbour who was only about two years older than I was, out of the blue, blurted out: “Oh, you have a gap between your two upper front teeth! My mom says that gap-toothed women are who**s!” I did want to give her a mouthful of what I thought about her and her mother… but, I was so shocked that all I managed to say was: “Nonsense!”
I was wondering (not wandering ;-)) if you have heard of such associations. Or maybe you have other silly myths connected with gap-toothed women?
(I’m not asking if you believe them, alright? – I don’t mean to start an indecent discussion! This is something that was brought back to mind by a comment I very recently made in one of my posts.)
“A gap in your teeth is the sign of Venus - the goddess of love! I’ve been told. Being gap-toothed was regarded as a sign of a strongly-sexed nature in the Middle Ages as told in The Wife of Bath’s Prologue and Tale from “The Canterbury Tales” by Geoffrey Chaucer. In some African tribes having a gap in your front teeth was a sign of wisdom and in France they call it “les dents du bonheur” (teeth of happiness)! There was even a film made by Les Blank in 1987 called Gap-Toothed Women, which explores different connotations of gap-teeth such as a beauty mark or as a sign of an amorous nature.” luckygap.co.uk/
Going back to the main reason for my being here (learning English): are there any big errors in my first post here? (I am interested in hearing about the small ones too, I just don’t want to take up too much of your time.)
You don’t need the article in ‘gap-toothed women are more lustful that the others’
‘gap-toothed women are more lustful that others’ (i.e. all other women)
‘in the Middle Ages’ is okay. It sounds odd with ‘time period’ added.
Mr. Kyaw, you make it sound as if getting a husband is the ultimate goal for a woman. Not to worry, there are plenty of men out there for those “angels” you mention, as well.
Oh, I looked for that “Gap-Toothed Women” film by Les Blank on you tube (just curious! :-)) and while I was watching the clip I found, I noticed that at some point a short snippet of a Romanian gypsy-style song can be heard in the background. Interesting coincidence!
Your letter was very entertaining chiefly for those person who are gap-toothed women.
“She could tell much of wandering by the way:
Gap-toothed was she, it is no lie to say.”
Geoffrey Chaucer’s these rhymed lines are very catchy. “In England also have this folk belief according to which, gap-toothed women are more lustful than the others.” I have no idea about this. I think of myself that I was normal in this regard.
I never heard about this folk saying in Hungary.
I watched the You Tube video and I had been smiling at the young woman who had put her hand in the same way before her mouth than I had used to do till my age of 20, because I was a gap-toothed and buck teethed children and a woman later.
Than I had written in my previous letter even in 1961 when I still went out with my husband he asked me: ‘ why do you cover your mouth when you smile?’
Perhaps I would have covered my smile nowadays unless he had not convinced me that I could smile courageously.
Here an other film which says good things about gap-toothed women.( it isn’t difficult to understand)
Well, your single “angels” can eat their hearts out – my husband is such a cutie! :-))) Too bad he isn’t rich too! :-p
Hi Kati, thank you for answering my question. The clip you posted is the same one that I found – the Romanian gypsy song I mentioned can be heard at about 1.57.
This sentence was a riddle for me. I have to look for on the Google so I found the solving.(?) There was a film (1989) with title : Skin Deep=Hungarian title was A Master of The Art of Living. If somebody didn’t know its plot-summary can be read here: imdb.com/title/tt0098343/plotsummary
I didn’t know the idiom: work wonders = to achieve very good results.
We can buy the book: John Ritter in Blake Edwards’ Skin Deep
(The comedy that GLOWS in the dark.)
my husband is such a cutie! :-))) Too bad he isn’t rich too! :-p
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He is just a lucky guy having you. And you are More lucky for he is not rich. Rich men are hard blokes to catch. For most of them are inflated. Of course I’m a broke ER. So in the category of easy to catch ones.
I never appreciated the rich men.The most important was for me that I could look up to the men who I linked my life as a wife or a friend. I could admire and respect their intelligence,( maybe their wisdom) , and my life was suffice to state that the wicked good sense of humour always connotes the intelligence.
I agree the rich men (the exception proves the rule) can’t speak only how to make more and more money. They are pitiable bloke.
After doing a bit of research I think I arrived at the right conclusion: it seems that people in England also have this folk belief according to which, gap-toothed women are more lustful that the others. At least they did at the time the “Canterbury Tales” were written, in the Middle Ages time period. Well, this came to me as a great surprise – I thought this was only a silly Romanian myth!
This is something that was brought back to mind by a comment I very recently made in one of my posts.)
