April A-Z: Omens

Good luck or bad?

Meaning has been ascribed to some pretty odd things over the years. We're adept at interpreting these signs: some people in dire terms, others in a more balanced way. Omens are usually seen as a negative, but there is such a thing as a good omen (and not just in the Pratchett/Gaiman world either!).  It's interesting that the adjective 'ominous', derived from 'omen' is (I would say) used specifically for things with a negative portent, though.

Traditional omens include sightings (or hearings) of birds and animals, bodily signs and found objects.  For example:

• Magpies - "one for sorrow" etc (please note that exactly what a specific number of magpies seen might mean depends on where you're from, how old you are, and who you learnt the rhyme from)
• An owl hooting has been seen as an omen of death (or as a sign a girl will lose her virginity that night)
• Black cats may be seen as lucky or unlucky, depending on who you ask
• An itchy palm may indicate money about to be found or lost (it may be left = leaving, right = arriving - but again, that depends on where you're from etc)
• A burning ear is supposed to mean people are talking about you ("left for love, right for spite", but, again, your mileage may vary)
• A found pin (or penny?) is likely to foretell good fortune ("see a pin/penny (and) pick it up; all day long you'll have good luck)
• Finding a white feather means to some that an angel has been close by

Omens seem to be a very culture-specific thing, even more varied than many other superstitious or folkloric beliefs. It's perhaps surprising that there is such variation even within a relatively small country like England.