Buzz
The expression 'break a leg' is a piece of theater jargon that has found its way into popular culture. Initially, it was a phrase used by performers to wish their peers good fortune before a performance. Nowadays, even those not in the entertainment industry understand its meaning, though few are aware of its origins.
The most widely known explanation for the phrase 'break a leg' is that it replaced the luck-bringing phrase 'good luck,' which is actually considered bad luck in the theater world. While this superstition holds, it still doesn’t clarify why performers would start wishing each other bodily harm instead.
As per Grammarist, the phrase 'break a leg' in its current form first appeared as an inside joke in theaters during the 1920s. The theory suggests that novice performers, waiting in the wings, would joke with veteran actors by telling them to 'break a leg,' so the understudies could step in for them.
One theory traces the phrase 'break a leg' even further back in history. In Old English, 'breaking a leg' could refer to the action of bending a leg in a bow or curtsy. Rather than wishing someone harm, this version of the phrase may have been used to encourage actors to perform well enough to complete the show with success.
Other potential origins of the phrase are tied to the audience, not the performers. In Elizabethan England, theatergoers would sometimes stomp their feet or even strike their chairs on the ground to show their appreciation, a form of applause. Similarly, in Ancient Greece, spectators would stomp rather than clap, though ideally not to the point of breaking anything.
Despite its possible genuine origins, 'break a leg' eventually evolved into a sarcastic theater tradition. The modern interpretation of the phrase first appeared in the 1948 issue of the Charleston Gazette, likely already in use by performers for some time. It was listed among acting superstitions: 'One superstition is that an actor should never wish another good luck before a performance, but rather say, 'I hope you break a leg.'
There is no single, definitive origin for the saying, and even some actors might not fully understand its background. If you’re new to the stage, just remember: don't take the seemingly insulting phrase 'break a leg' to heart.
