Speak of the devil
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"Speak of the devil" is the short form of the English-language idiom "Speak of the devil and he doth appear" (or its alternative form "speak of the devil and he shall appear"). The form "talk of the devil" is also in use in the United Kingdom.[1] It is used when an object of discussion unexpectedly becomes present during the conversation. It can also be used about a topic that quickly becomes relevant, such as the onset of rain or a car breaking down.
A cognate of this phrase appears in the 15th century Chinese novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms as 说曹操，曹操到 or "Speak of Cao Cao, Cao Cao arrives".[2]
In many cultures, a different dangerous person or creature is referenced in the phrase.
- Serbian: "Speak of the wolf and he is at your door."
- French: "Speak of the wolf and you see its tail."
- Czech: "We talk about the wolf, and the wolf is at the door."
- Tunisian: "Mention the cat, and it comes to you jumping."
- Tunisian: "How long is your life!" (when it's a person being talked about and they show up)
- Norwegian: "Speak of the sun, it will shine."
- Swedish: "When you speak of the trolls, they're in the hallway."
- Hungarian: "Emlegetett szamár," meaning approximately "Here is the mentioned donkey."
- Spain: "Talking about the King of Rome and through the door he comes.".[3]
References
- ^ Martin, Gary (11 December 2023). "'Speak of the Devil' - the meaning and origin of this phrase". Phrasefinder.
- ^ "Chinese Culture︱Story - 说曹操，曹操到 - eChineseLearning". 12 January 2010.
- ^ Balázsi, József Attila; Piirainen, Elisabeth (2016-08-01). "DEVIL IN WOLF'S CLOTHING : VARIATIONS ON THE THEME OF "SPEAK OF THE WOLF / DEVIL AND HE APPEARS"". Proverbium - Yearbook. 33: 29–50. ISSN 2806-7568.