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"'''Break a leg'''" is an English-language [[idiom]] used in the context of [[theatre]] or other [[performing arts]] to wish a performer "[[luck|good luck]]". An ironic or non-literal saying of uncertain origin (a [[dead metaphor]]),<ref>{{cite book |last1=Urdang |first1=Laurence |last2=Hunsinger |first2=Walter W. |last3=LaRoche |first3=Nancy |title=Picturesque Expressions: A thematic dictionary |publisher=Gale Research |page=[https://archive.org/details/picturesqueexpre00urda/page/321 321] |year=1985 |isbn=0-8103-1606-4 |edition=2 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/picturesqueexpre00urda/page/321 }}</ref> "break a leg" is commonly said to [[actor]]s and [[musician]]s before they go on stage to perform or before an [[audition]]. Though a similar and possibly related term appears earlierexists in German without theatrical associations, the English expression with the luck-based meaning is first attributed in the 1930s or possibly 1920s with the luck-based meaning,.<ref name="WWWords">{{Cite web |url=http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-bre1.htm |title=Break a Leg |publisher=World Wide Words |access-date=2007-04-24}}</ref> without specifically theatrical associations.
 
==Origins==
==Non-theatrical origins==
===GermanNon-language aviationtheatrical theory===
A phrase with a similar meaning first appears in the German language by World War I or, at the latest, World War II, during the early days of [[aviation]]: {{lang|de|[[wikt:Hals- und Beinbruch|Hals- und Beinbruch]]}}, literally "neck and leg(bone) break" or, essentially, "may you break your neck and leg".<ref name="Dundes">Dundes, Alan (1994). "Towards a Metaphorical Reading of 'Break a Leg': A Note on Folklore of the Stage". ''Western Folklore'', 53(1), 85–89. {{doi|10.2307/1499654}}</ref><ref name="Partridge">Partridge, Eric (2003). ''A Dictionary of Catch Phrases''. Ukraine: Taylor & Francis. p. 56.</ref><ref>Ammer, Christine (2013). ''The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms''. United States: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. p. 54.</ref> For example, [[Luftwaffe]] pilots are reported as using the phrase {{lang|de|Hals- und Beinbruch}} to wish each other luck.<ref name="Partridge"/> Thus, perhaps this term emerged in English as a [[Calque|direct translation]] of the German expression.
 
The origin of the German phrase is also mysterious, possibly a [[pun]] or borrowing from the [[Yiddish]] theatre.<ref name="Dundes"/> [[Yiddish]] contains a phonetically similar phrase that alsomore literally wishes the listener good luck ({{langx|yi|[[wikt:הצלחה און ברכה|הצלחה און ברכה]]|hatsloche un broche|success and blessing|link=no}}, itself from {{langx|he|hatzlacha u-bracha|script=Latn}}).<ref name="WWWords"/><ref>{{cite book|author=Gerhard Langer|author-link=:de:Gerhard Langer|editor1=Isabella Guanzini|editor1-link=:de:Isabella Guanzini|editor2=Kurt Appel|editor2-link=:de:Kurt Appel|title=Europa mit oder ohne Religion?|volume=II|publisher=Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht|year=2015|isbn=9783847005070|page=88|language=de}}</ref>
 
===SuperstitionTheatrical theorytheories===
There is anecdotal evidence of this expression from theatrical memoirs and personal letters as early as the 1920s.<ref name="WWWords"/><ref name="ISC">{{Cite web |url=https://www.theidioms.com/break-a-leg/ |title=Break a Leg origin|publisher=Theidioms.com |access-date=2018-10-08 }}</ref> The urbane Irish nationalist [[Robert Wilson Lynd]] published an article, "A Defence of Superstition", in the 1 October 1921 edition of the ''[[New Statesman]]'', a British liberal political and cultural magazine, regardingthat provides one of the theatreearliest asmentions of this usage in English: {{quote|The stage is perhaps the second-most superstitious institution in England, after horsethe racingracecourse. InThe horselatter racing,is Lyndso assertedsuperstitious that to wish a man luck when on his way to a racemeeting is considered unlucky. andInstead soof saying "YouGood luck!" you should say something insulting, such as, 'May you break your leg!{{'"}}<ref>{{cite book |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hQQuAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA427 |page=427|chapter=A Defense of Superstition|title=The Living Age|publisher=E. Littell|volume=311 |year=1921}} As published in the ''[[New Statesman]]'', 1 October 1921.</ref>}} Thus, the expression could reflect a now-forgotten [[superstition]] (perhaps a [[theatrical superstition]], though Lynd's 1921describes mentionthe isexpression non-theatrical)as in which directly wishing a person "good luck" would be considered bad luck, therefore an alternative way of wishing luck was employed.<ref>{{cite journal |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6DUEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA30 |title=It's a superstitious world: Of black cats, lucky numbers, broken mirrors... |last=Libby |first=Steve |journal=The Rotarian |date=July 1985 |pages=30–31 |volume=147 |number=1 |issn=0035-838X}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cNhaO6gHeSoC&pg=PA203 |page=203 |title=Kidsexisting Takeoutside the Stage:theatre Helpingyet Young People Discoverin the Creativevery Outletmiddle of Theatera |last1=Petersonparagraph |first1=Lenkathat |last2=O'Connorgoes |first2=Danon |publisher=Randomto Housediscuss Digital[[theatrical |year=2006 |isbn=0-8230-7746-2 |edition=2}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url=https://bookssuperstitions]].google.com/books?id=uWDrgGosVcwC&pg=PT24 |page=24 |last=Helterbran |first=Valeri R. |title=Exploring Idioms: A Critical-Thinking Resource for Grades 4–8 |publisher=Maupin House Publishing |year=2008 |isbn=978-1-934338-14-8}}</ref>
 
Perhaps the earliest published example directly in a theatre context comes from the American writer [[Edna Ferber]]'s 1939 autobiography ''A Peculiar Treasure'', in which she writes about the theatre and "all the [[understudies]] sitting in the back row politely wishing the various principals would break a leg".<ref>[[Edna Ferber|Ferber, Edna]] (1939). ''A Peculiar Treasure''. Doubleday, Doran & Co. p. 354.</ref>
==Theatrical origins==
The aforementioned theory regarding the German saying {{lang|de|Hals- und Beinbruch}} suggests a progression in which it may have transferred from German aviation to German society at large and then, as early as the 1920s but certainly the 1930s, into the American (or British and then American) theatre.<ref name="Partridge"/> The English-language adoption of this term is possibly explained by German-speaking Jewish immigrants entering the American entertainment industry after the First World War.<ref>Hodgson, Charles. (2007). ''Carnal Knowledge: A Navel Gazer's Dictionary of Anatomy, Etymology, and Trivia''. United States: St. Martin's Press. p. 205.</ref><ref name="WWWords"/> ▼
 
The American playwright [[Bernard Sobel]]'s 1948 ''The Theatre Handbook and Digest of Plays'' describes the theatrical superstition that "before a performance actors never wish each other good luck, but say 'I hope you break a leg.{{'"}}<ref>[[Bernard Sobel|Sobel, Bernard]] (1948). ''The Theatre Handbook and Digest of Plays''. Crown Publishers, p. 722.</ref> There are certainly several publications by the 1950s that explain the expression's theatrical meaning.<ref>Cataland, Victoria (1955). Live Till Tomorrow. United Kingdom: Dutton.</ref><ref>The Corset and Underwear Review. (1959). United States: Haire Publishing Company.</ref><ref>Galaxy Magazine: Science Fiction, Volume 15 (1957). United States: UPD Publishing Corporation.</ref> Sources from then onwards contend that the expression reflects a [[superstition]] that directly wishing a performer "good luck" would be considered bad luck or an unintentional [[jinx]]ing, therefore an alternative, ironic, or opposite-sounding way of wishing luck emerged.<ref>{{cite journal |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6DUEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA30 |title=It's a superstitious world: Of black cats, lucky numbers, broken mirrors... |last=Libby |first=Steve |journal=The Rotarian |date=July 1985 |pages=30–31 |volume=147 |number=1 |issn=0035-838X}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cNhaO6gHeSoC&pg=PA203 |page=203 |title=Kids Take the Stage: Helping Young People Discover the Creative Outlet of Theater |last1=Peterson |first1=Lenka |last2=O'Connor |first2=Dan |publisher=Random House Digital |year=2006 |isbn=0-8230-7746-2 |edition=2}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uWDrgGosVcwC&pg=PT24 |page=24 |last=Helterbran |first=Valeri R. |title=Exploring Idioms: A Critical-Thinking Resource for Grades 4–8 |publisher=Maupin House Publishing |year=2008 |isbn=978-1-934338-14-8}}</ref><ref name="Dundes" />
A popular alternative theory, which would date the English term to around the same time in the early 20th century, is that it reflects an ironically-worded superstition (perhaps a [[theatrical superstition]], though again its first attributions are non-theatrical). The typical explanation following this theory is that the speaker avoids the unintentional [[jinx]]ing of a performer by replacing "good luck" with an opposite-sounding expression.<ref name="Dundes" />
 
▲TheIf the aforementioned theory regarding the German saying {{lang|de|Hals- und Beinbruch}} suggestsis relevant, a possible progression inis whichthat it maythe havephrase transferred from German aviation to German society at large and then, as early as the 1920s but certainly the 1930s, into the American (or British and then American) theatre.<ref name="Partridge"/> The English-language adoption of this term is possibly explained by German-speaking Jewish immigrants entering the American entertainment industry after the First World War.<ref>Hodgson, Charles. (2007). ''Carnal Knowledge: A Navel Gazer's Dictionary of Anatomy, Etymology, and Trivia''. United States: St. Martin's Press. p. 205.</ref><ref name="WWWords"/>
The earliest published example specifically within a theatre context comes from the American writer [[Edna Ferber]]'s 1939 autobiography ''A Peculiar Treasure'', in which she writes about the theatre and "all the [[understudies]] sitting in the back row politely wishing the various principals would break a leg".<ref>[[Edna Ferber|Ferber, Edna]] (1939). ''A Peculiar Treasure''. Doubleday, Doran & Co. p. 354.</ref> The American playwright [[Bernard Sobel]]'s 1948 ''The Theatre Handbook and Digest of Plays'' describes the theatrical superstition that "before a performance actors never wish each other good luck, but say 'I hope you break a leg.{{'"}}<ref>[[Bernard Sobel|Sobel, Bernard]] (1948). ''The Theatre Handbook and Digest of Plays''. Crown Publishers, p. 722.</ref> There is some anecdotal evidence from theatrical memoirs and personal letters as early as the 1920s.<ref name="WWWords"/><ref name="ISC">{{Cite web |url=https://www.theidioms.com/break-a-leg/ |title=Break a Leg origin|publisher=Theidioms.com |access-date=2018-10-08 }}</ref>
 
===Other popularSuggested but implausible theories===
;The performer bowing:<span class="anchor" id="Bowing"></span> The term "break a leg" may refer to a performer bowing or curtsying to the audience in the metaphorical sense of bending one's leg to do so.<ref name="Phrase.org">{{Cite web |url=http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/break-a-leg.html |title=Break a leg |publisher=phrases.org.uk |year=2010 |access-date=2010-03-29}}</ref><ref name="Dundes" />
;The performer breaking the leg line:<span class="anchor" id="The Leg Line Theory or Curtain Legs Theory"></span> The edge of a stage just beyond the vantage point of the audience forms a line, imaginary or actually marked, that can be referred to as the "leg line", named after a type of concealing [[Theater drapes and stage curtains|stage curtain]]: a leg. For an unpaid stand-by performer to cross or "break" this line would mean that the performer was getting an opportunity to go onstage and be paid; therefore, "break a leg" might have shifted from a specific hope for this outcome to a general hope for any performer's good fortune.<ref name="Theatre Superstitions2">{{Cite web|url=http://www.steppenwolf.org/backstage/article.aspx?id=23|title=Theatre Superstitions|publisher=Steppenwolf Theatre Company|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061001031042/http://www.steppenwolf.org/backstage/article.aspx?id=23|archive-date=1 October 2006|access-date=2012-06-30}}</ref><ref>Londré, F. H., Fisher, J. (2017). Historical Dictionary of American Theater: Modernism. United States: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. p. 102.</ref> Even less plausible, the saying could originally express the hope that an enthusiastic audience repeatedly calls for further [[curtain calls|bows]] or [[encore]]s. This might cause a performer to repeatedly "break" the leg line,<ref name="Dart">Dart Harris, Diana (2016). Beginning Musical Theatre Dance. United States: Human Kinetics, Incorporated. p. 80.</ref> or, alternatively, it might even cause the leg curtains themselves to break from overuse.<ref name= "Wilton"/>
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