The announced sneeze!

[Joal 555]

Firstly, just to say that I'm a huge fan of the announced sneeze! It's obviously preferable if the exclamation is followed by the actual act itself, but even if it turns out to be a false alarm, I still very much enjoy the original announcement (and I'd rather have that followed by a small disappointment, than not have anything at all).

However, what I really wanted to discuss was what it is about a sneeze that makes many people want to flag it in advance. For example, you don't hear many people say any of the following:

• "I'm going to cough"
• "Ooh, I need to yawn"
• "Hang on, I think I'm going to fart"

So why is the sneeze more popular in this regard? Is it exhibitionism? Is it the embarrassment of knowing they are going to pull a funny face? Or acknowledgement that they might not be able to listen to what you are saying? A combination of some or all of these? Something completely different?

I look forward to hearing any thoughts or theories.

And if anybody wants to talk about whether they announce it themselves, that would be interesting too. For the record, I don't sneeze in public so I have nothing to announce!

 

[Demosthenes]

Two things.  People who announce they are going to sneeze usually either have a rather long buildup and thus feel the need to explain why their conversation or current activity is going to be interrupted for a bit, or they (perhaps subconsciously) really enjoy indulging in their sneezes and thus want stop everything they're doing to focus attention on their tickly nose (i.e. "Leave me alone while I try to coax this this sneeze out.").

I do announce sometimes but only when I'm alone, so it's just for my own gratification rather than for anyone else to hear.

[Hajo]

Its an interesting question. To be honest, I havent had this experience very often, that somebody announced a sneeze.

I think people will do it only in familar environments, means they must know the people around them. (family or colleagues f.e.)  

But I have a question to you: How do you manage that you never sneeze in public? And what a loss for us other fetishists, who live from the observations around. ...

[Joal 555]

44 minutes ago, Hajo said:

But I have a question to you: How do you manage that you never sneeze in public?

When you have a mental block, it's pretty easy!

 

[facet]

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Edited December 1, 2019 by facet
Removed by user.

[Masked Chaos]

I think that they announce it because it's a more, involved action than say a cough. Also some people may be saying it as a kind of "take cover!" if they have a massive sneeze.

Also with coughs they're quite quick, yawns aren't very violent and people usually try and keep the fact that they've farted to themselves, as opposed to informing the world.

Also, they may just want attention, I dunno.

But it's really nice when people announce their sneeze, even if it is rare.

[Ben Drowned]

On 12/3/2017 at 2:19 PM, Masked Chaos said:

I think that they announce it because it's a more, involved action than say a cough. Also some people may be saying it as a kind of "take cover!" if they have a massive sneeze.

 

 

okay I wish my friend would do this his sneezes are massively scary and violent, so yeah it's basically a warning that says "I've got a loud sneeze hit the deck" my sneezes aren't that big but they can be and also high pitch, so I sometimes give a small warning, and then sneeze. if I can

[I love Alan Rickman]

This is a good question! I don't personally do this myself, because I also don't sneeze in public, but my one lady friend (who has a slightly loud but delicate sneeze) does every once in a while. But then two of my guy friends (both with massive, earshattering, surprising sneezes) don't. I kind of wish they did since they always make me jump from surprise.  I don't know, but I do think the idea that it could be a "take cover" warning is a good point.

Sneezes can be fairly surprising if others don't know it's coming, and they also dispel a lot of particles (Sorry if any of you don't like mess, but it's true). Especially if the sneeze is very loud/violent (*cough* like those guy friends of mine *cough*), they may not want others to get startled (I guess my guy friends don't care about that, though). Or they just don't want to sneeze on someone. 

[Alyssa1146]

I would love to announce when I know I can’t hold it back.  Unfortunately mine either come up too fast or makes a fool of me by killing he sneeze.   Super annoying and even more embarrassing.   😳🤨

[matilda3948]

I almost always say something like, "Hang on a sec. I'm gonna sneeze," if I'm having a conversation with someone. I do it because

1. it can take a while for the sneeze to finally come out

2. I prefer to turn my head away and don't want to seem rude or crazy (when I'm actually just embarrassed)

3. when I feel a sneeze (or multiple sneezes) coming I definitely have stopped listening to what the other person has said. 

4. I can usually fight off a sneeze by holding my breath, pinching my nose, or rubbing it really hard, but (as mentioned in #2) I don't want to look like a crazy person. At least letting the other person know what I'm doing lessens my embarrassment about it since there's certainly no avoiding it.

In all of the other situations you mentioned I don't think my actions are as dragged out, conspicuous, or strange looking. For me, sneezing (or almost sneezing) can take a while and look stupid  

[Heathcliff]

I find this an interesting topic. I've heard quite a few sneeze announcements in my life, but most of them were when I was a kid or a teenager. Obviously for reasons of age I won't go into details, but I think mostly because of the way kids sometimes just say whatever comes into their heads (more than grown adults at least) or want to make a noise in class.

It's much rarer but I have heard them from adults too. I do wish it was more common, but I understand why most of the time it doesn't seem necessary. I think some adults tend to do it for reasons of politeness (as others have said) where they know their sneeze will interrupt the conversation or cause some disruption.

One I remember was a teacher when I was a very young kid, who once announced to the class "Hang on... I'm going to sneeze." I think she announced it because she had a loud sneeze and didn't want to surprise the young schoolkids.

I've also seen a female hairdresser who said "Oh excuse me, I'm gonna sneeze!" To be polite, because she had to turn away. She sneezed twice and the buildup took a few seconds, it seemed to really take her over.

I also once had a sneezy male friend when I was in my twenties, who once desperately said "Excuse me...!" in a breathy voice, before beginning to hitch for a few seconds before a big sneeze (by the way, I enjoyed this ). I think these two may be an example of what Matilda said above- if someone knows there might be a short buildup before the sneeze, they feel it's better to announce what's going to happen?

 

Edited December 30, 2017 by Heathcliff

[Selene]

I'm actually wondering wether annoncing a sneeze is a not just different from announcing a cough/ yawn/ fart, but also whether it is something specific to an English speaking context. I've seen people announcing their sneezes a lot more in English speaking environments than in others (my main focus culture would be Germany) and I was wondering if anyone had similar/ different experiences?

[Anyone]

I think you also tend to know you're about to sneeze for a bit before you actually do, whereas with aomething like a yawn you don't build up to it, it just sort of happens without warning. 

[Sneesee]

I have actually had people announce their yawns, and apologize in advance of the yawn. Lol

I think a lot of the responses here were right on, that people do it so that they aren't interrupting or ignoring someone as the sneeze develops. 

For me personally, I could never announce it because it would promptly go away. I just have to try to let it happen and then apologize afterwards.☺️ Not that it happens a lot.

I love it when people announce it so I get a chance to watch the whole thing. 

[Undine]

I've actually heard people announce yawns, burps, farts and so on as well , but not nearly as much as sneezes. I think people who announce anything probably do it either to alert the other person that they will be temporarily incapacitated, turning away, pulling a funny face or similar, or to direct the other person's attention to what they think will be a particularly disgusting and/or impressive display.

[Chanel_no5]

I only have one friend who does this frequently, and she does it because her sneezes are so ridiculously loud and she doesn't want to scare people. Now, she usually does anyway because nobody is really prepared for such volume, but at least she warned them something's coming, right? She also announces burps, farts, yawns and what have you (even when her stomach is about to growl), but that's more from a joking perspective with friends/family, not something she'd say in a public setting. 

I know a few others who announce their sneezes less frequently, and that's usually to give a heads up that they're going to pause whatever they're doing, or can't keep talking (listening, in some cases, but all in all it seems that people are less concerned with having to stop listening than having to stop talking. )

[Alyssa1146]

I had to come reply again after watching videos of announcing.  I have to say that when someone says it before every sneeze or never varies what they say, it is very unnatural for me and I find myself losing interest.  It's kind of an art.....

[Demosthenes]

Not for me.  Pretty much every time someone even says the word "sneeze" is exciting.  More talkies should say the word "sneeze" more often. 

[Alyssa1146]

5 hours ago, Demosthenes said:

Not for me.  Pretty much every time someone even says the word "sneeze" is exciting.  More talkies should say the word "sneeze" more often. 

It gets my attention when someone brings it up initially and can keep my interest UNLESS they say the same thing over and over without varying what they say.  Being too repetitive is just a distraction for me.