History of Halloween 2

www.anglophonie.fr
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History of Halloween (2)
(YouTube, 2013)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfHETu4bjgk&app=desktop
When most people think of Halloween, they think of trick-or-treating, parades, bobbing for apples and
other family-friendly activities.
But bet you didn’t know the true story behind the ancient origins of Halloween.
It all goes back some two thousand years, to the ancient Celtic festival know as Samhain, celebrated on
November 1st. On the night before Samhain, people believed that the dead returned as ghosts. They
would leave food and wine on their doorsteps to keep roaming spirits at bay and wear masks when they
left their house so they would be mistaken for fellow ghosts.
The Christian church turned Samhein into All Saints Day, or All Hallows, in the eighth century. The
night before became All Hallows Eve, later shortened to Halloween.
You’ve heard of trick-or-treating on Halloween, but what about souling or guising? All three of these
traditions originated in medieval Britain. On All Soul’s day, November 2nd, the needy would beg for
pastries known as soul cakes. In return, they would pray for people’s dead relatives; this was called
souling.
In the medieval Halloween tradition of guising, young people would dress up in costumes and accept
food, wine, money and other offerings in exchange for singing, reciting poetry or telling jokes.
In nineteen-century America, Irish and Scottish immigrants revived these old traditions. The result was
trick-or-treating.
At first, it was much more about the tricks, in the form of pranks and hijinks, than the treats. It wasn’t
until the 1950’s that the custom took on its current family-friendly, kid-centered form.
Today, Halloween is big business, with U.S consumers spending more than 2.5 billion (dollars) on
costumes annually. Added to candy and it’s estimated that Americans spend up to six billion on
Halloween each year, making it the second most commercial holiday after Christmas.
So whether you’re a fan of tricks, treats or trivia, there’s a bit of Halloween history (that) “we bet you
didn’t know!”
Vocabulary
1. trick or treat
2. bobbing for apples
3. (I/we) bet you didn’t know
4. it all goes back
5. as ghosts
6. They would leave food and wine
7. their doorsteps
littéralement: une farce ou une friandise
= jeu consistant à attraper des pommes sur
l’eau avec les dents
je/on parie que vous ne saviez pas
cela remonte à
en fantômes
Ils laissaient (synonyme de “they used to leave”)
sur leurs pas de porte
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8. to keep roaming spirits at bay
9. would be mistaken for fellow ghosts
10. turned… into…
11. shortened to
12. the needy
13. would beg for pastries
14. soul cakes
15. dead relatives
16. would dress up in costumes
17. offerings
18. telling jokes
19. to revive
20. went by
21. at first
22. was much more about
23. pranks and hijinks
24. took on
25. up to
26. whether you’re a fan
27. trivia
pour garder à distance les esprits errants
(pour qu)’on les confonde avec les autres
(vrais) fantômes
a transformé / changé
raccourci à
les nécessiteux
mendiaient des pâtisseries
soul = âme cake = gâteau
des membres de famille décédés
se déguisaient
offrandes
raconter des blagues
(ici) rétablir
ont suivi
au début
il était beaucoup plus question
des farces et espiègleries
ont pris
jusqu’à
que vous soyez
des faits, détails sans importance
History of Halloween (2)
(YouTube, 2013)
Exercise: fill in the blanks with the correct words
When most people think of Halloween, they think of _t_______-o__-_t________________, parades,
le jeu ‘des farces ou des friandises’
bobbing for apples and other family-friendly activities.
But _b________ you didn’t know the true story behind the ancient origins of Halloween.
(je) parie
It all _g_________b_______ some two thousand years, to the ancient Celtic festival know as Samhain,
(cela) remonte
celebrated on November 1st. On the night before Samhain, people believed that the dead returned
_a_____g_______________. They _w___________l_________ food and wine on their _d___________
en fantômes
laissaient
pas de porte
_t_____k_________r____________s__________a____b___________ and wear masks when they left
pour garder à distance les esprits errants
their house so they would _b______m______________f_______ fellow ghosts.
(qu’on les) confonde avec
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The Christian church _t__________ Samhein _i_________o All Saints Day, or All Hallows, in the eighth
a transformé / changé (Samhein) en
century. The night before became All Hallows Eve, later _s______________t______ Halloween.
raccourci à
You’ve heard of trick-or-treating on Halloween, but what about souling or guising? All three of these
traditions originated in medieval Britain. On All Soul’s day, November 2nd, the _n______________
nécessiteux
_w__________b______f_____ _p____________known as soul cakes. In return, they would pray for
mendiaient
des pâtisseries
people’s dead _r_________________; this was called souling.
membres de famille
In the medieval Halloween tradition of guising, young people _w_________d________u___ in costumes
se déguisaient
and accept food, wine, money and other _o________________ in exchange for singing, reciting poetry or
offrandes
_t____________j__________.
raconter des blagues
In nineteen-century America, Irish and Scottish immigrants _r_______________ these old traditions.
ont rétabli
The result was trick-or-treating.
_A_____f___________, it was much more about the tricks, in the form of _p____________ and
Au début
farces
_h________________, than the treats. It wasn’t until the 1950’s that the custom _t__________o______
espiègleries
a pris
its current family-friendly, kid-centered form.
Today, Halloween is big business, with U.S consumers spending more than 2.5 billion (dollars) on
costumes annually. Added to candy and it’s estimated that Americans spend _u______t______ six billion
jusqu’à
on Halloween each year, making it the second most commercial holiday after Christmas.
So _w_____________ you’re a fan of tricks, treats or trivia, there’s a bit of Halloween history (that)
que (vous soyez)
“we bet you didn’t know!”