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Why is the number 17 considered unlucky in Italy?

Question #65642. Asked by tjoebigham.
Last updated May 18 2021.

Brainyblonde
Answer has 18 votes
Currently Best Answer
Brainyblonde
23 year member
1455 replies

Answer has 18 votes.

Currently voted the best answer.
In Italian culture, the number 17 is considered unlucky. When viewed as the Roman numeral, XVII, it is then changed anagramtically to VIXI, which in the Latin language it translates to "I have lived", the perfect tense implying "My life is over." (c.f. "Vixerunt", Cicero's famous announcement of an execution.) In Italy, it is not uncommon to notice that buildings do not have 17th floor, hotels do not have a room 17. The Italian airline carrier, Alitalia, does not have a seat 17. Renault sold its "R17" model in Italy as "R177."
link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/17_(number)

May 12 2006, 2:03 PM
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zbeckabee
Answer has 11 votes
zbeckabee
Moderator
18 year member
11752 replies avatar

Answer has 11 votes.
Seventeen is considered unlucky in Italy because rearranging the letters in the Roman numerals for 17 could spell "VIXI" which means "I lived" in Italian. Thus...I am now dead.

link https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/european/bad-omen-italy-their-unlucky-number-comes-400380.html



Response last updated by gtho4 on May 18 2021.
May 12 2006, 2:04 PM
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lanfranco
Answer has 9 votes
lanfranco
19 year member
4407 replies avatar

Answer has 9 votes.
An anagram of the Roman numeral 17 -- XVII -- spells out "VIXI," which in Latin means "I have lived"; that is, "My life is over," or "I'm dead."

lifeinitaly.com/heritage/superstition.asp no longer exists



Response last updated by gtho4 on May 18 2021.
May 12 2006, 2:04 PM
22crows
Answer has 4 votes
22crows
18 year member
555 replies

Answer has 4 votes.
In Italian culture, the number 17 is considered unlucky. When viewed as the Roman numeral, XVII, it is then changed anagrammatically to VIXI, which in the Latin language it translates to "I have lived", the perfect implying "My life is over."

link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/17_%28number%29




Response last updated by gtho4 on Oct 12 2016.
Apr 07 2013, 1:36 AM
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