Interviewer: Is there anything you used to tell me as a kid that you inherited from your family? 

TK: Sure, I used to tell you that you shouldn’t whistle inside the house. Do you remember?

Interviewer: Oh yes, I do. I never understood the logic behind that one.

TK: Neither did I. I guess I was told this so many times as a kid myself that it developed into a habit. 

Interviewer: Wow, I could have been a whistling prodigy if it wasn’t for you. 

TK: Sure you could have, sweetie. It’s never too late. 

Interviewer: To tell you the truth, I used to secretly whistle all over the house when you weren’t at home. 

TK: Funny, I used to do the same thing when I was a kid. 

Interviewer: What do you think is the logic behind this belief? 

TK: I think it has to do with upsetting house ghosts, but I can’t be sure. My grandma told me once, but I forgot.

Context: 

This conversion happened with my mother over a phone call. She grew up in Tbilisi, Georgia. This rule was passed down to her from her mother and grandmother. She doesn’t believe in the rule, but anytime I whistle inside the house to this day, she gives me the stern “stop that” glance. 

Analysis: 

This is an example of a household superstition. This taboo against indoor whistling is common in Georgia to this day. Whistling taboo is a good example of intergenerational transmission where the taboo is passed down throughout generations. One interesting detail is that the rule is enforced even if the original motivation behind it gets lost. The habit that forms through customary repetition regulates behavior and connects generations.