Geloscopy

Geloscopy is a form of divination based on the interpretation of people's tone and the manner of laughter.

Historically, many nations had their traditions and beliefs related to the interpretation of people's manner of speech, tone, and especially laughter. Thus, it was believed that people who laugh a lot are open and sincere, those who hardly laugh are persistent and reserved; quiet laughter was supposed to mean that a person is facile and kind, while loud laughter meant that the person is harsh and inclined to telling lies.

Traditionally geloscopy consisted of a prophesying medium who got into the state of divinatory trance and achieved a hysterical laugh. Based on this laugh, diviners made their revelations.

An older saying or "superstition" is " if you laugh till you cry, you will sorrowfuly die."

See also

* Methods of divination