Word magic

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The term word magic encompasses all practices that assume a magical effect of thought and spoken words. Concrete forms can be the magic name or certain aspects of the blessing or curse ; implicit forms can be found in thought magic.

The assumption on the potency of words based on the idea that a word with the corresponding object participating . That is, words are thought to be essentially identical or at least linked to the object that is to be influenced, but at least the word represents a material attribute of the object (this idea is particularly intense in relation to the name ). Someone who used the words could allegedly have an influence on the objects and people belonging to them ( evocation through discussion ) . In this form, the word discussing for a word spell could be proven as Franconian bisprachidu as early as 790 .

A parallel form of magic word presentation is that the recitation of a word supports a spell by invoking a higher power, such as great gods , in one breath , not by being a victim of the spell, but then supporting it ( invocation ) .

The most popular case of word spells are spells ; but every other ritual that uses singing and naming also uses the word magic.

Word spells have a certain essential overlap with the general principle of the analogy spell . Cases of verbal analogy are e.g. B. Practices intended to induce rain by telling a myth about a related story.

Closely related to word magic is the pronunciation taboo , i.e. the belief that just speaking a word or naming a name can lead to unpleasant consequences. In many cultures it was customary not to reveal one's real name to strangers in order not to give them power over themselves.

It can be assumed that word magic is as old as language itself, it is at home in all cultures and has now also found itself in religious forms such as prayer or mantra , the custom of proper names (with auspicious meaning), cursing (as an expression of displeasure without specific addressees), but also rudimentary or reduced in social contact forms such as the wish for a blessing , the swear word and the greeting (up to formulas such as meal or good night ) and many other cultural expressions.

See also

literature

  • Klaus E. Müller: Word magic. An ethnology of eloquence , Lembeck 2001, ISBN 3-87476-380-3 .
  • Robert Jütte : History of Alternative Medicine. From folk medicine to today's unconventional therapies. CH Beck, Munich 1996, ISBN = 3-406-40495-2, pp. 90-103 ( discussion and praying healthy ).

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ see also discussion . In: Brockhaus Bilder-Conversations-Lexikon , Volume 1. Leipzig 1837, p. 238 (on zeno.org).
  2. ↑ Discuss . In: Adelung: Grammatical-Critical Dictionary of High German Dialect , Volume 1. Leipzig 1793, P. 918 No. 5) Bringing into a bad rumor .