Incantation
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An incantation, spell, charm, enchantment, or bewitchery is a magical formula intended to trigger a magical effect on a person or objects. The formula can be spoken, sung, or chanted. An incantation can also be performed during ceremonial rituals or prayers. In the world of magic, wizards, witches, and fairies are common performers of incantations in culture and folklore.
Enchantments are charms or spells in medieval literature, folklore, fairy tales, and modern fantasy fiction. This has led to the terms "enchanter" and "enchantress" for those who use enchantments. The English language borrowed the term "incantation" from Old French in the late 14th century; the corresponding Old English term was gealdor or galdor, "song, spell", cognate to ON galdr. The weakened sense of "delight" (compare the same development of "charm") is modern, first attested in 1593 (OED).
Words of incantation are often spoken with inflection and emphasis on the words being said. The tone and rhyme of how the words are spoken and the placement of words used in the formula may differ depending on the desired outcome of the magical effect.
Written records of historical magic spells survived in many cultures. Still, they were primarily obliterated by the success of the major monotheistic religions (Islam, Judaism, and Christianity), which label some magical activity as immoral or associated with evil.
Etymology
The Latin incantare, which means "to consecrate with spells, to charm, to bewitch, to ensorcell," is the basis of the word "enchant." Its deep linguistic roots go back to the Proto-Indo-European kan prefix. So, an enchanter or enchantress casts magic spells or utters incantations.
The words similar to incantations, such as enchantment, charms, and spells, are the effects of reciting an incantation. To be enchanted is to be under the influence of an enchantment, usually thought to be caused by charms or spells.
Magic words
Classic magic words
Magic words or words of power have a specific, sometimes unintended, effect. They are often nonsense phrases used in fantasy fiction or by stage prestidigitators. Frequently, such words are presented as part of a divine, Adamic, or another secret or empowered language. Certain comic book heroes use magic words to activate their powers.
Examples of traditional magic words include Abracadabra, Alakazam, Hocus Pocus, Open Sesame, and Sim Sala Bim.
In Babylonian, incantations can be used in rituals to burn images of one's own enemies. An example would be found in the series of Mesopotamian incantations of Šurpu and Maqlû. In the Orient, the charming of snakes has been used in incantations of the past and is still used today. A person using an incantation would entice the snake out of its hiding place to get rid of them.
Udug-hul
In Mesopotamian mythology, Udug Hul incantations are used to exorcise demons (evil Udug) who bring misfortune or illnesses, such as mental illness or anxiety. These demons can create horrible events such as divorce, loss of property, or other catastrophes.
In folklore and fiction
In traditional fairy tales, magical formulas are sometimes attached to an object. When uttered, the incantation helps transform the object. In such stories, incantations are connected to a magic wand used by wizards, witches, and fairy godmothers. One example is the spell that Cinderella's Fairy Godmother used to turn a pumpkin into a coach: "Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo," a nonsense rhyme that echoes more serious historical incantations.
Modern uses and interpretations
The performance of magic almost always involves the use of language. Words are frequently used to access or guide magical power, whether spoken out loud or unspoken. In The Magical Power of Words (1968), S. J. Tambiah argues that the connection between language and magic is due to a belief in the inherent ability of words to influence the universe. Bronisław Malinowski, in Coral Gardens and their Magic (1935), suggests that this belief is an extension of man's basic use of language to describe his surroundings, in which "the knowledge of the right words, appropriate phrases and the more highly developed forms of speech, gives man a power over and above his own limited field of personal action." Magical speech is, therefore, a ritual act and is of equal or even greater importance to magic performance than non-verbal acts.
Not all speech is considered magical. Only certain words and phrases or words spoken in a specific context are supposed to have magical power. According to C. K. Ogden and I. A. Richards's (1923) categories of speech, Magical language is distinct from scientific language because it is emotive and converts words into symbols for emotions. In contrast, words are tied to specific meanings in scientific language and refer to an objective external reality. Magical language is, therefore, particularly adept at constructing metaphors that establish symbols and link magical rituals to the world.
Malinowski argues that "magic language is sacred, set, and used for an entirely different purpose to that of ordinary life." The two forms of language are differentiated through word choice, grammar, style, or by using specific phrases or forms: prayers, spells, songs, blessings, or chants, for example. Sacred modes of language often employ archaic words and forms to invoke the purity or "truth" of a religious or a cultural "golden age". The use of Hebrew in Judaism is an example.
Another potential source of the power of words is their secrecy and exclusivity. Much sacred language is differentiated enough from common language that it is incomprehensible to most of the population, and it can only be used and interpreted by specialized practitioners (magicians, priests, shamans, or Imams). In this respect, Tambiah argues that magical languages violate the primary function of language: communication. Yet adherents of magic can still use and value the mystical function of words by believing in the inherent power of the words themselves and in the meaning that they must provide for those who do understand them. This leads Tambiah to conclude that "the remarkable disjunction between sacred and profane language which exists as a general fact is not necessarily linked to the need to embody sacred words in an exclusive language."
- More information is available at [ Wikipedia:Incantation ]
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