Your Questions About Latin Spells Magic

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Witch Girl

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June 16th, 2011 by Witch Girl

Sharon asks…

Why Are Magic Spells On TV Often In Latin?

I don't think Roman Catholic priests would be doing that stuff.

Witch Girl answers:

Latin is an old language and is the basis of many modern European languages. It is the classical language of the Catholic Church. The educated folks of ancient times all spoke Latin and anyone who did spells could be considered to be educated... See, television writers aren't all dumb...

David asks…

I want to make a "magic language", but JK Rowling used Latin?

I'm a Latin student in University aspiring to write a novel about a magic school.

I need to create the spells and potions and all that, but Latin is my favorite language!

How can I create the names I need without sounding like I'm copying Harry Potter? It needs to be smooth and catchy, and memorable.

I'm trying to make a completely separate story. She's not the first to use literary spells in "Latin", just the most recently successful author...

Witch Girl answers:

You might try using actual Latin. That would certainly be different...

I always thought that Rowling's "point your wand and say these two words" was pretty simplistic, actually. That would make one easy school to get through. You can get a lot of drama out of a long-winded spell, and if you have a good grasp on Latin, you could come up with some really impressive incantations. And the students would actually have something to memorize...

Even the "Nine Hand Seals" from Buddhism have been used over and over this way to great effect in Anime. (You may have seen this; a Buddhist monk making signs while barking out "Rin! Pyou! Tou! Sha! Kai! Jin!..." That's as much as I can remember, but there's nine of them.) The sheer length of time it takes to say all nine syllables while making all nine signs just builds the drama.

Finally, write a good book with strong characters and a nice plot and the spells will take care of themselves. Hope to be reading you soon...

Sandra asks…

Would people say I copied Eragon, if I used magic that involved spells in my story?

My MC is a wizard, and he is very similar to those in Eragon. There is not a specific language; my spells are just latin words that I changed up a bit. I didn't really realize they were so similar, until I read the book - I came up with this before I knew about Eragon. So do you think I should just go ahead, and keep my magic the way it is, or should I change it somehow? If I do need to change it, how should I?

Witch Girl answers:

There have been many literary wizards - Gandalf and Oscar Zoroaster Phadrig, come to mind, and to some extent, the thousands of story wizards are all reflections of each other... At the moment, anything you write is more likely to be compared to Harry Potter. Go on and get used to it. It's going to happen...

If you like the way your magic works, use it. As long as you genuinely came up with the idea and you aren't pulling from other stories, whether you mean to or not, you will make it your own. Does it matter if Eragon pops up in some other folks' minds? And if they like Eragon stories, they may clamor for yours...

If you like writing it, what should stop you? If you work on it with passion, you will end up changing a lot. The end product is likely to only bare a vague resemblance to your original idea.

Charles asks…

Looking for Real Spells?

Hello there,
now, before any of you good people start thinking I'm some sort of loony , I'm a complete skeptic regarding magic and spells. While I do believe in them to a certain extent (I mean, look at alchemy... turns out it's a real science after all, we now call it chemistry), I'm not really ready to dance naked under the full moon (unless accompanied by a cute female partner, but that's another matter).

Unfortunately, I made a bet with a friend of mine who said that I should, and I quote: "like, believe in the unexplainable, maaaan." The bet comprises me trying to find some sort of spell that I can work (in which case I lose), or scientifically prove to be unworkable (in which case I win). Now, I'm not a mean bastard, and I do want to try this bet out seriously (without cheating). What I'm looking for are real (or as close as you can get) spells; If you guys have ever seen films like Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings, you'll know what kind of spells I'm looking for. You know, the (pseudo) scientific stuff. I mean, things that might actually have some sort of scientific explanation. Do any of you know somewhere I might find something like this (like a website). Think "words of power", or Latin spells, or hand motions, summoning things with their "true names" (like in the Earthsea book series), etc...
Thanks for your help

Witch Girl answers:

Regarding real spells. The words of the spell are only 10% of it. If you have no training in raising energy, shaping it and releasing it towards a goal, you won't have much luck. It's not like you can open a book, read the words and things happen. That only happens in the movies.

And scientific research isn't able to be used on magic or psychic powers, no matter how much they try. Spells depend upon the intent of the practitioner, which kind of messes with the idea of being an impartial observer - think about Heisenberg, etc...

The dancing naked isn't done by many - only certain pagans - it is not required in any tradition. There is no 'true name' to anything either, I'm afraid.

The chanting is a form of meditation to get yourself into a certain level of mind (like the space your mind is in right before you drop off to sleep--the subconscious comes forward and you're at your most creative).

Sorry, but what you're thinking of is Hollywood related. Pay the bet and then consider this. Is this the Universe's way to get you interested in the Wiccan way?

George asks…

I am writing a novel, can you help me come up with a magic spell?

I am not asking for open sesame, what I need is a spell to unlock things and here is how it works. In English, I need a small sentence or one word, even, that is used to unlock something. Like remove your restrictions (restrictions being the lock), I would have used that one, but in the language I am translating this into is latin and there is no word for "restrictions". Just plain unlock does not work either.

Witch Girl answers:

Latin is used a lot for magical languages, which is why it sounds right. You could also try the same words you've been searching for in Greek or Portuguese or any other language. Babelfish.yahoo.com is a good translator.

You could try "open," "release," "allow passage," "make way."