39,327
edits
Language of Magic: Difference between revisions
update links
No edit summary |
(update links) |
||
Line 87:
* In [[Robert E. Howard]]'s [[Conan the Barbarian]] story "Shadows in the Moonlight", a sample from a talking parrot:
{{quote|''Abruptly the bird spread its flaming wings and, soaring from its perch, cried out harshly: "Yagkoolan yok tha, xuthalla!" ''}}
* The [[Dragonlance]] series has wizards who, like standard [[Dungeons
** Raistlin Majere, in fact, learned the activation word to the light spell in his staff through extensive trial and error. Finally, in frustration, he blurted out "Shirak, damen du!", which translates as "Light, damn you!". After the staff lit up, he went back and realized that "Shirak" (light) was the keyword, while "Dulak" (dark) was used to cancel the spell.
* Subverted in Awakening, the magic system from ''[[Warbreaker]]''. While speaking aloud is essential for Awakening, Commands (aka spells) only work if given in the Awakener's own native language. So ''any'' language is potentially magical, as long as you grew up speaking it.
Line 104:
=== [[Tabletop Games]] ===
* In ''[[Dungeons
** Words of Creation and Darkspeech are more literal languages of magic. Mortals require a special feat to be able to even say a few words of them, and they have distinct magical properties. Darkspeech, for example, can be used to reduce the hardness value of an object, while words of creation can be used to aid in item creation.
*** There's also Truespeech: Speaking directly to the universe to tell it how things should be, to which it generally obliges, temporarily.
Line 130:
=== [[Web Comics]] ===
* In ''[[Sluggy Freelance]]'' most magical spells are written using a bizarre alphabet straight out of Pete Abrams's imagination (as seen [http://www.sluggy.com/daily.php?date=021017 here]). How they're pronounced is anyone's guess.
* In ''[[Xkcd]]'', it's [[Python (programming language)|Python]]. Or maybe [http://xkcd.com/353/ sampling everything in medicine cabinet]... no, [http://xkcd.com/413/ it's Python.]
** A [http://xkcd.com/824/ guest strip] by Bill Amend of ''[[FoxTrot]]'' fame demonstrates the power of [[UNIX|POSIX]], likely a [[Shout-Out]] to Munroe's own [http://xkcd.com/149/ earlier strip] on the same topic.
* In ''[[El Goonish Shive]]'', [[Gratuitous Japanese|Japanese]] fills this role for special techniques when practicing "''anime-style'' martial arts". Of course, it's not ''necessary'', but Elliot asks for a do-over when he forgets to [[Calling Your Attacks|call an attack]].
Line 145:
* Latin is used as a magical language in ''[[Gargoyles]]'', although the comics reveal that knowledge of Latin is not sufficient to cast spells.
** [[Word of God]] states that older languages are better suited to spellcasting—while it's theoretically possible to cast a spell in English, it would take more than just a direct translation. In the episode "Golem", the spell to awaken the eponymous creature is in Ancient Hebrew.
*** Not just theoretically possible: The Magus managed it in "Avalon," although [[Cast
* In ''[[Teen Titans (animation)|Teen Titans]]'', Raven apparently uses one of these; normally all we hear is "Azarath, metrion, zinthos!" the mantra she uses to focus her will so she can safely use her inborn magical abilities, but on occasion (most notably in "The Prophecy") she'll go into an extended incantation in what sounds like the same language.
Line 156:
[[Category:Language Tropes]]
[[Category:Magic and Powers]]
[[Category:
| |||