of magic almost always involves the use of language. Whether spoken
out loud or unspoken, words are frequently used to access or guide
magical power. 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
Magical speech is therefore a ritual act and is of equal or even
greater importance to the performance of magic than non-verbal
Not all speech is considered magical. Only certain words and phrases
or words spoken in a specific context are considered to have magical
Magical language, according to C.
K. Ogden and I.
A. Richards's (1923) categories of speech, is distinct from
scientific language because it is emotive and it converts words into
symbols for emotions; whereas in scientific language words are tied
to specific meanings 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
Malinowski argues that "the language of magic 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 the use of specific phrases or forms: prayers,
example. Sacred modes of language often employ archaic words and
forms in an attempt to invoke the purity or "truth" of a
religious or a cultural "golden age". The use of Hebrew in
Judaism is an
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 the majority of the
population and it can only be used and interpreted by specialized
In this respect, Tambiah argues that magical languages violate the
primary function of language: communication.
Yet adherents of magic are still able to use and to value the magical
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."