"Magic" words in my story - use or imply???

[Moonfall Mask]

There is a sorceress in my story that uses magic words (no, not like vedi vedi vedci or anything like that) and I want to know if I should use Latin, Greek, and/or backwards words, or just imply them? I'm leaning towards using a combination of both...

[SoulSalvage]

I think it'd be best to only imply the magic words. Shouting spells and such has always been a turn off for me, so that's simply my opinion.

[raxies94]

SoulSalvage

I think it'd be best to only imply the magic words. Shouting spells and such has always been a turn off for me, so that's simply my opinion.

I would agree with this. Plus, you'll have to either translate everything or make up your own words.

[Moonfall Mask]

SoulSalvage

I think it'd be best to only imply the magic words. Shouting spells and such has always been a turn off for me, so that's simply my opinion.

Won't implying them again and again get old quickly? That's my only problem with that course of action...

[Imperatrix Xoco]

If you want to have spoken spells not implied, all the more power to you. However, if you're going to use a pre-existing language for them, you had better research until you can prattle off the basic rules and exceptions of Latin's past progressive tense without much thought, and which personal endings you would use with the said tense. There's nothing wrong with having a magic vocabulary founded in a dead language like Latin or Greek, but you have to know the rules of the language you're dealing with.

If you don't, you'll have Latin geeks like me on your tail for getting things wrong. :3

[Homurakitsune]

Nini omé elúfi epo eyo-lu oto;

Well... I always stick my conlangs into my stories. Or I use real languages. I've had quite a few German things sneaked into spells before, but that's because I've had five years of German, so I know the basics at least. (Although I'm nowhere near fluent.) Sometimes I imply them, but usually that's only after my reader has seen one in action beforehand, spelling and all. (Otherwise the repetition gets annoying.) So... go with your gut. And if that doesn't work, flip a coin. =)

lu ni kamoo fa lo luhoa pu funa la.

[Moonfall Mask]

Imperatrix Xoco

If you want to have spoken spells not implied, all the more power to you. However, if you're going to use a pre-existing language for them, you had better research until you can prattle off the basic rules and exceptions of Latin's past progressive tense without much thought, and which personal endings you would use with the said tense. There's nothing wrong with having a magic vocabulary founded in a dead language like Latin or Greek, but you have to know the rules of the language you're dealing with.

If you don't, you'll have Latin geeks like me on your tail for getting things wrong. :3

Argh...I'll likely be researching until the cows come home to memorize the Latin and/or Greek to that extent... sweatdrop

I'll make up my own language, how's that???

[Moonfall Mask]

Homurakitsune

Nini omé elúfi epo eyo-lu oto;

Well... I always stick my conlangs into my stories. Or I use real languages. I've had quite a few German things sneaked into spells before, but that's because I've had five years of German, so I know the basics at least. (Although I'm nowhere near fluent.) Sometimes I imply them, but usually that's only after my reader has seen one in action beforehand, spelling and all. (Otherwise the repetition gets annoying.) So... go with your gut. And if that doesn't work, flip a coin. =)

lu ni kamoo fa lo luhoa pu funa la.

Nice artwork. ^_^

And what are conlangs??? confused And thanks for the input, everyone.

[Homurakitsune]

Moonfall Mask

Nice artwork. ^_^

And what are conlangs??? confused And thanks for the input, everyone.

Nini omé elúfi epo eyo-lu oto;

Thanks! 8D I drew it in paint when I was bored one day. ^_^

A conlang is a constructed language. There's a really cool reference here if you wanna try it too. =)
(My post format is actually in one of my conlangs. whee )

lu ni kamoo fa lo luhoa pu funa la.

[Hufflepuff Hottie]

Well, I'm not ever very good with that sort, but I guess you should just go with whatever you feel like. Although in any story that I have a wizard doing out loud magic words I go with pig-Latin. Yeah, It's not the best but that's what I do.

[Imperatrix Xoco]

Moonfall Mask

Argh...I'll likely be researching until the cows come home to memorize the Latin and/or Greek to that extent... sweatdrop

I'll make up my own language, how's that???

In all honesty, Latin is a hundred times easier to learn than English. There are just certain aspects of it that are not present in our language that really trip people up. =] If your school has a Latin program, or a local community college has one over the summer, it would be a good investment to take part in. Not only will it help with your story if you do decide to go the Latin route, but it is also a beautiful, interesting language to study.

You could also ask any Latin teachers that live near you for advice and perhaps to coach you on the side in Latin basics. Just some food for thought.

As for making up your own language, I would think that's more complex than picking up a dead language. O_O I mean, you have to take into account dialects, syntax, how other languages might have affected this one, parts of speech, conjugations, declensions, pronunciations, and a whole conglomerate of other details. If you want to pull a Tolkien and spend year upon year carefully crafting a language, then I say go for it. But if all you aim for is a Paolini move with a language whose vocabulary consists of whatever comes out when you bang your head against the keyboard, then don't make up your own. You could always shoot for a healthy medium, but I'm afraid that category is hair-thin and quite difficult to reach.

I dunno. Perhaps I'm letting my language geekiness get in the way with the whole "make up your own language" stuff. Personally, I would go with basing in Latin or Greek. That is so much more fascinating, since you can really delve in Roman or Greek history and show how your magic language became rooted in that society.

In the end, it's all up to you and how much effort you want to put forth.

[Homurakitsune]

Nini omé elúfi epo eyo-lu oto;

@Imperatrix Xoco: Language geekiness? Be you a linguist such as I?

lu ni kamoo fa lo luhoa pu funa la.

[Imperatrix Xoco]

@Homura: I love language, if that's what you mean. The way that it affects cultures, is affected by cultures, the way its meaning changes age to age, how different provinces and nations twist the words and make them their own.

I think that correct answer here would be "yes." :3

[Homurakitsune]

Imperatrix Xoco

@Homura: I love language, if that's what you mean. The way that it affects cultures, is affected by cultures, the way its meaning changes age to age, how different provinces and nations twist the words and make them their own.

I think that correct answer here would be "yes." :3

Nini omé elúfi epo eyo-lu oto;

Awesome. ^_^
Ich sehe das du ein bisschen Deutsch können, ja? Kannst du andere Sprache?
And conlanging's not so bad. I love it actually. It's my favorite part of writing. ^_^

lu ni kamoo fa lo luhoa pu funa la.