Foreign Language Use During Ritual?

[ncsweet]

It came up in a conversation I had last night, and I thought it might be kind of interesting to see how many of us do (or have considered doing) it. When you are honoring your Gods, especially if they are from a culture that has a language that is different than the one you currently speak, do you ever use chants/charges, etc... that are in your Gods' native language? If you do, do you feel it brings you closer to them, or it really doesn't matter, but it's just something you like to do?  

[Morgandria]

I don't, myself, but I've seen it done. I think it's entirely up to the individual or group.

The real key for this sort of thing is speaking the language correctly, and fluidly. It shouldn't sound stilted or as if you're reading from a script, and you absolutely shouldn't mispronounce anything. If you're going to learn to speak the language of your Gods, you should at least give it your best effort.  

[oOGarrettOo]

I would use Mantra's during meditation. The only problem is pronunciation and proper usage. There are so many different types of Mantras and so many different pronunciations of a name, that it's hard to know which one is correct and when should I use it. I think I might just have to visit a temple and ask there.  

[Sanguina Cruenta]

I won't say anything I don't actually understand. Even if I was familiar with the pronunciation, if I didn't understand the grammar and sentence construction, as well as the meaning of all the words, I wouldn't say it.

So I'm cool with Latin. Ritual languages in general are pretty ftw.  

[oOGarrettOo]

Sanguina Cruenta

I won't say anything I don't actually understand. Even if I was familiar with the pronunciation, if I didn't understand the grammar and sentence construction, as well as the meaning of all the words, I wouldn't say it.

So I'm cool with Latin. Ritual languages in general are pretty ftw.

That's what I'm trying to figure out. It's so hard to research these things though, because each site says something different. Driving me nuts :X.X:  

[Sanguina Cruenta]

Personally, just because of the person I am, I'd have to take a course in the language. Like I want to take a paper or two in Old Norse at a university, and I'd want to do that before being comfortable using the language in ritual.

There are some chants on Youtube I think, Garrett.  

[ncsweet]

That would be my 2 biggest things, making sure that I understand exactly what I'm saying and making sure that I don't mispronounce something. In many languages there are only slight differences sometimes between one word and others and I'd really hate to be saying the wrong thing. sweatdrop  

[Aakosir]

I'm pretty good with my Latin, but my main gods are Egyptian so that would be a bit odd. I'm still figuring my stuff out so it might change one day.

It's funny how on things like Buffy all the spells are in Latin. I think in Charmed also. I guess the writers think it's more mysterious because it's "dead". But really, a lot of languages are based from Latin. Who knows Hollywood's logic.  

[Sanguina Cruenta]

Plus their pronunciation is crap. Church Latin needs a ruler to the knuckles, imo. Classical Latin ftw.  

[xXrainbowrazorsXx]

i think that as long as you mean what you say it does not matter, if you believe that you need to use trditional lanuages to pray etc then do it, if not goon one you.
(unless of course your religon demands what ever i think jews need to speak hebrew when reading from the koran)  

[Morgandria]

xXrainbowrazorsXx

i think that as long as you mean what you say it does not matter, if you believe that you need to use trditional lanuages to pray etc then do it, if not goon one you.
(unless of course your religon demands what ever i think jews need to speak hebrew when reading from the koran)

The Talmud. The Koran is Islam's holy text, not Juidaism.

The pitfall with "mean what you say" thinking is that you may not actually be saying what you mean - and if it's not correct some Gods will be very unimpressed, even if your intent is to please them.  

[too2sweet]

Sort of like when I used to live in Brazil. There is a word (in Portuguese) that sounds like it would mean "embarrassed", however it actually meant "pregnant". Talk about a 'doh moment. xd  

[surukio]

too2sweet

Sort of like when I used to live in Brazil. There is a word (in Portuguese) that sounds like it would mean "embarrassed", however it actually meant "pregnant". Talk about a 'doh moment. xd

same in spanish, and the spanish word for question sounds alot like the english word for pregnant as well. Not to mentiona whole boat load of japanese words are so close on pronuciation to each other as well that if you mess up you could end up saying "chicken " insted of "taxi"

xXrainbowrazorsXx

i think that as long as you mean what you say it does not matter, if you believe that you need to use trditional lanuages to pray etc then do it, if not goon one you.
(unless of course your religon demands what ever i think jews need to speak hebrew when reading from the koran)

Torah and Talmud sweetie, they pre-date the koran and the new testament by a bit. Just a heads up (my college world religions teacher would have bitten my head off if i mixed that up) , but i got the gist of what you were saying.  

[Brass Bell Doll]

I sometimes use prayers in the language that was used by the people who originally recorded the gods myth.

I feel it helps me connect and focus.

I also think about the time I spent learning how to say everything and what it means. I feel it works as a foundation for a lot of energy that I apply to whatever I am doing.

I only fear that because of how I memorized them, that I might end up simply repeating sounds rather than saying the words with the right intention.