Create pure wonder and awe whenever you speak.
A one-of-a-kind resource for magicians and word lovers, exploring the most intriguing magic words and phrases from around the world.
Friday, April 29, 2011
Credo
Grow clearer on my soul,
Flash through its deepest depths thy light
—Cassie M. O'Hara, "Credo," The Irish Monthly (1884)
Credo is of Latin origin, meaning "I believe."
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
¡Albóndigas!
"But all my frozen brain could come up with was, ‘¡Albóndigas!’” —David Lubar, Wizards of the Game (2003)
Monday, April 25, 2011
Dream(ing)
"There is only the finest line between 'I am dreaming' and 'I am in a dream,' since the brain creates both states. Why not cross the line?" —Deepak Chopra, Reinventing the Body, Resurrecting the Soul (2009)
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Wishka, Washka, Wushka
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Magic Vowels
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Sucop Sucoh
Sucop, Sucoh! Hold on tight! Soon my magic will work right.
—Kemal Kurt, Mixed-Up Journey to Magic Mountain (2002)
Facts: This magic phrase is hocus pocus spelled backwards.
In Literature:
Rabbit’s paw, garden snail,
Cat’s eye, mouse hair, dragon tail,
Cross your fingers if you dare,
From my hat will hop a hare!
Sucop, Sucoh!
You will see,
My spells are working perfectly!
Monday, April 18, 2011
His Slightest Wish
“His slightest wish seemed always to be translated instantly into the most impressive kind of reality."
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Oolong Caloophid Baeower Gazots
This magic incantation is featured in The Intercontinental Union of Disgusting Characters by Roger M. Wilcox (1986). The words Oolong Caloophid reference the humorous science fiction novel The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. Wilcox explains: “Oolong Caloophid is . . . the author of that trilogy of philosophical blockbusters, ‘Where God Went Wrong,’ ‘Some More of God’s Greatest Mistakes,’ and ‘Who Is This God Person Anyway?’”
Friday, April 15, 2011
Mist Streaming
“Mist streaming over the ridge, snatching trees and boulders from view then magically revealing them once more."
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Poof
Yet as insubstantial as a puff of smoke may be, there’s an undeniable concreteness to poof as a magic word.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Machts Nichts
Meanings:
“‘Naw, macht nichts, let’s walk.’ Jack pronounces it ‘mox nix,’ meaning ‘makes no difference’ or, in air force parlance, ‘I’m easy.’” —Ann-Marie MacDonald, The Way the Crow Flies (2003)
Origins: This is a German colloquial expression.
Variations and Incantations:
In Literature:
Monday, April 11, 2011
Hisses as Magic Words
“The ‘hissings and murmurings’ . . . of magicians.” —Edward Peters, The Magician, the Witch and the Law (1978)"
"Jack Starhouse could make [cats] dance wild dances, leaping about upon their hind legs and casting themselves from side to side. This he did by strange sighs and whistlings and hissings.” —Susanna Clarke, Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell (2004)
Sunday, April 10, 2011
An Abracadabra Talisman followup
Our magician friend and home-hacking expert Gordon shares a lovely photo response to our previous post about the abracadabra talisman. Our favorite detail in the photo is the ironic "Do Not Duplicate" message on the key next to the talisman. By the way, Gordon inspired and co-authored our latest book on magic, JINX Companion.
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Zanzibar
For author M.M. Kaye, “Zanzibar is one of those names that possess a peculiar, singing magic in every syllable."
Friday, April 8, 2011
A Poetic Formula
w(&/or)d
Meanwhile, here's a line taken out of context, from our dictionary of magic words:
"I waved my linked hands around and chanted, ‘Football touchdown, toilet plunger, hocus pocus, woof!’"
Thursday, April 7, 2011
A Magical Radiance
—Gustav Meyrink, The Green Face
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Words Fluttered Like Black Moths
"From between those pages . . . from the leaves of the forest trees . . . words fluttered like black moths."
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Meanwhile, Gordon notes some interesting word clouds which "are incantations to induce children to buy whatever is being advertised." See these word clouds of gendered language in toy commercials here.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Isaïs
Monday, April 4, 2011
Bob's Your Uncle
Sunday, April 3, 2011
An Abracadabra Talisman
The Doves Took Wing
Friday, April 1, 2011
A Substitute for Abracadabra
Hazard a Word Dropped Out of the Unknown
—Leonora Carrington, "The Stone Door," The Seventh Horse