07-02-2004, 02:25 PM
Sure Fragbait, etymology is one of my hobbies :)
Nystul and his magical aura have a nice shared grasp on the meanings of these terms in modern fantasy. Hereâs some of the earlier meanings, which can be quite different.
Mage: Comes from the Latin, Magus. In modern gaming parlance, itâs a generic spellcaster whose powers are more arcane than divine. In reality, the word denotes a member of a patriarchal priestly class of the Near East. Implies authority, as the Romans had many offices that were known as âmagisterâ (mostly political or military, such as the Magister Equitum, master of horses/cavalry).
Sorcerer: Latin Sortiarius. A diviner who reads the future through throwing lots, or tesserae (knucklebones).
Wizard: Early English, wise man. It denotes a counselor or elder just as often as it does a user of magic. I think Tolkien, with his love of language, was very aware of this.
Warlock: Practitioner of the dark arts. One who abandons faith and uses the powers of Lucifer; heretic.
Enchanter: From the French, through the old Latin, where it was Incantarius (one who chants magic spells). Someone who beguiles through spoken magic.
Witchmaster: Modern.
Shaman: This one can be argued until the sun goes down; Iâm not going to get into the reasons why. Basically, itâs a magician whose power comes from divine sources, not gods, but the earth and the beasts.
Necromancer: Necro = death, -mancer = practitioner of magic. Interestingly, the âmancer comes from the Greek Mantis, a solemn channeler of divine magic through meditation. Of course the praying mantis gets its name the same way. Thereâs a fun theory that since epilepsy was considered to be sacred in ancient Greece, that the twisted limbs of those in a seizure may have something to do with this posture being considered âmagical.â
Nystul and his magical aura have a nice shared grasp on the meanings of these terms in modern fantasy. Hereâs some of the earlier meanings, which can be quite different.
Mage: Comes from the Latin, Magus. In modern gaming parlance, itâs a generic spellcaster whose powers are more arcane than divine. In reality, the word denotes a member of a patriarchal priestly class of the Near East. Implies authority, as the Romans had many offices that were known as âmagisterâ (mostly political or military, such as the Magister Equitum, master of horses/cavalry).
Sorcerer: Latin Sortiarius. A diviner who reads the future through throwing lots, or tesserae (knucklebones).
Wizard: Early English, wise man. It denotes a counselor or elder just as often as it does a user of magic. I think Tolkien, with his love of language, was very aware of this.
Warlock: Practitioner of the dark arts. One who abandons faith and uses the powers of Lucifer; heretic.
Enchanter: From the French, through the old Latin, where it was Incantarius (one who chants magic spells). Someone who beguiles through spoken magic.
Witchmaster: Modern.
Shaman: This one can be argued until the sun goes down; Iâm not going to get into the reasons why. Basically, itâs a magician whose power comes from divine sources, not gods, but the earth and the beasts.
Necromancer: Necro = death, -mancer = practitioner of magic. Interestingly, the âmancer comes from the Greek Mantis, a solemn channeler of divine magic through meditation. Of course the praying mantis gets its name the same way. Thereâs a fun theory that since epilepsy was considered to be sacred in ancient Greece, that the twisted limbs of those in a seizure may have something to do with this posture being considered âmagical.â