Etymology

Etymology is the study of the origin of words and the way in which their meanings may have changed over time. There is also sometimes a tendency for the spelling of a word to be changed, for instance to make a distinction between a profane and sacred use of the word.

All of this can create confusion about the correct use of particular words, and even charges of cultural appropriation in some cases. In this post we will examine three words that are particularly relevant in this context, namely: “Shaman”, “Magic”, and “Fairy”.

The term Shaman has many definitions.  Generally it is a person who has access to, and influence in, the world of spirits. The Shaman interacts with the spirit world through altered states of consciousness to direct spirits or spiritual energy into the physical world for purposes of healing, divination, or to act for humans or their community in some other way.

Some try to restrict the use of the term to people from Northern Asia, specifically from tribal people who use a Tungusic language (the word samān coming from a Tungusic language), or more specifically, those who use the dialect of the Evenki spoken by Sym Evenki people.

The Arabic term Shaitan was used to describe non-Christian practices and beliefs of people beyond the Ural Mountains and may have been the basis for the Tungus dialect term. Mircea Eliade noted that the Sanskrit word śramaṇa could be the ultimate origin of the word shaman. The term was adopted by Russians interacting with the Indigenous peoples in Siberia. So we cannot even agree on the derivation of this word.

Use of the term Shaman among neoshamanic practitioners has led to accusations of cultural appropriation, exploitation, and misrepresentation when modern people use the term and practice rituals from different cultures.

When anthropologists examine “shamanic” rituals across cultures they find similarities, with essentially the same ritual being practised in different cultures, even those these were geographically separated. What changes is the symbols used and the names of spirits. One reason given for this is the fact that rituals are taught to shamanic people by spirits, who seem to teach what are basically cross-cultural rituals to different peoples, the spirits presumably not being too concerned about cultural appropriation.

In dealing with multiple shamanic cultures worldwide, I have never found that shamans (or an equivalent term) are overly concerned with cultural appropriation, but on the contrary celebrate those from other cultures who want to understand their traditions and are curious about and often see similar approaches in your rituals. This concern seems mainly to arise from those in first world cultures, or where there are commercial considerations.

The term “Shaman” is now widely used, and generally understood by people, even if they are not intimately familiar with shamanic rituals. So should we invent new terms, perhaps used by a small subset of people who can lay claim to specific rituals that derive exclusively from their culture? To those familiar with cross-cultural rituals this seems like a backward step. A more sensible approach would seem to be to find points of commonality, rather than separation, between people.

The term magic in the context of ceremonial magic and practices like witchcraft is generally taken to be the power of influencing events using your will and supernatural forces or beings. It is often an ambiguous term that has been used to refer to a wide variety of beliefs and practices. In modern occultism and neopagan practices many magicians and witches practice ritual magic. The word magick is sometimes used to differentiate the practice of ritual magic with the practice of performing conjuring tricks. So where did these two words come from, and which one is the “correct” one to use for ritual magic?

The English words magic, mage, and magician come from the Latin term magus, through the Greek mágos, which is from the old Persian magus. The Persian term may have led to the Old Sinitic mγag (mage or shaman), Semitic languages such as the Talmudic Hebrew magosh, the Aramaic amgusha, the Chaldean maghdim, and the Syrian magusai.

From the 6th century BCE, the term was used with negative connotations to apply to rites that were regarded as fraudulent, unconventional, and dangerous. Latin adopted this meaning during the first century BCE, which was taken up by Christianity, which associated magic with demons and against the Christian religion. As Christian Europeans colonized ither parts of the world in the sixteenth century, they labelled the non-Christian beliefs that they encountered as magical. At the same time, Italian humanists reinterpreted the term in a positive sense to express the idea of natural magic. Negative and positive understanding of the term have continued in Western culture.

The synonym magick is an archaic spelling of magic used during the late Renaissance, as in Giambattista della Porta’s 1558 treatise Magia Naturalis (Natural Magick). The term was revived in the early 20th century by Aleister Crowley, in Magick: Liber ABA, to differentiate occult magic from stage magic.

The terms are now used interchangeably.

Some use the term magic to refer to the art of producing illusions through use of tricks or other techniques, or as a form of entertainment, although it is also still used by many to refer to the practice of accessing hidden knowledge or powers, or as a means of connecting with the supernatural realm.

Some feel that the term magick is more inclusive than magic, which has been commercialized by mainstream culture and does not accurately reflect the depth and complexity of their practices. Magick is by some also seen as more accurate and nuanced, referring to a more spiritual or metaphysical form of magic.

I do not believe that the term magic and its derivatives, which has been used in multiple languages for over 2,500 years should be replaced with a term which is some 400 years old, for most people 100 years old, and for others a more recent affectation. I believe it is acceptable to use either and that the concerns raised by those who prefer the term magick are overstated.

The word Fairy is used to refer to a small supernatural being, usually of human form, that has magical powers, and which is found in the mythology and folklore of many cultures. The word fay is used to describe fairy characteristics, or sometimes the land where these being live. Other terms are also used to refer to these beings, or their characteristics, including Faerie and Fae. Fairies have a lot of different names and there are a lot of ways to spell the word.

Where do the words come from? The English word fairy derives from the early modern English faerie, itself derived from the Old French faierie (in Old French romance, a faie or fee was a woman skilled in magic). The ultimate root word is the Vulgate Latin fata, or fates (the Parcae - three Roman goddesses who decided the fate of mortals). Fata became fae/fay, and fay becomes faerie by addition of the suffix -erie, denoting a craft. In this context, the craft of enchantment. Faerie then became fairy in modern usage.

Most people use fairy and faerie in the same sense and do not consider there being essential differences. Sometimes faeries are viewed as evil, as opposed to good fairies, but this is not a generally accepted distinction. There is also sometimes an attempt to differentiate fairies (attached to commercial media products) from faeries (referring to more authentic fairy tales).

Some sources like the New Oxford American Dictionary report faerie as being a late 16th century pseudoarchaic or literary variant of fairy introduced by Spenser (the English poet who wrote The Faerie Queen). Other sources claim that the word faerie is derived from the Gaelic “fear shidhe,” which means “’man of the shee.” These explanations are also not generally accepted as the source for the word faerie.

Again, I believe it is acceptable to use either fairy or faerie.

Why does any of this matter? In an era where some try to use language to control the thoughts and behavior of others, or who feel entitled to criticize others who use specific terms, it is important to understand the history and usage of these terms, and how their meaning changes over time. While needing to be aware of legitimate concerns, such as appropriation that is not accepted, we should at the same time not be concerned about using terms that are in wide usage and try to rewrite history.

I personally use the terms Shaman (or Shamanic Practitioner if you prefer) to describe myself when performing shamanic work, the term magic to describe the (sometimes deep and complex) ceremonial magic rituals that I undertake, and the word Fairy to describe otherworldly beings that are involved in other specific rituals.

The header photo is by Brett Jordan on Unsplash