Abracadabra!

[Esperanza]

This is quite random but I just saw that “Abracadabra” was apparently originally meant to be a magic word used to cure hey fever! For those of us who like allergy sneezes, it’s very good that it can’t be cured quite so easily!

I read that on a site of strange (and possibly quite useless) facts.

Not sure how (or why!) I got to that site. Last thing I knew I sat down at my laptop to get on with some work… oh well, I guess I’m very easily distracted. And work is boring.

Sorry if this has been posted before! I just found it amusing

(But not quite as amusing as the Halloween costume on The Blue Phoenix’s recent thread! )

[Secret98]

Cool, find

*OK no one say “Abracadabra” *

[Lamborghini]

Cool, find

*OK no one say “Abracadabra” *

Abracadabra is now a sacreligious word!

Cool find butterfly!

Lamborghini

[count tiszula]

My theory by me is that it was originally an opening spell, like "Open Sesame", being virtually the Spanish "Abra cada abra", that is, "open every opening". Spanish speakers please deny.

I suppose this could still work on diseases.

[army-girl]

This is totally new to me! how hilarious can't way to shove that little bit of information into a random conversation!

[Secret98]

My theory by me is that it was originally an opening spell, like "Open Sesame", being virtually the Spanish "Abra cada abra", that is, "open every opening". Spanish speakers please deny.

I suppose this could still work on diseases.

Not originally, no, though it did come into use in English via French and Latin, who in turn got it via Greek. But there seems to be a general consencus that the word is actually older than that and originated from one of the Semitic languages. Some possibilities being the Aramaic word "avra kehdabra" meaning "I will create as I speak.", the Hebrew "abrakha adabra" meaning "I shall bless, I shall speak.", the Chaldean or Aramaic "abbada ke dabra" meaning "Perish like the word", and that it may be from the diety "Abrasax" worshipped by a gnostic sect called the Basilidian, among other theories.

How do you know all this stuff?

and I could put all those meanings related to sneezing very easily, my mind did it on it's own, typical of me

[Vetinari]

My theory by me is that it was originally an opening spell, like "Open Sesame", being virtually the Spanish "Abra cada abra", that is, "open every opening". Spanish speakers please deny.

I suppose this could still work on diseases.

Not originally, no, though it did come into use in English via French and Latin, who in turn got it via Greek. But there seems to be a general consencus that the word is actually older than that and originated from one of the Semitic languages. Some possibilities being the Aramaic word "avra kehdabra" meaning "I will create as I speak.", the Hebrew "abrakha adabra" meaning "I shall bless, I shall speak.", the Chaldean or Aramaic "abbada ke dabra" meaning "Perish like the word", and that it may be from the diety "Abrasax" worshipped by a gnostic sect called the Basilidian, among other theories.

How do you know all this stuff?

and I could put all those meanings related to sneezing very easily, my mind did it on it's own, typical of me

Well I saw "abbada ke dabra" meaning "Perish like the word" and thought of Potterness!

[army-girl]

... originated from one of the Semitic languages. Some possibilities being the Aramaic word "avra kehdabra" meaning "I will create as I speak.", the Hebrew "abrakha adabra" meaning "I shall bless, I shall speak.", the Chaldean or Aramaic "abbada ke dabra" meaning "Perish like the word", and that it may be from the diety "Abrasax" worshipped by a gnostic sect called the Basilidian, among other theories.

Mmmmm I read little Aramaic (since the letters are similar to ones I know) and understand even less (they can surprise you those Aramaic guys!), but that one actually makes sense to me *nod* either that or it's "I will create as you spoke" (like you're following god's someone's orders) kind of like "yes master! your will shall be done" type of thing

I also read and speak Hebrew fluently and errr, and at first glance that looks kind of off, need to twist it and bend it to make it fit, I suppose one of the things that bug me is that the letter for "b" in Hebrew can be read like "b" or "v" and it it's location in that word it should most definitely be a "v" sound, but apparently both verbs have been conjugated like that before in the bible so I'll bite.

Anyway if I were to use modern Hebrew it would be "avareXh adaber" (X being the throaty sounds you use when saying chutzpa) and that (today) would be the correct way to conjugate I shall bless I shall speak ... not so much Abracadabra sounding

[army-girl]

... originated from one of the Semitic languages. Some possibilities being the Aramaic word "avra kehdabra" meaning "I will create as I speak.", the Hebrew "abrakha adabra" meaning "I shall bless, I shall speak.", the Chaldean or Aramaic "abbada ke dabra" meaning "Perish like the word", and that it may be from the diety "Abrasax" worshipped by a gnostic sect called the Basilidian, among other theories.

Mmmmm I read little Aramaic (since the letters are similar to ones I know) and understand even less (they can surprise you those Aramaic guys!), but that one actually makes sense to me *nod* either that or it's "I will create as you spoke" (like you're following god's someone's orders) kind of like "yes master! your will shall be done" type of thing

I also read and speak Hebrew fluently and errr, and at first glance that looks kind of off, need to twist it and bend it to make it fit, I suppose one of the things that bug me is that the letter for "b" in Hebrew can be read like "b" or "v" and it it's location in that word it should most definitely be a "v" sound, but apparently both verbs have been conjugated like that before in the bible so I'll bite.

Anyway if I were to use modern Hebrew it would be "avareXh adaber" (X being the throaty sounds you use when saying chutzpa) and that (today) would be the correct way to conjugate I shall bless I shall speak ... not so much Abracadabra sounding

I was kind of hoping you'd have something to say on this as I don't know shit about Hebrew or Aramaic and was just trusting that the sources I got those spellings from had some decent idea of what they were talking about, but it being the internet and all I figured there was an unfortunately large possibility that it was at least somewhat off. The annoyances of the modern technology on information...

Well your source wasn't horrible funny concept really ×ברכ×-××“×‘×¨× ancient sounding over ×ברה-קדברה magic words XD

[*~Blue~*]

The electric chair was invented by a DENTIST?!?!?! I always knew the dentist's office was meant for torture..

and for the record, I find this equally as amusing as the thread I posted

[count tiszula]

... originated from one of the Semitic languages. Some possibilities being the Aramaic word "avra kehdabra" meaning "I will create as I speak.", the Hebrew "abrakha adabra" meaning "I shall bless, I shall speak.", the Chaldean or Aramaic "abbada ke dabra" meaning "Perish like the word", and that it may be from the diety "Abrasax" worshipped by a gnostic sect called the Basilidian, among other theories.

Mmmmm I read little Aramaic (since the letters are similar to ones I know) and understand even less (they can surprise you those Aramaic guys!), but that one actually makes sense to me *nod* either that or it's "I will create as you spoke" (like you're following god's someone's orders) kind of like "yes master! your will shall be done" type of thing

I also read and speak Hebrew fluently and errr, and at first glance that looks kind of off, need to twist it and bend it to make it fit, I suppose one of the things that bug me is that the letter for "b" in Hebrew can be read like "b" or "v" and it it's location in that word it should most definitely be a "v" sound, but apparently both verbs have been conjugated like that before in the bible so I'll bite.

Anyway if I were to use modern Hebrew it would be "avareXh adaber" (X being the throaty sounds you use when saying chutzpa) and that (today) would be the correct way to conjugate I shall bless I shall speak ... not so much Abracadabra sounding

I was kind of hoping you'd have something to say on this as I don't know shit about Hebrew or Aramaic and was just trusting that the sources I got those spellings from had some decent idea of what they were talking about, but it being the internet and all I figured there was an unfortunately large possibility that it was at least somewhat off. The annoyances of the modern technology on information...

Well your source wasn't horrible funny concept really ×ברכ×-××“×‘×¨× ancient sounding over ×ברה-קדברה magic words XD

Yes, it's wonderful to have someone who actually understands Semitic languages; so often you get the feeling with European linguists that they are just making it all up or more usually denying any connection; also that the Aramaic one could be equivalent to "Thy will be done".

Meanwhile back at Google, it seems the first appearance in the modern Form comes fron someone called Serenus Sammonicus, a Latin poet and doctor, and returning to the original topic, it was used against the semi-tertian ague, whatever that was. I also wonder if he just made it up, as he needed a "Tum-titty tum-tum" word to fit in his hexameter. The later history could be interesting. And I haven't quite abandoned my theory by me.

[army-girl]

Yes, it's wonderful to have someone who actually understands Semitic languages; so often you get the feeling with European linguists that they are just making it all up or more usually denying any connection; also that the Aramaic one could be equivalent to "Thy will be done".

... and to go -further away- from the topic, speaking of linguistics, I had the sudden urge to look up the origin of the word Lemon today - I had some lemonade with mint and it got me thinking how come it's "lemon" in English and also "limon" in Hebrew, too close to be a coincidence really (well duh, I'm just surprised I never bothered giving it a second thought before), after checking it inside & out I found that the origin is Arabic (which could just as very well be Hebrew really if you ask me...) another score for semitic languages! for more linguistic fun and the origin of words visit AskOxford, I actually trust Oxford quite a bit. Though they claim that Abracadabra is from Latin *shrug* genealogy is fun as is etymology.

... sort of back to topic, I just saw the 5th Harry Potter movie (finally) and guess what I was thinking about and when *tsk tsk* kind of funny it's the spell for killing while it's originally meant for healing I'd say .

*cease babbling*