I think in English, "wizard" is more commonly used for people who actually have special powers whereas "magician" is used for someone performing tricks. In German "Zauberer" and "Magier" both have both meanings.
Ugh that's weird. In Brazil we have diferent words for that (wizard = bruxo/feiticeiro and magician = mágico) but we also have different words for magic that wizards do and magic tricks. When we say "mágica" we usually mean magic tricks, illusionism, and "magia" for, you know, sorcery and stuff. It bothers me that in translating from English, magic has both meanings (Which I reminded now because of Harry Potter too, in the first movie he says "it was like magic" and gets his uncle mad, because he meant that it was like a magic trick, but his uncle understood that was something wizards do)
Actually there is a difference:
ReplyDeleteWizard = Zauberer
Magician = Magier
never thought about it though ^^´
Yeah G and his sister both said "Zauberer" for both, but I did ask around and some people said "Magier". I guess it depends on whom I ask...!?
DeleteI think in English, "wizard" is more commonly used for people who actually have special powers whereas "magician" is used for someone performing tricks. In German "Zauberer" and "Magier" both have both meanings.
ReplyDeleteUgh that's weird. In Brazil we have diferent words for that (wizard = bruxo/feiticeiro and magician = mágico) but we also have different words for magic that wizards do and magic tricks. When we say "mágica" we usually mean magic tricks, illusionism, and "magia" for, you know, sorcery and stuff. It bothers me that in translating from English, magic has both meanings (Which I reminded now because of Harry Potter too, in the first movie he says "it was like magic" and gets his uncle mad, because he meant that it was like a magic trick, but his uncle understood that was something wizards do)
ReplyDeleteReally! Well, I guess that makes everything quite specific.... But that's also the challenge in translation, eh. I love it!
Delete