sympathetic magic
LowAcademic, Technical, Anthropological
Definition
Meaning
A principle of magic based on the belief that things which have been in contact with each other, or resemble each other, continue to act on each other at a distance after the physical contact is severed.
Often used metaphorically to describe psychological or social phenomena where actions performed on a representation are believed to affect the original person or thing, or where superficial similarity is treated as meaningful connection.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The term is primarily anthropological and describes a category of magical thought. It consists of two main types: 'contagious magic' (contact) and 'homeopathic/imitative magic' (similarity). It is a compound noun and typically treated as a singular concept.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical or grammatical differences. The concept is used identically in both academic traditions.
Connotations
Same technical, neutral connotation in both varieties.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in everyday language. Used almost exclusively within anthropology, religious studies, and related scholarly fields.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Subject] practices sympathetic magic by [verb-ing] [object].The ritual was an example of sympathetic magic.[Concept/Principle] is often explained through sympathetic magic.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None specific to the term. The concept itself is technical.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Core term in anthropology, religious studies, and history of magic. Used to classify and analyse rituals.
Everyday
Extremely rare. Might be used metaphorically in intellectual discussion.
Technical
Precise term for a category of magical practice in ethnography and folklore studies.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The witch doctor was believed to sympathetic-magically influence the harvest. (hyphenated adverbial use, very rare)
American English
- The shaman attempted to sympathetic-magic the enemy. (highly non-standard verbalisation)
adverb
British English
- The effigy was treated sympathetically, in the magical sense. (rare, using 'sympathetically' in its older sense)
American English
- The action was performed sympathetic-magically. (hyphenated, highly technical)
adjective
British English
- The sympathetic-magic principle underpinned the ritual. (compound adjective)
American English
- They discussed sympathetic-magic practices in Mesoamerica. (compound adjective)
Examples
By CEFR Level
- (Too complex for A2. Concept not introduced.)
- Some old stories about magic use sympathetic magic, like hurting a doll to hurt a person.
- Anthropologists define sympathetic magic as the belief that actions on an object can affect a similar or related person or thing.
- Frazer's seminal work, *The Golden Bough*, famously delineated the laws of sympathetic magic, dividing it into the principles of similarity and contact.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a Voodoo doll: it SYMPATHETICally (feels for) the person it resembles, and MAGIC is done to it to affect the real person.
Conceptual Metaphor
THE WORLD IS CONNECTED THROUGH RESEMBLANCE AND CONTACT; REPRESENTATION IS THE THING ITSELF.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not translate 'sympathetic' as 'симпатичный' (nice-looking). The correct sense is 'симпатический', relating to 'sympathy' in its older sense of hidden connection or affinity.
- The term is a fixed compound. Avoid translating it word-for-word as 'симпатическая магия' without context; 'симпатическая магия' or 'подобная магия' are established translations in anthropology.
Common Mistakes
- Using it as an adjective phrase (e.g., 'a sympathetic magic ritual' is fine, but 'the magic was very sympathetic' is wrong).
- Confusing it with being 'kind' or 'empathetic' magic.
- Treating it as a plural noun (*sympathetic magics).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following best illustrates the principle of sympathetic magic?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, not at all. 'Sympathetic' here does not mean 'kind' or 'compassionate'. It comes from an older use meaning 'in hidden agreement or connection with'. It's a technical term for a type of magical thinking.
The term was popularised by the Scottish anthropologist Sir James George Frazer in his influential work *The Golden Bough* (1890), though the concept was discussed by earlier thinkers.
'Contagious magic' is a subtype of sympathetic magic. Sympathetic magic has two main branches: 1) Homeopathic/Imitative magic (based on similarity/likeness) and 2) Contagious magic (based on previous physical contact).
Yes, often metaphorically. For example, a critic might accuse an advertiser of using 'sympathetic magic' by associating a celebrity with a product, implying the product's qualities magically transfer to the buyer.