Terminology Check: Mana

Brykovian · Post by **Brykovian** » Thu Dec 09, 2004 2:11 pm

A quick little poll, just for a frame of reference ...

What do you think of when you hear the term "Mana"?

Do you think "bread from heaven" ... or "magical power" ... or something else?

-Bryk

Validon · Post by **Validon** » Thu Dec 09, 2004 2:52 pm

I've seen "Mana" used both ways but my personal thought when I think of Mana is "Bread form Heaven".

Post by **korexus** » Thu Dec 09, 2004 3:46 pm

'Mana' I associate with good old Magic: The Gathering. - The power you draw from the lands (and the elves, never forget the elves!) to cast your spells.

'Manna' I associate with bread from Heaven. I'm funny like that...

korexus.

Post by **Donut** » Thu Dec 09, 2004 4:06 pm

Diablo 2 (never played 1) used Mana as your Magic Power. That's the only way I've ever heard it used.

Donut

Saladin · Post by **Saladin** » Thu Dec 09, 2004 4:43 pm

Manna (or 'shem-an-na') is the famous 'highward fire-stone' powder made from gold which has been turned in to a white powder with the help of electricity. It is said that this powder not only heightens your senses but also increases your longevity.

Of course Manna is only a crappy suregate for the more potent 'Star Fire', being in essence made of the menstrual blood of the Annuki.

As for Mana, i guess it's just a misspelling of the original Manna and is used a lot in fantasy books and games.

Post by **Donut** » Thu Dec 09, 2004 5:43 pm

I propose a vote to have Sal Officially banned from the boards

Donut

Post by **Dameon** » Thu Dec 09, 2004 7:15 pm

I've always associated mana with magic power. It probably started with M:TG for me too, but you see that particular teminology in lots and lots of fantasy games/books/worlds/whatever. The list is pretty long, to say the least. I agree with Kor that "manna", two N's, is the bread from heaven connotation.

Pronunciationwise, I have heard "mana" pronounced both MAN-AH and MAHN-AH, so just some more food for thought.

Raw · Post by **Raw** » Thu Dec 09, 2004 7:28 pm

Mana is like a banana except you replace the ban with a m.

-Raw

Brykovian · Post by **Brykovian** » Thu Dec 09, 2004 7:34 pm

Raw wrote:Mana is like a banana except you replace the ban with a m.

So ... when you hear "Mana", you think "Mana Hammock"?

-Bryk

Raw · Post by **Raw** » Thu Dec 09, 2004 7:35 pm

Brykovian wrote:
Raw wrote:Mana is like a banana except you replace the ban with a m.
So ... when you hear "Mana", you think "Mana Hammock"?

-Bryk

Pretty much!

Post by **korexus** » Thu Dec 09, 2004 8:16 pm

On the Pronunciation thing, I've heard Mahn-a and Man-a. I've always used the second one. I've never heard it with a long a at the end though. Maybe I'm not as posh as you guys...

korexus.

Brykovian · Post by **Brykovian** » Thu Dec 09, 2004 9:03 pm

korexus wrote:On the Pronunciation thing, I've heard Mahn-a and Man-a. I've always used the second one. I've never heard it with a long a at the end though. Maybe I'm not as posh as you guys...

Who's pronouncing it with a long A? How do you pronounce the word "banana" anyway?!

-Bryk

Post by **korexus** » Thu Dec 09, 2004 9:30 pm

Brykovian wrote:Who's pronouncing it with a long A? How do you pronounce the word "banana" anyway?!

-Bryk

Nick was. At least the way I read it it looked that way.

I pronounce 'banana' as 'banana' just like it should be. Across the pond you lot probably say 'banayna' or something, right?

korexus.

Post by **Dameon** » Fri Dec 10, 2004 1:53 am

Hey I'm speaking American here, what can I say? I always thought that it was MAN-AH, long A like banana, but then I played Diablo II. My sorceress was constantly b*tching about "not enough MAH-NA". Dunno, maybe she was English or something.

Post by **gm_al** » Mon Dec 13, 2004 1:30 pm

Mana is spiritual energy. Simple as that.

Saladin · Post by **Saladin** » Mon Dec 13, 2004 2:31 pm

gm_al wrote:Mana is spiritual energy. Simple as that.

And you say that based on what? The games you've played?

Post by **korexus** » Mon Dec 13, 2004 3:47 pm

The good old Oxford English Dictionary has this to say.

Mana:
Maori mana authority, control, influence, prestige, power, psychic force.
Samoan mana (supernatural) power,
Hawaiian mana supernatural or divine power, miraculous power, authority.

Manna(1):
In the Bible (Exodus 16): a substance miraculously provided each day as food for the Israelites in the wilderness after their departure from Egypt.
Manna(2):
Among the people of ancient Israel: a cereal offering (as opposed to an animal sacrifice).

So interestingly it looks as though both words have a spiritual meaning in their own right. There may be a common link between them, but if so it goes back a lot further than modern fantasy writings. (The etymology of 'manna' went through a whole lot of latin and greek and rapidly got boring. 'Mana' wasn't really traced.)

Now I hope none of you are going to argue with oed!

korexus.

Mullog · Post by **Mullog** » Mon Dec 13, 2004 7:35 pm

End of discussion: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mana

The word originates in Polynesian religion (...)
The Polynesian word "mana" is not to be confused with the Hebrew "manna" (...)
In some fantasy settings and games (in particular role-playing games), "mana" is a natural energy resource which is used or channeled by wizards to cast magic spells. This use of the term was coined by Larry Niven in his 1978 novella, The Magic Goes Away (...)
In J. R. R. Tolkien's universe, mana is a Quenya word believed to mean "what is".

Post by **Donut** » Mon Dec 13, 2004 11:34 pm

Yes!!!... it's never complete without J.R.R. Tolkien's crazy mind comin into it. I just watched the first LOTR again this weekend.

Donut

Saladin · Post by **Saladin** » Tue Dec 14, 2004 12:26 pm

Nothing crazy about Tolkien's mind. He was a true scholar of history and his ring sagas are very reminiscent of the old ring saga's like the Nibelungen saga for instance.

It lends so much more power to his work to realise that his work is not just complete fiction but has a very factual base in ancient history.