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Topic : Re: Should I use the words "pyromancy" and "necromancy" even if they don't mean what people think they do? If you look up the exact definition for "pyromancy" or "necromancy" they refer to divination - selfpublishingguru.com

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Quick answer: Use whichever term you want, it's your world. If in the world of your story "pyromagnus" and "necromagus" are what those who play with magic involving fire and the undead are called, use it. There were no "bandits" before Shakespeare, nor "hobbits" before Tolkien. Do consider that any audience likely to read this story will be familiar with the terms or at least ones similar enough to fill in the context.

But if you're doing it on the sole basis of a literal dictionary definition - don't fall victim of that trap, especially when it comes to abstract, mythical words. Now let's do a sort of "etymological proof" shall we? Your concern is that "pyromancy" and "necromancy" are defined as:

divination using fire and the dead, respectively.

Now, what is divination? According to Oxford, it is:

the practice of seeking knowledge of the future or the unknown by
supernatural means.

This definition is in the context of our real world where "magic" does not exist, so we invoke the supernatural. But even though magic in the sense we're talking doesn't exist, Oxford still has us covered:

the power of apparently influencing the course of events by using
mysterious or supernatural forces.

I take the course of events in this context to be broad meaning any course of events or actions, in which case divination can now be redefined as:

the practice of seeking knowledge of the future or the unknown by magic.

Future or unknown. We're not worried about the future in this case so let's forget about that. But the unknown of which we're seeking knowledge of isn't really unknown, is it? It's "fire" and "the dead", respectively. So I postulate to you that your original definition can finally be redefined as:

magic using fire and the dead, respectively.

Ergo, the whole question is moot.


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