MAGICAL CONVERSATION ON THE TROBRIAND ISLANDS

The Trobriand Islanders of Papua New Guinea are famous for being great magicians. They differentiate among various forms of magic. This pape r presents, translates, and comments on, a selection of various magica l formulae that are used by expert magicians in different fields to re ach various means and ends. It discusses - from the emic, Trobriand, p oint of view - the speech register represented and established by thes e formulae and points out that the speech situation between the magici an and her or his animate, inanimate, or spiritual addressee is regard ed by the Trobriand Islanders as a special form of conversation-like i nteraction. From the etic point of view, this interaction between magi cians and their addressees is analysed as a special form of ritual com munication that serves, among other things, the function of relieving the tension in critical situations of social interaction.