We've now made it to the bread and butter of spellcasting: semantics. In essence, semantics is the study of meaning which will correlate to the spellcasting element of concentration. To avoid confusion, I prefer to describe concentration as intention. This is the concept that allows our thoughts to take shape as manifested through our magic.

Meaning is a very vague and mystical thing already, so there are many theories that attempt to explain how this works exactly. I will be discussing the basic concepts to help you understand how these theories work in order to enhance your concentration and mastery of advanced charms.

Visual Metaphor Theory

Earlier in this text, we discussed this theory as a potential origin for writing systems. Visual Metaphor theory proposes that language is a symbolic representation of what we see. This makes sense when we observe how concepts are created and how magic often manifests itself.

There are two main ways that the brain forms visual concepts:

Exemplars - An exemplar is a specific example that can represent a larger category or concept.This is very useful in the practice of transfiguration that will not be discussed here but can be investigated at length with further studies.

Prototypes - A prototype is a collection of features that describe an object. Patronuses are a good example of this as they can take the form of many different creatures, but they're bright silvery mist and forward motion can easily identify them as a patronus charm.

When visual concepts are formed we can start to see how they shape our movements and incantations. Water evokes actions like, flow, fall, pool, swell, etc. and descriptions like fluid, and cool. These qualities can be seen when using the charm for Aguamenti.

Semantic Webs/Neighbourhoods

These words are then organised in the brain like an elaborate web, with similar things being connected by delicate strands. The more a connection is used, the stronger the strand becomes and the closer the words or nodes become. This results in clusters called neighbourhoods where nodes of similar semantic or functional origin find themselves.

Two major concepts can help us explain the structure of this complex network.

Multinodaility - A node is essentially a concept like a word or morpheme, so the number of nodes it is connected to quantifies its nodality. When looking at spells for example,

Light could be connected to Lumos, Incendio, Vermillius, etc. whereas Flight would be connected to Locomotor, Rocket Asarade, Wingardium Leviosa. Nodality will quantify how many spells can accomplish the same or similar function.

Multiplexity - A multiplex node will have multiple connections to another node. Alohomora can be used to unlock doors, unlock padlocks, unbind spells, unlock seals, etc. Multiplexity quantifies the versatility of a single spell.

Priming Theory

Since these webs are so tangled, tugging on one of the strands is likely to have an effect on the strands surrounding it. This is called priming. Priming theory assumes that when a single node is activated, that all other nodes directly connected to it will be activated. This explains why a spell like Lumos (which is highly nodal) will be much easier and require less concentration than a more specific spell.

Priming is one of the reasons that we start with introductory charms and work out way up to more advanced and complex spells. Priming is also one of the reasons that spells can chain or morph from one thing to another, especially in duels.

The main issue with priming is that it would suggest that magic is too difficult to control as it is constantly triggering secondary and sometimes tertiary nodes. It also has a hard time rationalizing why spells can activate when cast incorrectly and others do not.

Threshold Theory

The companion theory to Priming theory is Threshold theory. This theory proposes that nodes are only activated after a certain level of concentration or will is reached, kind of like jumping over a gate. This helps to explain why some spells react with an 'all-or-nothing' kind of response. It is possible that the multiple elements of spellcasting also contribute to this (ie. the incantation, will, concentration and movement) all to a certain threshold

Implicit Causality

The last theory I would like to address in this section is called implicit causality. Much like transience, semantics allows certain spells to be embedded with a cause-effect relationship.

For example 'to scare' implies the subject is an agent, acting on a patient to make them afraid.

Meanwhile 'to fear' implies the subject is the patient who is being frightened.

These types of words are generally transient (meaning they have multiple participants) and are emotionally salient in some way ie. love, hate, praise, adore, charmed, etc. As controlling emotions via magic is a very difficult task, these spells tend to be very rare, but they can sometimes be seen in potion-making. Keep an eye out for them to make sure your intentions are properly aligned and you avoid scaring yourself.