From spells over the cradle to linguistic magic of a networked mother — continuity and change of the nature of mothers’ language magic
The essay draws attention to the fact that, since the old days, in the case of frustration connected with the child mothers have reached out for words, they have used words to affect both internal, psychic reality and the external one. Magical acts by means of language are based on the world image shared by the sender and the recipient. Polish folk culture positively valued phenomena referring to Polish Catholic symbols, therefore these symbols constitute protective and benevolent powers evoked in folk lullabies. The author suggests looking at contemporary linguistic activities performed by mothers frustrated with staying with the child, which activities are presented in the analysed website magazine Bachor as activities which also make use of the language magic. According to the author, the difference lies in changing the cultural context of linguistic behaviour and associating them in particular with the defining technology. In contemporary mediatised society the power of “obligatory existence”, which was characteristic of magical speech activities, supports and intensifies the equation of media by recipients. Therefore, the author sees Bachor as the act of blocking the language of success which makes room only for parents who are “effective” and affirm positive feelings by introducing into reality — by means of words, words in media — incapable, frustrated parents who are full of negative feelings. The subject is discussed in adescriptive and not in an evaluative way.