Magician Terms Laypeople Don't Understand

[ChrisWiens]

in norwegian i don't even know how im supposed to say the different stuff. if you were to directly translate from norwegian to english what i call the face of the card it would be "front side". i dont know what the norwegian word is for dribble or riffle. i usually just go with "i'm gonna do this" then i show what im gonna do. then i just tell em to say stop while i do it again.

Same with me. I don´t perform in English, but I have to agree that English is more appropriate for card magic than my mother tongue, which sounds odd to me when using the equivalent terms for a cut, overhand shuffle and other terms that a layman have to know when doing tricks in which the spectator should follow the magician`s instructions.
Beside that, in my country laymen often even don´t know what a cut is. Therefore I have to show or describe it.

 

[Michael Kras]

All of these are easily avoided. Let's take, for instance, having a card selected via a "dribble", and then signed across the face.

It's easy to get too wordy when trying to explain things like a "dribble", but I always am sure to say the same thing "I'm going to drop the cards like this, and whenever you want, please say the word 'Stop'"... during this I dribble the cards once as a visual example.

When they have retrieved their selection and are studying it, I hand them a Sharpie and ask them to sign the card. That's it... don't specify on the face or back. They WILL sign the face of the card simply because it's facing them and because it just makes good logical sense. When magicians add the "sign the card on the face" line, they themselves are adding that potential level of confusion. If they wish for you to clarify which side you'd like the card signed on, I always just say "The side I can't see".

Instances of miscommunication between performer and audience can be a bit of a speedbump and break the timing and pace of your work, sometimes even hurt the theatrical aspects of it.

 

[Rev]

When they have retrieved their selection and are studying it, I hand them a Sharpie and ask them to sign the card. That's it... don't specify on the face or back. They WILL sign the face of the card simply because it's facing them and because it just makes good logical sense. When magicians add the "sign the card on the face" line, they themselves are adding that potential level of confusion. If they wish for you to clarify which side you'd like the card signed on, I always just say "The side I can't see".

Not necessarily. I find most spectators don't realise that magicians generally don't give a toss about damaging their cards. Therefore, signing on the BACK seems more logical to them because then they aren't ruining a card. I.e., they will naturally want to write on, and therefore ruin, the 'less important' side.

To be honest, In most tricks where a kind is signed, in generally doesn't matter if the magician sees it (what would be the point in keeping it a secret if you are then going to put an identifying mark on it?) so I generally just put the card onto the table/top of the deck face up, get the pen and say 'write your name here' and point at it. No misunderstandings there.

Rev