W 44
slight change in pronunciation, wow becomes another popular expression
of wonderment: whoa. When a magician says "wow" as a magic word, he
serves a double purpose: to express proper respect for a marvel taking place
(the sense of wow as a noun), and to subtly command his spectators to be
amazed (the sense of wow as a verb). When a magician appears to be personally
moved by a magical effect, he communicates a dignified modesty while
retaining the respect of the audience for having manifested the illusion.
In Literature:
• "One participant summed it up in three magic words: 'I was wowed!'" -- T.
Scott Gross, Why Service Stinks (200 )