Wordsmith.org: the magic of words

Wordsmith Talk

About Us | What's New | Search | Site Map | Contact Us  

Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1
qqq
Offline
stranger
stranger
Offline
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1
Does anyone know what the term is for investing a human with non-human (animal or object) characteristics? I found one reference to "animafication" on the web, but haven't found that in any of my dictionaries, and am reasonably certain that is not the term I am looking for.

Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 557
addict
addict
Offline
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 557
FWIW, you're looking for the opposite of anthropomorphism not personification. (^_^)
Zoomorphism is attributing animal attributes to a god.

Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,295
Carpal Tunnel
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,295

Merriam Webster:

animalize
One entry found for animalize.

Main Entry: an·i·mal·ize
Pronunciation: 'a-n&-m&-"lIz
Function: transitive verb
Inflected Form(s): -ized; -iz·ing
1 : to represent in animal form
2 : to cause to be or act like an animal
- an·i·mal·iza·tion /"a-n&-m&-l&-'zA-sh&n/ noun

Would that give animalization?

Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
2 : to cause to be or act like an animal
- an·i·mal·iza·tion .. noun


>Would that give animalization?

as Bart Simpson would say, "D'oh!"

-joe (sorry Bran) friday

Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,295
Carpal Tunnel
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,295
"D'oh", dumb dumber dumbest? Yes, I guess I call it a day and practise some reading again. Might help.

Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,027
old hand
old hand
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,027
Would reification (from latin res , thing) fit the bill?
representing a human being as a physical thing deprived of personal qualities or individuality; "according to Marx, treating labor as a commodity exemplified the reification of the individual" [syn: depersonalization]

WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.

Joined: May 2005
Posts: 456
addict
addict
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 456
Was going to try objectification, which seems to be typically employed as a 'girlie gripe'. That one (reification) sounds technically far more apt, despite being dinged by spell-check.


ÅΓª╥┐↕§
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 74
journeyman
journeyman
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 74
Maybe it could be totemism, as described here . The idea of a totem seems to be relevant.

Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 6,511
Carpal Tunnel
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 6,511
Ah yes. Some of us have a term of endearment for this device: Ænigma.

(with no apologies to Alan Turing)


Moderated by  Jackie 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Disclaimer: Wordsmith.org is not responsible for views expressed on this site. Use of this forum is at your own risk and liability - you agree to hold Wordsmith.org and its associates harmless as a condition of using it.

Home | Today's Word | Yesterday's Word | Subscribe | FAQ | Archives | Search | Feedback
Wordsmith Talk | Wordsmith Chat

© 1994-2025 Wordsmith

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 8.0.0