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stranger
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stranger
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If anthropomorphism is the word to define animals with human characteristics, what is the word to define humans with animal characteristics?
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Dear ZYsUR: Welcome to the board. I am not educated in anthropology. Humans are animals with special mental abilities. When they fail to use their intelligence properly, they deserve to be called animals. A special term does not seem to be needed.
Anthropomorphism is also used to denote the attribution of human shape and behaviour to a god or to inanimate objects.
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stranger
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stranger
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I'm using the word in a literary context, I suppose - e.g. the rabbit in Alice in Wonderland could be described as anthropomorphised. He walks on two legs, wears a waistcoat and talks incessantly about being late. These are specifically human characteristics superimposed onto an animal. But if the same was done to a human (I can't think of a specific example at the moment), would the same word apply?
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Bestiality?  No, really...the semantical nuances of such nomenclature are tantalizing. Have you ever read H.G. Wells' "The Island of Dr. Moreau" where his experiments with vivisection render components of animals and humans unto each other...until the distinction becomes so blurred that one is never really sure if the human or bestial side of the creature has the upper hand? (and there has yet to be a movie made that doesn't trivialize the book...so if anyone is curious, read the book!) Were they "anthropomorphs"? Or, perhaps, (and I'm just throwing this word out here, I'm not sure it exists...but it might be close to what we're searching for) "homomorphs"? Or, since all species are mammals does their fusion in any amount really require a new identity? What of today's science? What of a human with a pig's heart? Alvin Toffler's "Future Shock" is here! Or, perhaps, we're speaking of a porpoise, for instance, that has human-like intelligence...the word for that would be different, wouldn't it? Not anthropomorphic??? Then again, creatures that are humanized as a literary device may be in a whole nother category...now I'm confusing myself!  Interesting thread, 2YsUR! And a hearty welcome to the board! Always good to see new energy appear! And I think you'll find our band of merry word-addicts to be a charming and entertaining crowd! 
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addict
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addict
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Welcome 2YsUR. An interesting question on the antonym of anthropomorhism. We use phrases and specific similes, such as "he was acting like an animal" or "his panther-like grace". We also say things like "The soldiers were brutalised by their experiences" to mean they were likely to behave in an inhumane way. But as for a general word to cover the imposition of non-human or animal traits onto humans, I can't think of one. Anthropomorhism is the superimposition of human (a very small - but special to us - part of the animal kingdom) characteristics onto animals, gods, and objects, effectively the rest of the universe. That is a very wide area from which to impose characteristics onto humans. There may be words to cover specific subsets such as from the gods, but again I can't think of any offhand.
Rod
PS. I presume we are discussing emotional and mental chacteristics rather than physical ones such as Bottom in A Midsummer Night's Dream
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Joined: Mar 2000
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Oh! It IS "two"YsUR! NOW I get the meaning! I really had thought it was Z. (Hint: highlight the name where it
appears in red--it's clear, then.) Good eye, WoN and rod.
Welcome to you, O owlish one.
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enthusiast
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enthusiast
Joined: Dec 2000
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The word is theriomorphism. It is usually used to describe the depiction of Egyptian gods in animal form. The Greek ther, therion '(wild) animal' is cognate with German Tier 'animal', English deer, and Latin fer- as in feral.
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stranger
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OP
stranger
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Great response - thanks! That H.G. Wells story - is that a novel or a short story - I'd really like to read it.
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Joined: Mar 2001
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Is it "Two Eyes You Are" or "Two Wise You Are"? Or, perhaps, that is the myth surrounding your name that will become part of your legend someday? "The Island of Dr. Moreau," 2YsUR, is a novel (albeit a short one by today's standards...189 pages) and is a gripping, fascinating read (as is most of H.G. Wells' work). You should be able to find it in any library or at any half-decent bookstore. And I think NicholasW hit the jackpot for us on this thread with theriomorphism ...thanks Nic!
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journeyman
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journeyman
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 76 |
I believe the word you're looking for is zoomorphism. Tho' sometimes it's hard to tell whether the creature you're looking at is a human with animal characteristics, or vice versa, the Great Sphinx, for instance (maybe that's the riddle of the Sphinx?).
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