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Thread: Help..

  1. #1
    Anonymous Guest

    Default Help..

    What is the term used when you give human characteristics to an inanimate object? This is driving me crazy.

    Devonee Hunter

  2. #2
    Red5 is offline Webmaster, UsingEnglish.com
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    Anthropomorphism

    Red5
    Webmaster, UsingEnglish.com

  3. #3
    Casiopea's Avatar
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    Default Re: Help..

    Quote Originally Posted by dev_hunter
    What is the term used when you give human characteristics to an inanimate object? This is driving me crazy.

    Devonee Hunter
    an'thro'po'mor'phize (verb)
    an'thro'po'mor'phism (noun)

    From Greek 'anthropos', meaning man and
    'morphe', meaning, form; to give human form (i.e. characteristics) to non-humans: gods, objects, plants, animals.

    Cas :D

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    Tdol is offline Editor, UsingEnglish.com
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    It can also be written with an 's':
    an'thro'po'mor'phise (verb)

    In BE, we use both 'z' and 's'.

  5. #5
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    Default Re: Help..

    Quote Originally Posted by Casiopea
    Quote Originally Posted by dev_hunter
    What is the term used when you give human characteristics to an inanimate object? This is driving me crazy.

    Devonee Hunter
    an'thro'po'mor'phize (verb)
    an'thro'po'mor'phism (noun)

    From Greek 'anthropos', meaning man and
    'morphe', meaning, form; to give human form (i.e. characteristics) to non-humans: gods, objects, plants, animals.

    Cas :D
    Gee, I'm glad if I can just remember the word.

    :wink:

  6. #6
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    Default Re: Help..

    RonBee:
    Gee, I'm glad if I can just remember the word.
    :wink:
    When I was studying primatology, way back whenever, the term anthropomorphise, also spelled with a -z- in BE and Canadian English, was beaten into our brains, much like the Literature profs were beheading us with the term Humankind, but I digress.

    Primatologists get all ape-like when they hear people at the Zoo say, "Look! The monkey's smiling!" So, it was either learn the term or hide our banana, which, being students, was the only food we could afford. :D

    Cas :D

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