What is it called when you give human characteristics to an inanimate object?

Personification is the attribution of human qualities, characteristics, or behaviours to non-humans, be they animals, inanimate objects, or even intangible concepts. “The moon glared in the window at me.” This is personification.

What’s the difference between anthropomorphism and personification?

Personification gives a figurative meaning, while anthropomorphism gives a more literal meaning. Personification creates visual imagery, while anthropomorphism allows animals or objects to act like human beings.

What is a human with animal characteristics called?

Giving human characteristics to animals, inanimate objects or natural phenomena is a human trait called “to anthropomorphize.” Sadly, as in the tragic Sea World attack the proclivity is forgotten as we wonder why the animal behaved as an animal. Obviously, the tendency to anthropomorphize is a source of error.

What is the literary term for giving an inanimate object animal characteristics?

What is the literary term for giving an inanimate object animal characteristics—for example “the sidewalk purred”? It’s not personification or anthropomorphism, because those are giving inanimate objects human characteristics. The literary term that best describes giving animal characteristics to non-animals is “zoomorphism.”

Which is an example of personification and anthropomorphism?

Personification and anthropomorphism are typically associated with giving human characteristics to things that are not human: inanimate objects, animals, etc. However, personification is sometimes given a more broad definition. Therefore, a sidewalk purring could be an example of personification or zoomorphism.

Is the purring sidewalk an animal or a human characteristic?

Your reasoning, that purring is an animal rather than a human characteristic, is correct; however, the concept of a sidewalk doing something that only animate objects can do is close to personification. Take another verb which animals do, perhaps pouncing or hissing, and personification works because humans can also pounce and hiss.

What are the characteristics of an anthropomorphic deity?

Some anthropomorphic deities represented specific human concepts, such as love, war, fertility, beauty, or the seasons. Anthropomorphic deities exhibited human qualities such as beauty, wisdom, and power, and sometimes human weaknesses such as greed, hatred, jealousy, and uncontrollable anger.