pathetic fallacy

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magi
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pathetic fallacy

Postby magi » Thu Jun 01, 2006 2:11 pm

pathetic fallacy
n.

The attribution of human emotions or characteristics to inanimate objects or to nature; for example, angry clouds; a cruel wind.
Not even the five fingers of our hands are alike.
--Afghan proverb

tcward
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Postby tcward » Thu Jun 01, 2006 2:20 pm

I wonder if "killer tornado" applies...?

-Tim

magi
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Postby magi » Thu Jun 01, 2006 2:39 pm

I would think so...
Not even the five fingers of our hands are alike.
--Afghan proverb

Brazilian dude
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Postby Brazilian dude » Thu Jun 01, 2006 10:05 pm

It sounds as though it is the same thing as personification, then.

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Flaminius
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Postby Flaminius » Thu Jun 01, 2006 10:06 pm

It sounds more like a miserable failture.

Bailey
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Postby Bailey » Fri Jun 02, 2006 11:40 am

Very like anthropomorphism only with inanimate, (if you can call a tornado inanimate) objects

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gailr
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Postby gailr » Fri Jun 02, 2006 8:04 pm

I grew up in tornado alley but we never called them killer tornadoes. (Not even after that interesting evening when we were one of the few families left in the neighborhood with a roof still attached to four walls, but I digress...)

I think that to get the full flavor of a "pathetic fallacy" the example should be either pathetic or fallacious, if not both. Something more along the lines of Killer Tomatoes.

-gailr

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Postby Perry » Sat Jun 03, 2006 9:02 pm

You continue to blow us away!
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