anthropophagic
- adjective
- /ˌænθrəˈpɒfədʒɪk/
- Formal
:
antropofágico
- In her essay, she explores the anthropophagic nature of modern literature, highlighting how authors transform ideas from diverse traditions.
Examples
-
The festival celebrates anthropophagic practices, showcasing how cultural exchanges create rich and diverse art forms.
-
The audience must question what is more barbaric: a society that adheres to a commonly accepted anthropophagic totemic system, or an individual who knowingly breaks his own society's ethical code, sacrificing an innocent victim to probable death for the possibility of material gain.
Academic text (2000) -
The artist's work is often described as anthropophagic, as it weaves together influences from various cultures.
How Transformative
- Formal
2
7.2
- Formal
45
7.7
2
4.6
- Jargon
Surface Forms
Morphology
anthropophagic = anthropophagy (semi-transparent) = anthropo + phag + ic
Formally derived from the noun 'anthropophagy' + -ic, but the sense in cultural criticism (metaphorical 'cultural cannibalism') involves a figurative shift that is not obvious to general learners.
Etymology
Anthropophagic comes from Greek parts anthropo- meaning 'human' and -phagic meaning 'eating'. A helpful way to remember the artistic sense is to think of artists 'eating' or absorbing other cultures' ideas and turning them into something new, which is why it means absorbing and transforming cultural elements.