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View Full Version : What's it called when you name a character based on one of their traits?


Mutatis-Mutandis
07-13-2011, 07:40 PM
Isn't there a literature term for that? I'm drawing a blank.
G L Wilson
07-13-2011, 07:47 PM
Analogy?
dfloyd
07-13-2011, 07:50 PM
Sleepy? Happy? Dopey? Grumpy? etc.
G L Wilson
07-13-2011, 08:43 PM
Characterisation. It is the best that I can come up with.
Calidore
07-13-2011, 08:55 PM
Truth in advertising.
mortalterror
07-13-2011, 08:57 PM
Lazy writing.
G L Wilson
07-13-2011, 09:01 PM
Funny, you buggers.
Blasarius '33
07-13-2011, 09:03 PM
I thought -metonym- but that's not right. Similar idea, though. Sort of. If you can't find it you could call it a metonom.

I looked to see if -metonom- might actually be a word (it isn't, of course) and found ANTONOMASIA (def #2) (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/antonomasia).
Mutatis-Mutandis
07-13-2011, 09:42 PM
Actually, I agree that it's lazy writing. Well, not lazy, really, just an antiquated technique. I was trying to explain this to a friend, and wanted to know the actual term so I looked all smart and stuff.
OrphanPip
07-13-2011, 10:28 PM
An aptronym, although that should not be confused with the related tradition of stock characters, like The Wandering Jew or the several theatrical stock types.
G L Wilson
07-13-2011, 10:48 PM
An aptronym, although that should not be confused with the related tradition of stock characters, like The Wandering Jew or the several theatrical stock types.

Outstanding, OrphanPip!
Mutatis-Mutandis
07-14-2011, 08:52 AM
You da man, Pip!