Animatism
Definition
A primitive religious concept or early belief system according to which the entire surrounding nature, including inanimate objects, meteorological phenomena, and geographical elements, is governed and permeated by an impersonal, supernatural, and invisible vital force. Unlike animism, which attributes an individual spiritual entity or distinct soul to each element, this anthropological doctrine postulates the existence of a single diffuse energy, similar to the concept of 'mana' in Melanesian cultures.
Bilingual Equivalents
- Animatism
- Pre-animism
Grammatical & Source Details
| Inflection Type | Neuter abstract noun, utilized solely in its singular structural form. |
| Formation | Formed by adding the conceptual suffix '-ism' to the Latinate root denoting life or animation. |
| Spelling / Pronunciation | [a.ni.ma.ˈtizm] |
| Source | Encyclopedia of Cultural Anthropology and Early Religious History |
Contextual Usage Examples
RO: Antropologul a explicat că un sistem bazat pe animatism nu personifică arborii, ci îi consideră încărcați cu o energie sacră.
EN: The anthropologist explained that a system based on animatism does not personify trees, but considers them charged with a sacred energy.
RO: În triburile arhaice, formele de animatism precedau adesea apariția unor divinități bine definite în panteon.
EN: In archaic tribes, forms of animatism often preceded the appearance of well-defined deities in the pantheon.
RO: Teoria despre animatism a fost dezvoltată pentru a nuanța evoluția gîndirii magice a comunităților preistorice.
EN: The theory of animatism was developed to qualify the evolution of magical thinking in prehistoric communities.
Idioms & Phrases
Concept de animatism / Concept of animatism
RO: Cadru teoretic antropologic ce descrie percepția timpurie a oamenilor asupra forțelor magice și colective din mediul înconjurător.
EN: An anthropological theoretical framework describing humans' early perception of magical and collective forces in the environment.
Animatism cultural / Cultural animatism
RO: Manifestare a credințelor populare reziduale care atribuie noroc sau ghinion intrinsec unor simple obiecte neînsuflețite.
EN: A manifestation of residual folk beliefs that attribute intrinsic good or bad luck to simple inanimate objects.
Stadiu de animatism / Stage of animatism
RO: Fază evolutivă ipotetică în istoria credințelor umane, situată înaintea cultului strămoșilor sau al spiritelor individualizate.
EN: A hypothetical evolutionary phase in the history of human beliefs, situated before the worship of ancestors or individualized spirits.
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