- carnography
- (kar.NOG.ruh.fee)n.Writings, films, images, or other materials that contain scenes of carnage or other types of violence. [Blend of carnage and pornography.] Also: carno (cf. porno).Example Citations:Black Hawk Down: Comparisons with the first 20 minutes of Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan have been rife for this all-action recreation of the 1993 mission by American troops to Somalia. Certainly, the evocative in-your-face battle scenes will find fans among lovers of 'carnography' — the term coined by commentators on the explicit news footage of the Gulf War.— Brinley Hamer Jones, "Film reviews," Western Mail, January 18, 2002One critic labeled Mr. Morrell's 1972 novel, "First Blood," carnography. Virtually every major character in the story dies, and actor Sylvester Stallone broke his ribs while making the movie version, which was released in 1982.— Robert Johnson, "Commercialism' Imperils an Ivory Tower," The Wall Street Journal, June 15, 1984Earliest Citation:A crank's view, if anyone wants it: I am sick of carnography, of sitting safe and watching meat fly. On the screen or on the page. But don't Moby-Dick and Hamlet also end bloodily? And isn't the reader/viewer always a voyeur?Well, no, he isn't. But carnography's adrenal rush, quickened pulse rate, and readying of muscles for action are nearly as effective as pornography's sexual flush in blocking out all other emotional and intellectual reactions. This monotonous, mechanical simplification is why porno and carno are properly held in contempt.—John Skow, "Carnography" (review of the book First Blood by David Morrell,"), Time, May 29, 1972Notes:Many thanks to "John F." for providing the earliest citation for this word.Related Words: Categories:
New words. 2013.
