Henkilöidä

Henkilöidä is a Finnish verb that translates to "to personify" or "to anthropomorphize" in English. It refers to the act of attributing human characteristics, emotions, intentions, or behaviors to non-human entities, such as animals, inanimate objects, abstract concepts, or natural phenomena.

This literary and rhetorical device is commonly used in literature, mythology, and folklore to make characters or ideas more relatable and understandable to a human audience. By giving human qualities to something non-human, creators can explore themes, convey emotions, and create engaging narratives. For instance, a story might describe the wind sighing sadly or a machine feeling frustrated.

In a broader sense, henkilöidä can also describe the process of making something abstract or impersonal feel more human-centered or tailored to an individual. This might be seen in customer service, where a company aims to "personify" its interactions with clients, or in design, where a product is developed with the specific user in mind. The core idea remains the attribution of human-like qualities or focus.