Mongrelized
To mongrelize means to cause something, typically a breed of animal or plant, a language, or a culture, to become mixed or hybridized through interbreeding or the introduction of foreign elements, resulting in a loss of purity or distinct characteristics. The process often involves dilution of the original traits. It can apply to both biological and cultural contexts, denoting a fusion and potentially a degradation or simplification of the original form. The term carries connotations of impurity, blending, and a departure from a pure or established standard, especially when associated with established social, linguistic, or animal characteristics.
Mongrelized meaning with examples
- The breeders worried that the original bloodline of the prized sheepdog would be severely mongrelized if they continued to introduce new breeds, fearing a dilution of the dog's unique herding ability. This would lead to a decline in the dog's core function and value in the process.
- As colonial influences spread throughout the region, the native language became increasingly mongrelized with the introduction of foreign vocabulary and grammatical structures, creating a hybrid dialect no longer purely representative of the original tongue. The change had implications on identity.
- The architectural style of the historic district was tragically mongrelized by the addition of modern buildings that clashed with the original design and aesthetic, degrading the area's character and sense of place as a tourist spot. New builds lost cohesion.
- Due to the lack of controls and regulations regarding genetic modification, some farmers were concerned that crop varieties would be mongrelized by accidental cross-pollination, creating new, unstable hybrids with unknown consequences and impacts on ecosystems. A new unknown.
- Over time, the family's traditions became mongrelized, as newer generations adopted practices from other cultures, creating a blend of customs that lost some of the original meaning and historical context. The traditions changed by blending.
