Big Words: Avatar #10
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Avatar:
noun
A digital representation, either of a human or non-human entity, commonly seen in online platforms like video games, social media, and internet forums.
Etymology:
“The term AVATAR has roots in the religious tradition of the Indian subcontinent and was imported into video game terminology during a period of widespread appropriation of Eastern culture by Californian tech industries. This indicates a fundamental hybridity to gaming cultures that highlights the need to add postcolonial perspectives to how issues of diversity and power in gaming cultures are understood.”“Avatar is a concept within Hinduism that in Sanskrit literally means "descent". It signifies the material appearance or incarnation of a powerful deity, goddess or spirit on Earth.”
Sources: Games and Culture Journal, Avatar Manifesto.
Contributor: Beata Wilczek.