התקרנפות (Hitkarnafut) — conforming / joining the herd

Etymology

The term Hitkarnafut (literally "rhinocerization") describes the process of an individual abandoning their principles to join a mass movement or conform to a prevailing "herd" mentality. While the noun Karnaf (rhinoceros) was created earlier by Joseph Klausner as a portmanteau of Keren (horn) and Af (nose), the verb Lehitkarnaf is a direct product of the Israeli theater world.

The word was coined in 1962 by theater critic Asher Nahor in his review of the Hebrew production of Eugène Ionesco's absurdist play, Rhinoceros. In the play, townspeople transform into rhinoceroses one by one, symbolizing the spread of totalitarianism and the loss of individual morality. Although the play's translator, Nissim Aloni, did not use the verb, Nahor used it to describe the "becoming of a beast" triggered by mass hysteria.

The term gained broader political significance in 1967 when writer Dan Almagor used it to describe a scene in the musical Cabaret, illustrating the infectious nature of Nazi ideology. Following the Six-Day War, journalists adopted the word to critique the wave of nationalism sweeping the country. In modern Hebrew, the meaning has expanded to describe any form of opportunistic conformity. Additionally, a niche slang usage exists in the trance music scene, where "to rhinoceros" (Lehitkarnaf) means to dance intensely or use drugs heavily, mimicking the powerful stomping of the animal.

Key Quotes

"והנה על שתי הדעות המובאות אפלא מאד, איכה יתכן לקרא את הנאזהארן בשם ראם או תאו... לכן גם מנדלי פונה לתרגום שאילה ותרגם: קרן אף." — שלום יעקב אברמוביץ (מנדלי מוכר ספרים), 1862

"אחד אחד הולכים התושבים ו'מתקרנפים', כלומר נהפכים לבהמה, שבראשה קרן אחת או שתיים." — אשר נהור, ידיעות אחרונות, 1962

"ולעינינו ממש 'מתקרנפים' הנוכחים בזה אחר זה... ומתגלה אופייה המדבק של הפסיכוזה ההמונית." — דן אלמגור, מעריב, 1967

Timeline

• 1788: Baruch Lindau coins Hotam Keren (nose-horn) as a calque of the German Nashorn.
• 1862: Mendele Mocher Sforim rejects biblical identifications (Re'em) and proposes Keren Af.
• Early 20th c.: Joseph Klausner creates the portmanteau Karnaf.
• 1958: Eugène Ionesco writes the play Rhinoceros.
• 1962: Nissim Aloni translates the play; Asher Nahor coins the verb Lehitkarnaf in a review.
• 1967: Dan Almagor popularizes the term as a political metaphor for mass psychosis.

Related Words

• קרנף (Karnaf) — Rhinoceros; also used to describe a person who has "conformed."
• עדר (Eder) — Herd; often used in the context of "herd mentality" (Yetzar Ha'eder).
• סחיפה (Skhifa) — Being swept away (by a trend or movement).