Literary style, usually used in reference to drama, named after British playwright Harold Pinter. Pinter's writing style is a direct reaction to the prototypical british drawing-room dramas of the early 20th century, the predominant feature of which is that nothing really happens.
Certain characteristics must be present in a work for it to be described as pinteresque:
- The plot must portray the disruption of normal domestic life
- There must be the feeling that we, the audience, are missing something vital to the complete understanding of the text
- Dialogue should be written as people often speak it - it doesn't need to directly further the plot, make sense or be witty all the time, it can instead contribute to the atmosphere
- There must be seemingly random acts of verbal and physical violence
Outside of literary circles the word can be used to describe anything tame or ordinary that's said in a particularly violent or threatening way.
I should also note that my e2 nick (Pint, pronounced to rhyme with lint) is short for Pinteresque. Please refrain from any attempt to drink me (without permission).
The above don't make much sense anymore, do it? S'been a long, strange trip.