⨺⃝ Alterhuman Glossary ⨺⃝

The terms discussed here are not all used by myself, but I feel as though they're important to understand when interacting with the alterhuman community! Definitions are borrowed and slightly reworded from the Alterhuman Dictionary and the Neocities Alterhuman Dictionary for the sake of clarity.

Alterhuman - An umbrella term for any identity that falls outside the range of what society deems a normal human identity. Also called 'Alterbeing' as a less anthropocentric term, mostly for use by those who identify as nonhuman. You do not have to identify as nonhuman to identify as alterhuman.

Anthropocentric/Anthrocentric - Centering humans/placing the attention or priority on humans.

Archetrope - An identity based on a trope, archetype or common character model. Most commonly referred to as identifying as a particular trope/archetype/model (ie. Identifying as the Fallen Angel trope rather than as an actual fallen angel). These identities are largely based in the life events and behaviors of the archetroper, who may adopt the archetrope label as a way to explain and accept their experiences. I, for example, am a Selkie Archetrope because my life experience very much lines up with the common tropes seen in many Selkie stories.

Cladoholothere - A combination of the terms Cladotherian and Holothere

Cladotherian - A Therian who's animal identity encompasses part of all of an entire clade of Animals. Also sometimes extends to families of animal rather than just clades.

Fictionkin - Someone who identifies as a species or character from a piece of fictional media. This may be a fictional animal, sapient creature, or even wholly identifying as a fictional character. Some who identify as fictional animals may choose to use the term fictotherian instead.

Holothere - A term for individuals who identify fundamentally (including physically) as nonhuman, regardless of how or why they identify as such. Intentionally vague for broad usage and does not inherently imply that those using this label have the ability to transform.

Intusorbita - Within/Inside Orbit - All Nonhuman Identities held by system members that are not mine but affect both my Plenanima and Pencorpus. Each system member may or may not choose to use Plenanima and Pencorpus for themselves and/or may or may not be affected by the Intusorbita of other system members.

Otherhearted (Otherkith) - Someone who identifies strongly with but not as an animal, and may view the animal in question more like friends and extended relatives rather than themselves.

Otherkin - An umbrella term for anyone who identifies as a non-human entity (including fictional humans). While originally meant to only cover fictional or mythological species, the term has expanded to include the therian community.

Paratype - An identity that only exists in relation to an associated, pre-established identity. The term is intentionally broad and any alterhuman experience may be classified as a paratype, so long as it is the result of another related identity.

Pencorpus - Almost/Empty Body - All Nonhuman Identities that fall outside of being central to my core sense of self/sense of being but are equally important in the way the affect my presentation and expression.

Plenanima - Full Soul - All Nonhuman Identities central to my sense of self/sense of being.

System - Also called 'Plural Systems'. A term that refers to multiple beings/people/consciousnesses within one body. I refuse to get into Endogenic/Traumagenic discourse. If you say you are a system, you are a system, and I have no rights to discount you as being such.