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An (updated) Alter-Human Term List
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Post: #1
An (updated) Alter-Human Term List
Blub! I haven't posted in here for so long! Thought I'd be time to turn things around a bit and see if I could be a bit more active again.
For a video, I was asked an alter-human term list in alphabetical order. Today I tried filming but the attempt failed because my mic wasn't plugged in well and my battery died after Sad
Anyway, I figured there is a term list on this site but it's from 2018 and it's mainly therian-centered. I'd thought I'd give my own attempt since I had written it down anyway! Feel free to ask me to edit anything Big Grin

A

Alter-Human: The umbrella term for people who identify as more/other than human that isn’t typically seen as human, and often has to do with species.

Animal-hearted: You feel a strong connection to a specific animal, you identify with the animal and you feel as if you’re family with them. Animal-hearted people don’t see themselves as the animal.

Anthropomorphic: Usually described as an animal or non-human being with human features. Examples are animal cartoon characters, furries, and even Egyptian gods. Alter-humans can identify as a more anthropomorphic being.

Astral shift: Spiritual shift in which your astral form leaves your physical body. The shift requires you to believe in the Astral plane. A lot of alter-humans believe for their astral form to be the one of their therio- or kintype.

Aura shift: Spiritual shift, often considered paranormal, where one’s energetic field changes into one of their therio- or kintype.

Awakening: Is the moment where an alter-human discovers their non-human identity, more specifically their therio- or kintype. It is often described as an intense period of bliss and all puzzle pieces coming together. Not all alter-humans experience an awakening, sometimes the non-human identity was already known before discovering it’s called being a therian or otherkin, etc.

B

Berserker shift: Is a shift in which the alter-human loses all contact with their human self and completely become their therio- or kintype. This is seen as a shift that doesn’t belong under the alter-human concept and instead is seen as a form of clinical lycanthropy.

Bi-location shift: The alter-human experience of being at two locations at the same time, one being where they are physically as a human, and the other most likely their types natural habitat.

C

Cameo shift: When and alter-human experiences any type of shift that is related to an animal they do no identify as. Commonly this can be from a kith-type or from a reoccurring non-human being.

Cladotherian: A cladotherian is a therian, unlike most therians who identify as 1 specific being, instead identifies as a whole clade of animals, such as canines or felines. It’s not limited to clades per se, as it can also be a larger or smaller section in the animal kingdom. And the connection to specific animals within this clade may vary.

Clinical Lycanthropy: Is a recognized mental disorder where one believes they are actually able to physically change shape, often but not limited to the form of a werewolf. Alterhumans generally don’t have clinical lycanthropy, but they can.

Conceptkin: Someone who identifies as a concept, such as songkin or emotionkin. Their validity in the alter-human community is often debated.

Contherian: Is a therian who is constantly in a specific state between human and non-human that does not change intensity or type.

Copinglink (aka Otherlink): Someone who consciously identifies as a non-human being by choice to cope with aspects of their personal life. It is debated whether this identity is seen as alter-human or not, because it is an identity by choice, which therianthropy and othekinnity is not.

D

Den: is a hide-out made by an alter-human to create a feeling of safety and to connect with one’s therio- or kintype. A den can be made both inside and outside, and is often seen as a retreat from the human world.

Deitykin: Someone who identifies as a recognized or unrecognized God.

Draconic: A community of people who identify as dragons, some of which do not consider themselves to be otherkin.

Dream shift: is where an Alterhuman experiences a dream in which they have the form of their therio- or kintype, or have any other type of shift within a dream.

Dual Souls: is where and Alterhuman believes their alterhuman identity is explained by the fact that they have two souls within their body, either co-existing or merged as one. One soul being of their human self, and the other being of their non-human self.

E

Extranth: A nonhuman member of a plural system; a person who experiences their body in headspace being nonhuman.

F

Factkin: Someone as a human being that actually exists or has existed. It is seen as a taboo in the Alter-human community due to identity theft and originates from trolls.

Furry: Someone who enjoys the concept of anthropomorphic animals, often expressed in fursuiting, art and roleplay. A good amount of alterhumans express their non-human identity through the furry community. Generally the concepts are separate, but some people feel as if their furry side is so incorporated into identity that they view it as something non-human.

G

Gear: Objects that holds a meaning to your therianthropy/otherkinnity or that can trigger shifts. The object often has to do with your therio-/kintype and it is often worn as accessories. Any object can be considered gear, however.

Godshard: A person who considers themselves to be a smaller, independent part of a still-extant god.

Greymuzzle: A term used to describe a person who has been in the Therian community for +/- 10 years and has done a consistent amount of contribution to the community.

H

Heartthome: A location in out outside the physical world, that a person has a strong emotional connection to, considering it 'home' despite not having been raised or spending much time there.

Heptagram: A symbol used by the otherkin community to indicate the concept of otherkinnity.

Howl: A gathering of Therians physically meeting up somewhere. It is mostly associated with an outdoor meet that lasts more than a day, but any meet up can be considered a howl.

I

Imprinting: is a psychological theory behind one’s alterhumanity, where the identity was formed due to a sudden connection with the non-human being after a certain observation.

Integration: Often described in different levels, when talking about integration, the alter-human explains on what level their non-human identity is integrated into one’s state of being. Contherianthropy and suntherianthropy are examples of this.

Involuntary shift: is when an alterhuman experiences as shift that wasn’t purposefully triggered. They are either triggered by outside factors or come out of the blue. Only involuntary shifts are reliable sources when questioning a non-human identity.

K

Kith (aka synpath & hearttype): is another word for being animal- or other-hearted. The use of the word can be compared to “kin”. Example: "I am tigerkith".

Kin: A way to describe one’s alter-human identity, species-wise, mostly used by the otherkin community. One who identifies as a dragon will say they are dragonkin, but this is not limited to otherkin identities, like saying you’re wolfkin.

Kinnies: A modern term stemming from a slur for 'Otherkin' describing a person who deeply relates to a fictional character or animal/creature, originating from trolls. Most Kinnies are misinformed fictionkiths. The community uses Alter-Human terms and therefore (amongst other factors) is known to generally damage the Alter-Human community and the perspective on this community from the world.

"Kinning" (verb, "I kin x"): A verb used mainly by the Kinnie community to indicate that they heavily relate to a specific being. The alter-human community has disapproved the use of this terminology because it makes it sound like being kin is a choice, which it's not.

Kintype: The non-human being an otherkin identifies as.

M

Mental shift: is where an alter-human experiences a change in the thought-pattern from their human self to their non-human self. They think and often behave more like their non-human self.

Misanthrope: is a Therian who general does not feel any connection with their human identity, or doesn’t identify as human at all. These therians often experience a great level of species dysphoria, and sometimes actively rebel against their human life.

O

Objectkin: Someone who non-physically identifies as a “non-living” object. Like plushies or robots.

Other-hearted: The same as being animal-hearted and kith, but with a non-earthen being as their kithtype. Other-hearted is sometimes seen as the umbrella term for all kinds of being kith.

Otherkin: is generally seen as a person who non-physically identifies as a non-earthen being. Most commonly they identify as mythical creatures, or as anything that isn’t a living organic being on planet Earth. Some alter-humans with an animal identity may still call themselves otherkin.

P

Pack: is a friend group of alter-humans characterized by a deep bond and familiarity due to sharing the alter-human identity. Packs are often compared to second families, with a strong sense of belonging.

Paleotherian (aka Paleokin): is someone who identifies as a being that has gone extinct.

Perception shift: is where an alter-human experiences a sudden feeling of unfamiliarity or lack of logic towards human things. They often expect the logic or familiarity of their therio- or kintype instead.

Phantom shift: is where an alter-human experiences the presence of a limb that is not physically there or that the limb should be there but is missing, such a tail or wings.

Physical shift: is where one changes their physical form to a non-human being. This is seen as a taboo in the community because it is proven impossible. One who believes they are able to physically shift most likely either has clinical lycanthropy or was convinced by another party.

Plurality: An umbrella term to describe a body owned by several entities, most often called a system. Some systems consider themselves to be non-human.

Pythanthrope (aka plantkin): is someone who non-physically identifies as some type of plant. Like a tree or a flower.

Polytherian/polykin: is someone who possesses more than one alter-human identity, meaning they have multiple therio- or kintypes, not necessarily limited to just therianthropy or otherkinnity.

Polymorph: is someone who’s non-human identity fluctuates and generally doesn’t have a steady therio- or kintype, yet each non-human experience has the same level of intensity.

Psychological Therian (Alter-human): Someone who believes their therian/alter-human identity stems from psychological causes, opposed to spiritual causes.

R

Reincarnation: The belief that the soul of a being passes on to a new body after it has died, meaning that the being has past and next lives. A good amount of alter-humans believe they were their therio- or kintype in a past life.

S

Sensory shift: is when an alter-human experiences a change in the importance of their senses from their human-self to their non-human-self. Humans mostly use their sight and hearing, but this may change to the urge to use one’s sense of smell, touch and taste instead.

Shadow shift: is when an alter-human sees their therio- kintype form around themselves when looking at a reflections, often in low lights. This shift is often seen as an illusion, and therefore it’s debated whether it’s an actual shift.

Shapeshifter: is an alter-human, most often an otherkin, who identifies as a being that is physically able to change form. Therefore they may often experience traits of non-human beings that they don’t or only temporarily identify as. The most common shapeshifters being faeries and kitsunes.

Shift: is where an alter-human’s state of being is changed, often from a human state to a non-human state.

Species Dysphoria: is where an alter-human feels discomfort or sorrow over the fact that they are in a human body and live in a human world. They often long to be in their non-human form, and to live in their natural habitat.

Spiritual shift: is where an alter-human feels as if the form of their spiritual self changes to their non-human self while their physical form remains the same.

Spiritual Therian: (alter-human) Someone who believes their therian/alter-human identity stems from spiritual causes, opposed to psychological causes.

Starseed: is someone who identifies as a being from outer space The Starseeds have a list of non-earthern beings (often humanoid, animal-like hybrids) as past-life possibilities to hold on to. Starseeds often believe in reincarnation and that they were born as human with a mission to better themselves and/or the world.

Suntherian: is someone who’s non-human identity is integrated into their personality, meaning they are always in a state between human and non-human, but opposed to contherians, their experiences may still vary in intensity and type or shift.

T

Teen Werewolf: A person who is involved in the Teen Werewolf community, which is a branch in the emo/goth community in which people will dress up to look like a wolf and show traits of them for communication and expression. They are typically seen wearing dark clothes, and it's said they invited Taxidermy tails (and gear in general) as accessories in the Therian community.

Territory: A common word in the Therian community meaning an area/space that is considered to be property of the Therian. Some can feel highly protective over it. This can be your own home or a place in the forest claimed as yours.

Therian(thrope): someone who non-physically identifies as a non-human yet animalistic being. Most therians identify as earthen animals. . Some alter-humans with an non-earthen identity may still call themselves a therian.

Therianthropy: The experience of involuntary animalistic behavior and the identity of a non-human animalistic being.

Therianthropy Day: A day to celebrate the existence of the therian community and therianthropy itself, held on the first full moon of November, based on the first Therian Howl ever held, also on the first full moon of November.

Theriomythic: someone who identifies non-physically as a type of categorically fantastical creature, but whose experiences within their identity are marked by a unique animality.

Theriotype: The animal/animalistic being a therian identifies as.

Theta-Delta: A symbol used by the therian community to indicate the concept of therianthropy.

Transspecies: Someone who is transspecies does not feel human and sometimes tries to or wants to change their bodily features into those of another creature. Alter-humans are generally NOT transspecies, but they can be.

V

Vacillant Therian/Otherkin: Someone who’s non-human identity is integrated into their personality in such a way that shifts appear and change smoothly and gradually.

Vampires: A community of people who identify as vampires, some of which do not consider themselves to be otherkin.

Voluntary shift: When an alter-human purposefully triggers a shift for fun or for comfort. Voluntary shifts are not reliable sources when questioning alter-human identities.

W

Were: The previous term used to describe a therian, often in combination with their theriotype, like a werewolf or werecheetah, until the term Therian became more popular around 2005. Some members of the community may still prefer using were, instead of therian.

X

Xenogender: A gender that cannot be contained by human understandings of gender; more concerned with crafting other methods of gender categorization and hierarchy such as those relating to animals, plants, or other creatures/things. Often used by alterhumans to describe alter- and non-human experiences of gender.

Sources:
- https://therian.fandom.com/wiki/Special:AllPages
- https://alt-h.net/educate/glossary.php
- https://aminoapps.com/c/realityof-otv/page/item/the-ultimate-terminology-list/k8Er_K8hQIpz651qgLxYbwk17vdrrb3av7

~ Thorn
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2022-05-31 21:27
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Post: #2
RE: An (updated) Alter-Human Term List
Seems very cohesive to me Hyper cat
Good job! I hope we’re still getting a video on it tho? X3
2022-05-31 22:26
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Post: #3
RE: An (updated) Alter-Human Term List

(2022-05-31 22:26)Lynx26 Wrote:  Seems very cohesive to me Hyper cat
Good job! I hope we’re still getting a video on it tho? X3


Thank you!
Yeah surely! Will try a second attempt as soon as I have time Smile


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(This post was last modified: 2022-05-31 23:30 by Thorn.)
2022-05-31 23:29
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Post: #4
RE: An (updated) Alter-Human Term List
A lot of these I don't really understand why there's even a term for it nor do I find it relevant to include with... "alterhumanity". Also you missed fluff which is a relevant term :jaglaugh:
(This post was last modified: 2022-06-01 1:28 by Alone.)
2022-06-01 1:26
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Post: #5
RE: An (updated) Alter-Human Term List
Ey Thorn thanks for making this, its great!
2022-06-01 1:35
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Post: #6
RE: An (updated) Alter-Human Term List
I think OP should have read this thread as well as spoken to folks in the therian, otherkin, mythic and draconic communities that actually take their state of being and experiences seriously.

The general consensus in the therian community is that we are already drowning in terms, some of which even the greymuzzles who coined them admit we don't need. A large number of the terms cited are outdated, completely irrelevant to the serious community or poorly described and completely lacking any historic context (i.e. suntherian/contherian which Dust wrote a dissertation on here. )

"Alterhuman" in itself is a ploy for gaining wider social acceptance by watering down the therian, otherkin, mythic and draconic communities by expanding the base to people who share no fundamental characteristics with us and Alt-H as a source? Seriously??? They're only interested in bastardizing our communities with intersectionality and identity politics.

Amino as a source? It's nothing but unsupervised, entitled, suburban kids looking for some way to feel "special".

I'd go back to he drawing board and do some actual research before lumping everyone under a term that a lot of us don't consent to being called or associated with

And -

Tumblr did enough damage with it's batshit flood of fluffy terms coined on the whim of anyone who felt a need to describe their personal experience differently than others.

Let's learn from history instead of repeating it...

Lyc
2022-06-01 2:05
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Post: #7
RE: An (updated) Alter-Human Term List

(2022-06-01 2:05)LycanTheory Wrote:  Let's learn from history instead of repeating it...


Agreed with everything said! ^_^

However, one can only learn from history if they're actually willing to listen to someone who knows better Tongue But I digress Cool

- Jade

2022-06-01 14:55
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Post: #8
RE: An (updated) Alter-Human Term List

(2022-06-01 2:05)LycanTheory Wrote:  A large number of the terms cited are outdated, completely irrelevant to the serious community or poorly described and completely lacking any historic context (i.e. suntherian/contherian which Dust wrote a dissertation on here. )


I suppose that’s all fair but I at least strongly identify with the term suntherian, so it isn’t exactly irrelevant? I quite liked the description on that too..


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2022-06-01 21:23
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Post: #9
RE: An (updated) Alter-Human Term List

(2022-06-01 2:05)LycanTheory Wrote:  I think OP should have read this thread as well as spoken to folks in the therian, otherkin, mythic and draconic communities that actually take their state of being and experiences seriously.

The general consensus in the therian community is that we are already drowning in terms, some of which even the greymuzzles who coined them admit we don't need. A large number of the terms cited are outdated, completely irrelevant to the serious community or poorly described and completely lacking any historic context (i.e. suntherian/contherian which Dust wrote a dissertation on here. )


While I agree wholeheartedly that we're absolutely drowning in terms, I do feel like it's important to have a compilation somewhere of what these terms meant(even if outdated, although I do feel some accuracy is to be gained at some points). I've often found in communities that I have absolutely no idea what people are talking about when using older terminology, and when I try to find any info about it there's absolutely no way for me to understand what was being said, especially if it's an older/outdated post.

Not sure if I understood what your meaning was, sorry if I came off as defensive for any reason. While I feel like a lot of terms are just being used to split us into smaller groups(while I support self-exploration, it feels like we're moving away from 'community' and more into 'cliques'..) I do feel like it's important to catalogue those terms when they are used often. A recording of the ways therianthropy changed over time, for people researching in the future. I sure as heck didn't know what 'suntherian' meant until I saw Dusty's threads about it, so I was very confused when I saw people mentioning the term in other threads.

Idk. Maybe some sort of well-researched compilation of similar nature would help? Including proper definitions and whether or not words are outdated/no longer used? Purely for documentation's sake.

-Fen


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2022-06-01 22:08
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Post: #10
RE: An (updated) Alter-Human Term List

(2022-06-01 21:23)Lynx26 Wrote:  I suppose that’s all fair but I at least strongly identify with the term suntherian, so it isn’t exactly irrelevant? I quite liked the description on that too..


I think what he's referring to is that it's not a needed term as with the majority of the others listed in the OP. In regards to identifying with "suntherian", it is simple to state that you are non-shifting. I too wouldn't consider myself a therian who experiences shifts and that I'm always shifted to some degree, however crafting new terms to split us all into subcategories, especially to the extent of what is listed above, is impractical. You do not need a new term for every little thing you experience with therianthropy.

(2022-06-01 22:08)fenrich Wrote:  While I agree wholeheartedly that we're absolutely drowning in terms, I do feel like it's important to have a compilation somewhere of what these terms meant(even if outdated, although I do feel some accuracy is to be gained at some points). I've often found in communities that I have absolutely no idea what people are talking about when using older terminology, and when I try to find any info about it there's absolutely no way for me to understand what was being said, especially if it's an older/outdated post.


A lot of these terms being used aren't official terms thus I personally find it impractical and unnecessary to document. Amino isn't the community and a lot of social media "therian" platforms use a lot of fluffy terms such as these, because they are not moderated by the greater community and often times push out the older, educated members of the community for ridiculous reasons. So I don't find it relevant to document "how therianthropy has changed over time" when the greater community do not use these said terms, nor are they considered official.

- Jade

(This post was last modified: 2022-06-02 0:47 by Alone.)
2022-06-01 23:55
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