Nonbinary Wiki

Gender neutral language in English: Difference between revisions

m (i've heard this phrase plenty)
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{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align: center;"
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align: center;"
! Type of common noun
! Type of common noun
! Gender inclusive
! Gender neutral
! Feminine
! Feminine
! Masculine
! Masculine
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| Male
| Male
| Enby
| Enby
|-
|Descriptive
|Human, humane
|Feminine, womanly, girly, female, gynous
|Masculine, manly, boyish, male, androus
|Non-binary, inter, androgynous, neutral
|}
|}
(Note that using "male" and "female" as nouns for people, e.g. "my dentist is a male", is seen as dehumanising in English, and in particular "female" as a noun is considered sexist.)
(Note that using "male" and "female" as nouns for people, e.g. "my dentist is a male", is seen as dehumanising in English, and in particular "female" as a noun is considered sexist.)
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* '''Guardian/Caregiver.''' Not necessarily the parent.
* '''Guardian/Caregiver.''' Not necessarily the parent.
* '''Pom-Pom.''' Mix of "Papa" and "Mama"


* '''Baba.''' "Neutral, based on mama and dada. (Note, baba means dad in some languages and grandmother in others.)"<ref name="titles queeries">"Gender neutral/queer titles." ''Gender Queeries.'' [http://genderqueeries.tumblr.com/titles http://genderqueeries.tumblr.com/titles] [https://web.archive.org/web/20230612130812/https://genderqueeries.tumblr.com/titles Archived] on 17 July 2023</ref>
* '''Baba.''' "Neutral, based on mama and dada. (Note, baba means dad in some languages and grandmother in others.)"<ref name="titles queeries">"Gender neutral/queer titles." ''Gender Queeries.'' [http://genderqueeries.tumblr.com/titles http://genderqueeries.tumblr.com/titles] [https://web.archive.org/web/20230612130812/https://genderqueeries.tumblr.com/titles Archived] on 17 July 2023</ref>
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|word3 = Kid|meaning3 = Standard informal gender neutral term for young children or young offspring.}}
|word3 = Kid|meaning3 = Standard informal gender neutral term for young children or young offspring.}}


* '''I’m their mother.''' Rephrasing to communicate the relationship by naming the title of the speaker.
* '''I’m their parent/mother/father.''' Rephrasing to communicate the relationship by naming the title of the speaker.
* '''Non-identical twin, dizygotic twin, biovular twin, two-egg twins.''' Neutral alternative to "fraternal twin".


* '''Bitsy.''' Non-standard [[genderqueer]] term for a very young person.<ref name="titles queeries" />
*'''Bitsy.''' Non-standard [[genderqueer]] term for a very young person.<ref name="titles queeries" />
* '''Charge.''' Standard gender neutral word for a person in the care of another, often one's child.
*'''Charge.''' Standard gender neutral word for a person in the care of another, often one's child.
* '''Dependent.''' A person who relies on another-- usually a family member who may or may not be their parent-- for financial support; this is most often used as a standard gender-neutral word for a child too young to work. Formal.
*'''Dependent.''' A person who relies on another-- usually a family member who may or may not be their parent-- for financial support; this is most often used as a standard gender-neutral word for a child too young to work. Formal.
* '''Enby.''' From "NB (nonbinary)", a nonbinary equivalent of the words "boy" and "girl." However, some adults call themselves enbies.<ref>''[https://web.archive.org/web/20210717090737/https://gendercensus.com/post/620965788841558016/on-enby-and-age On “enby” and age]'', 15 June 2020, [https://gendercensus.com Gender Census]</ref>
*'''Enby.''' From "NB (nonbinary)", a nonbinary equivalent of the words "boy" and "girl." However, some adults call themselves enbies.<ref>''[https://web.archive.org/web/20210717090737/https://gendercensus.com/post/620965788841558016/on-enby-and-age On “enby” and age]'', 15 June 2020, [https://gendercensus.com Gender Census]</ref>
* '''Get.''' Poetic language for offspring.
*'''Get.''' Poetic language for offspring.
* '''Little one.''' Neutral word for a very young child or young offspring.
*'''Little one.''' Neutral word for a very young child or young offspring.
* '''Minor.''' Standard gender-neutral word for a person under the legal age of consent.
*'''Minor.''' Standard gender-neutral word for a person under the legal age of consent.
* '''Nesser.''' Non-standard genderqueer term for "daughter/son".<ref name="titles queeries" />
*'''Nesser.''' Non-standard genderqueer term for "daughter/son".<ref name="titles queeries" />
* '''Offspring.''' Neutral, standard word, but not usually used for people, except in legal language.
*'''Offspring.''' Neutral, standard word, but not usually used for people, except in legal language.
* '''Oldest/First-born.''' Neutral, a way of speaking of one's offspring by saying "my oldest" or "first-born", rather than saying "my daughter/son."<ref name="titles queeries" />
* '''Oldest/First-born.''' Neutral, a way of speaking of one's offspring by saying "my oldest" or "first-born", rather than saying "my daughter/son."<ref name="titles queeries" />
* '''Progeny.''' Neutral, means offspring.
*'''Progeny.''' Neutral, means offspring.
* '''Second-born.''' Neutral, a way of speaking of one's offspring by saying "my second-born," rather than saying "my daughter/son." Also works for middle-, third-, fourth-, fifth-born etc. <ref name="titles queeries" />
*'''Second-born.''' Neutral, a way of speaking of one's offspring by saying "my second-born," rather than saying "my daughter/son." Also works for middle-, third-, fourth-, fifth-born etc. <ref name="titles queeries" />
* '''Scion.''' Neutral, means offspring.
*'''Scion.''' Neutral, means offspring.
* '''Spawn.''' Neutral, means offspring.
*'''Spawn.''' Neutral, means offspring.
* '''Sprog.''' Neutral, crude word for a young person.<ref name="titles queeries" /><ref name="Lane-glossary" />
*'''Sprog.''' Neutral, crude word for a young person.<ref name="titles queeries" /><ref name="Lane-glossary" />
* '''Youth.''' Neutral, poetic word for a young person, but usually implied to be male.
*'''Youth.''' Neutral, poetic word for a young person, but usually implied to be male.
* '''Young.''' Neutral, standard word for offspring, but not usually used for people ("my young.")
*'''Young.''' Neutral, standard word for offspring, but not usually used for people ("my young.")
* '''Youngest/Last-born.''' Neutral, a way of speaking of one's offspring by saying "my youngest" or "last-born" rather than saying "my daughter/son."<ref name="titles queeries" />
*'''Youngest/Last-born.''' Neutral, a way of speaking of one's offspring by saying "my youngest" or "last-born" rather than saying "my daughter/son."<ref name="titles queeries" />


* '''One of my twins.''' Neutral, a way of speaking of one's offspring, if they’re a twin or triplet.
*'''One of my twins.''' Neutral, a way of speaking of one's offspring, if they’re a twin or triplet.


* '''Young one.''' Neutral, poetic. Alternatively: young'un.
*'''Young one.''' Neutral, poetic. Alternatively: young'un.
* '''Young person.''' Neutral, standard, formal.
*'''Young person.''' Neutral, standard, formal.
* '''Ward.''' Standard gender-neutral word for a person, usually a child, under the care of an adult, who may or may not be their parent. Formal.
*'''Ward.''' Standard gender-neutral word for a person, usually a child, under the care of an adult, who may or may not be their parent. Formal.


====Aunt/Uncle====
==== Aunt/Uncle====


Standard English doesn't have a gender neutral word for one's parent's sibling. People have created some words to fill this lexical gap, but they are still uncommon words.
Standard English doesn't have a gender neutral word for one's parent's sibling. People have created some words to fill this lexical gap, but they are still uncommon words.
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|word2=Pibling|meaning2=Neutral alternative for one's parent’s sibling.|ref2=[https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2023/04/a-guide-to-inclusive-gender-neutral-family-terms/]}}
|word2=Pibling|meaning2=Neutral alternative for one's parent’s sibling.|ref2=[https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2023/04/a-guide-to-inclusive-gender-neutral-family-terms/]}}


* '''Avaunt.''' It derives from the roots of both "aunt" and "uncle", the anglo-French "aunte" and the Latin "avunculus".
*'''Avaunt.''' It derives from the roots of both "aunt" and "uncle", the anglo-French "aunte" and the Latin "avunculus".
* '''Bibi.''' "Queer, based on the B in NB [nonbinary], similar to Titi/Zizi."<ref name="titles queeries" />
*'''Bibi.''' "Queer, based on the B in NB [nonbinary], similar to Titi/Zizi."<ref name="titles queeries" />
* '''Cousin.''' "Neutral, as sometimes people say aunt/uncle for parents’ cousins, or much older cousins."<ref name="titles queeries" />
*'''Cousin.''' "Neutral, as sometimes people say aunt/uncle for parents’ cousins, or much older cousins."<ref name="titles queeries" />
*'''Nibi.''' Combination of Nini and Bibi, based on NB.
*'''Nibi.''' Combination of Nini and Bibi, based on NB.
* '''Entle.''' "Non-standard alternative that combines the sounds of ''aunt'' and ''uncle'' in a single word."<ref>[https://overexplainingautistic.tumblr.com/post/172886551884/gender-neutral-variant-of-auntuncle?is_related_post=1 Gender neutral variant of aunt/uncle] by Over Explaining Autistic [https://web.archive.org/web/20201030111225/https://overexplainingautistic.tumblr.com/post/172886551884/gender-neutral-variant-of-auntuncle?is_related_post=1 Archived] on 17 July 2023</ref>
*'''Entle.''' "Non-standard alternative that combines the sounds of ''aunt'' and ''uncle'' in a single word."<ref>[https://overexplainingautistic.tumblr.com/post/172886551884/gender-neutral-variant-of-auntuncle?is_related_post=1 Gender neutral variant of aunt/uncle] by Over Explaining Autistic [https://web.archive.org/web/20201030111225/https://overexplainingautistic.tumblr.com/post/172886551884/gender-neutral-variant-of-auntuncle?is_related_post=1 Archived] on 17 July 2023</ref>
* '''Nini.''' "Queer, based on the N in NB, similar to Titi/Zizi."<ref name="titles queeries" />
*'''Nini.''' "Queer, based on the N in NB, similar to Titi/Zizi."<ref name="titles queeries" />
* '''Ommer.''' Non-standard genderqueer term for "aunt/uncle".
*'''Ommer.''' Non-standard genderqueer term for "aunt/uncle".
*'''Oggy.''' Non-standard genderqueer/nonbinary term for parents sibling.
*'''Oggy.''' Non-standard genderqueer/nonbinary term for parents sibling.
* '''Titi.''' "Neutral, from the Spanish for Aunt (Tia) and Uncle (Tio). (however, it is often a diminuative of aunt.) Tie is also gaining popularity the neutral e becoming more prevalent in casual Spanish. "<ref name="titles queeries" /> "Titi" also happens to be a vulgar Filipino term for penis.{{Citation needed}}
* '''Titi.''' "Neutral, from the Spanish for Aunt (Tia) and Uncle (Tio). (however, it is often a diminuative of aunt.) Tie is also gaining popularity the neutral e becoming more prevalent in casual Spanish. "<ref name="titles queeries" /> "Titi" also happens to be a vulgar Filipino term for penis.{{Citation needed}}
* '''Zizi.''' "Neutral, from the Italian for Aunt (Zia) and Uncle (Zio). (Note: zizi is also a French children’s ‘cute’ word for penis.)"<ref name="titles queeries" />
* '''Zizi.''' "Neutral, from the Italian for Aunt (Zia) and Uncle (Zio). (Note: zizi is also a French children’s ‘cute’ word for penis.)"<ref name="titles queeries" />
* ''&#