Nounself pronouns
Nounself pronouns are a wide variety of kinds of gender neutral pronouns. By adapting any noun of one's choosing into a pronoun, one can create a wide variety of very personal and descriptive pronouns. The variations can be themed around concepts that have nothing to do with gender, such as nature, technology, or abstract concepts. This is similar to xenogender, in which a nonbinary person describes their gender by means of metaphorical concepts that have nothing to do with female or male. Nounself pronouns are a creative and often light-hearted experiment in gender expression. Unlike most neologistic pronouns that are in this wiki's list of English neutral pronouns, which are intended to be used for all people regardless of gender, nounself pronouns are intended to be used by only a small number of people who feel that they express what is distinctive about themselves.
Nounself pronouns can be especially difficult to use for people who speak English as a second language, or who are neurodivergent or disabled. For this reason, if you ask others to call you by nounself pronouns, it's good etiquette to offer a secondary set of more standard pronouns, for accessibility. This secondary set may be called "auxiliary pronouns".[1][2]
History[edit | edit source]
Starting in late 2013[3], a community of nonbinary gender people on the social blogging site Tumblr.com offered the idea of "nounself pronouns." (Some call these "otherkin pronouns," but few otherkin use them, and not all using them are otherkin.) Some of the earliest nounself pronouns are "fae, fae, faer, faers, faeself" derived from fae or faeries, and "bun, bun, buns, buns, bunself" derived from bunny. During 2014, the community proposed about a hundred variations of such pronouns, and many were adopted as the pronouns of particular nonbinary people, and see actual use.
As of 2016, fae pronouns are by far the most represented of any kind of the nounself pronouns, with bun pronouns coming in second, judging by the 2016 Nonbinary Stats survey.[4]Many other nounself pronouns never showed up in any surveys of what pronouns nonbinary people really use.
List of nounself pronouns[edit | edit source]
An alphabetical list of nounself pronouns, and their origins. More of these variations have been proposed than have been used.
| Subject | Object | Possessive adjective | Possessive pronoun | Reflexive | Source |
| ai laughs | I hugged ain | aire heart warmed | that is aires | ai loves aiself | Created by Tumblr user trashqan in 2014.[5] A robot themed variation. |
| aqua laughs | — | aquas heart warmed | that is aquas | aqua loves aquariuself | Created by Tumblr user togamiscontinentaltie in 2014.[6] Zodiac themed variation. |
| ari laughs | — | aires heart warmed | that is aires | ari loves aireself | Created by Tumblr user togamiscontinentaltie in 2014.[6] Zodiac themed variation (Aries). |
| au laughs | I hugged aut | auto heart warmed | that is autos | au loves autoself | Created by Tumblr user trashqan in 2014.[5] A robot themed variation. |
| bee laughs | I hugged bee | beets heart warmed | that is beets | bee loves beetleself | Created by Tumblr user princenstolas in 2014.[5] An insect (beetle) themed variation. |
| bog laughs | I hugged bog | bogs heart warmed | that is bogs | bog loves bogself | Created by Tumblr user purrloinsucks in 2015.[7] A bog themed variation. |
| boo laughs | I hugged boo | boos heart warmed | that is boos | boo loves booself | Created by Tumblr user boyghostly in 2014.[5] A monster or ghost themed variation. |
| bot laughs | I hugged bot | bots heart warmed | that is bots | bot loves botself | Created by Tumblr user plantprincen in 2014, [8] and independently created by Tumblr user birdfae in 2014.[5] A robot themed variation. |
| bu laughs | I hugged bu | buz heart warmed | that is buz | bu loves buzzself | Created by Tumblr user princenstolas in 2014.[5] An insect themed variation. |
| bud laughs | I hugged bud | buds heart warmed | that is buds | bud loves budself | A plant themed variation created by Tumblr user plantprincen in 2014 (or earlier?) [8] |
| bug laughs | I hugged bug | bugs heart warmed | that is bugs | bug loves bugself | Created by Tumblr user princenstolas in 2014.[5] An insect themed variation. |
| bun laughs | I hugged bun | buns heart warmed | that is buns | bun loves bunself | A bunny themed variation created by Tumblr user bonniebelbubblegum in 2014 (or earlier?) [8] In the 2016 Nonbinary Stats survey, just a few people out of 3,000 chose reported using bun pronouns.[4] |
| byte laughs | I hugged byte | bytes heart warmed | that is bytes | byte loves byteself | Created by Tumblr user huntersgotellis in 2014.[5] A robot or technology themed variation. |
| cancer laughs | — | cans heart warmed | — | cancer loves canself | Created by Tumblr user togamiscontinentaltie in 2014.[6] Zodiac themed variation (Cancer).[9] |
| cap laughs | — | capris heart warmed | — | cap loves capriself | Created by Tumblr user togamiscontinentaltie in 2014.[6] Zodiac themed variation (Capricorn). |
| compute laughs | I hugged compute | computes heart warmed | that is computes | compute loves computeself | Created by Tumblr user huntersgotellis in 2014.[5] A robot themed variation. |
| cub laughs | I hugged cub | cubs heart warmed | that is cubs | cub loves cubself | Origin unknown. It was likely created by a Tumblr user in 2014. Animal themed variation.[10] |
| cy laughs | I hugged cyb | cyber heart warmed | that is cybers | cy loves cyberself | Created by Tumblr user trashqan in 2014.[5] A robot themed variation. |
| dre laughs | I hugged droid | droids heart warmed | that is droids | dre loves droidself | Created by Tumblr user trashqan in 2014.[5] A robot themed variation. |
| doll laughs | I hugged doll | dolls heart warmed | that is dolls | doll loves dollself | Origin unknown. Likely privately used. A doll themed variation. |
| ecto laughs | I hugged ecto | ects heart warmed | that is ects | ecto loves ectself | Created by Tumblr user chemicalgalaxy in 2014.[5] A horror, ghost, or ectoplasm themed variation. |
| fae laughs | I hugged faer | faer heart warmed | that is faers | fae loves faerself | A fairy (faery, faerie, fey or Fair Folk) themed variation created by Ciel (Tumblr user shadaras) in 2013.[11] It may also have been independently coined earlier. In the Nonbinary Stats survey in 2016, fae pronouns were the most represented of any nounself pronouns: 4% of people chose fae pronouns.[4] |
| faun laughs | I hugged faun | fauns heart warmed | that is fauns | faun loves faunself | Created by Tumblr user faerieli in 2014. [8] [5] A Greek mythology (faun) themed variation |
| fawn laughs | I hugged fawn | fawns heart warmed | that is fawns | fawn loves fawnself | An animal themed variation created by Tumblr user genderorb in 2014 (or earlier?).[5] |
| fel laughs | I hugged fel | felis heart warmed | that is felis | fel loves feliself | Created by Tumblr user genderviking in 2014. [8] Feline themed variation.[12] |
| fey laughs | I hugged fey | feys heart warmed | that is feys | fey loves feyself | Origin unknown. A fairy (faery, faerie, fey, or Fair Folk) themed variation.[10] |
| file laughs | I hugged file | files heart warmed | that is files | file loves fileself | Created by Fractaltetris in 2019.[13] A robot/computer themed variation. |
| fin laughs | I hugged fin | fins heart warmed | that is fins | fin loves finself | Created by Tumblr user boyghostly in 2014.[5] A sea themed variation. |
| fluff laughs | I hugged fluff | fluffs heart warmed | that is fluffs | fluff loves fluffself | A light-hearted and possibly animal-themed variation created by Tumblr user subcinere in 2014 (or earlier?) [8] |
| gem laughs | I hugged gem | gemis heart warmed | that is gemis | gem loves geminiself | Created by Tumblr user togamiscontinentaltie in 2014.[6] Zodiac themed variation for Gemini.[9] |
| gem laughs | I hugged gem | gems heart warmed | that is gems | gem loves gemself | A "magical girl" themed variation created by Vivid (Tumblr user dadhomura) in 2014 (or earlier?) [8]. |
| giga laughs | I hugged giga | gigas heart warmed | that is gigas | giga loves gigaself | Created by Tumblr user huntersgotellis in 2014.[5] A robot themed variation. |
| gill laughs | I hugged gill | gills heart warmed | that is gills | gill loves gillself | Created by Tumblr user boyghostly in 2014.[5] A sea themed variation. |
| glit laughs | I hugged glitter | glitter heart warmed | that is glitters | glit loves glitterself | A "magical girl" themed variation created by Vivid (Tumblr user dadhomura) in 2014 (or earlier?) [8] |
| gro laughs | — | gross heart warmed | that is gross | gro loves goreself | A horror themed variation created by Tumblr user disinfoagent in 2014. [8] |
| hart laughs | I hugged hart | harts heart warmed | that is harts | hart loves hartself | A deer themed variation created by genderviking in 2014. [8] [14] |
| haun laughs | — | haunts heart warmed | that is haunts | haun loves hauntself | Created by Tumblr user chemicalgalaxy in 2014.[5] A horror (haunt) themed variation. |
| hy laughs | I hugged hy | hydras heart warmed | that is hydras | hy loves hydraself | Created by Tumblr user faerieli in 2014. [8][5] Greek mythological being (hydra) themed variation.[15] |
| inter laughs | I hugged inter | inters heart warmed | that is inters | inter loves interself | Created by Tumblr user huntersgotellis in 2014.[5] A technology themed variation. |
| kelp laughs | I hugged kelp | kelps heart warmed | that is kelps | kelp loves kelpself | A nature themed variation created by Tumblr user acedragons in 2014, [8] and independently created by Tumblr user boyghostly in 2014.[5] |
| kit laughs | I hugged kit | kits heart warmed | that is kits | kit loves kitself | Origin unknown. An animal themed variation.[10] |
| leo laughs | I hugged leo | leos heart warmed | that is leos | leo loves leoself | An animal (lion) or Zodiac (Leo) themed variation created by Tumblr user genderviking in 2014, [8] and independently created by Tumblr user togamiscontinentaltie in 2014.[6] |
| lib laughs | — | libras heart warmed | — | lib loves libraself | Created by Tumblr user nakedmolerat in 2014.[6] Zodiac themed variation (Libra). |
| lun laughs | I hugged lun | luns heart warmed | that is luns | lun loves lunself | Created by Tumblr user baramages in 2014.[5] A space themed variation. |
| lynx laughs | I hugged lynx | — | — | lynx loves lynxself | An animal (feline) themed variation created by Tumblr user genderviking in 2014. [8][12] |
| mechie laughs | I hugged mechien | mechs heart warmed | that is mechs | mechie loves mechself | Created by Tumblr user trashqan in 2014.[5] A robot themed variation. |
| meow laughs | I hugged mew | mews heart warmed | that is mews | meow loves meowself | Created by Tumblr user huntersgotellis in 2014.[5] An animal (cat) themed variation. |
| mer laughs | I hugged mer | mers heart warmed | that is mers | mer loves merself | Created by Tumblr user boyghostly in 2014.[16] Independently created by Tumblr user princenstolas in 2014, but with the "mermai" variation.[5] Sea or mermaid themed pronouns.[17] |
| neb laughs | I hugged neb | — | — | neb loves nebself | Created by Tumblr user baramages in 2014.[5] A space themed (nebula) variation. |
| nov laughs | I hugged nov | novs heart warmed | that is novs | nov loves novself | Created by Tumblr user baramages in 2014.[5] A space themed (nova) variation. |
| paw laughs | I hugged paw | paws heart warmed | that is paws | paw loves pawself | Created by Tumblr user huntersgotellis in 2014.[5] An animal themed variation. |
| purr laughs | I hugged purr | purrs heart warmed | that is purrs | purr loves purrself | Created by Tumblr user huntersgotellis in 2014.[5] |
| qwe laughs | I hugged qwer | qwer heart warmed | that is qwers | qwe loves qwertyself | Created by Fractaltetris in 2020. Based on the first row on a computer keyboard.[18] |
| rai laughs | I hugged rain | rainbow heart warmed | that is rainbows | rai loves rainself | Created by Tumblr user dailypronouns in 2020.[19] A rainbow themed variation. |
| ram laughs | I hugged ram | rams heart warmed | that is rams | ram loves ramself | Created by Tumblr user huntersgotellis in 2014.[5] A robot themed variation. |
| sagit laughs | I hugged sagit | sagits heart warmed | that is sagits | sagit loves sagittself | Created by Tumblr user togamiscontinentaltie in 2014.[6] Zodiac themed variation (Sagittarius). |
| scor laughs | I hugged scor | scorps heart warmed | that is scorps | scor loves scorpself | Created by Tumblr user togamiscontinentaltie in 2014.[6] Independently created by Tumblr user princenstolas in 2014.[16] Zodiac themed variation (Scorpio) or animal (scorpion) themed variation. |
| spide laughs | I hugged spide | spides heart warmed | that is spides | spide loves spiderself | Created by Tumblr user princenstolas in 2014.[5] An animal (spider) themed variation. |
| spiri laughs | — | spirs heart warmed | that is spirs | spiri loves spirself | Created by Tumblr user chemicalgalaxy in 2014.[5] A horror (spirit) themed variation. |
| squeak laughs | I hugged squeak | squeaks heart warmed | that is squeaks | squeak loves squeakself | Created by Tumblr user faerieli in 2014.[5] An animal themed variation. |
| squid laughs | I hugged squid | squids heart warmed | that is squids | squid loves squidself | Created by Tumblr user enbyprincen in 2014.[5] An animal (squid) themed variation. |
| stag laughs | I hugged stag | stags heart warmed | that is stags | stag loves stagself | An animal themed variation created by Tumblr user genderviking in 2014. [8] [14] |
| star laughs | I hugged star | stars heart warmed | that is stars | star loves starself | A nature themed variation created by Tumblr user bonnibelbubblegum in 2014. [8] Independently created by Tumblr user baramages in 2014.[5] |
| taur laughs | I hugged taur | taurus heart warmed | that is taurus | taur loves tauruself | Created by Tumblr user nakedmolerat in 2014.[6] Zodiac themed variation (Taurus). |
| tech laughs | I hugged techne | techan heart warmed | that is techans | tech loves techself | Created by Tumblr user trashqan in 2014.[5] A robot themed variation. |
| tik laughs | I hugged tik | tiks heart warmed | that is tiks | tik loves tikself | Created by Tumblr user lysanderandco in 2014.[5] Clock or time themed variation. |
| tok laughs | I hugged tok | toks heart warmed | that is toks | tok loves tokself | Created by Tumblr user lysanderandco in 2014.[5] Clock or time themed variation. |
| vam laughs | I hugged vamp | vamps heart warmed | that is vamps | vam loves vampself | Origin unknown. Please add if you find it. A vampire themed variation.[15] |
| vir laughs | I hugged vir | virgos heart warmed | that is virgos | vir loves virgoself | Created by Tumblr user togamiscontinentaltie in 2014.[6] Zodiac themed variation (Virgo). |
| voi laughs | I hugged void | voids heart warmed | that is voids | voi loves voidself | Created by Tumblr user baramages in 2014.[5] A space themed variation. |
| ware laughs | I hugged ware | wares heart warmed | that is wares | ware loves wareself | Created by Tumblr user huntersgotellis in 2014. [8] [5] A robot or technology themed variation. |
| whisker laughs | I hugged whisker | whiskers heart warmed | that is whiskers | whisker loves whiskerself | Created by Tumblr user huntersgotellis in 2014.[5] A cat or animal themed variation. |
| whomp laughs | I hugged whizz | whirr heart warmed | that is whirrs | whomp loves whizelf | Created by Tumblr user trashqan in 2014.[5] A robot themed variation. |
| wer laughs | I hugged wer | weres heart warmed | that is weres | wer loves wereself | Created by Tumblr user princenstolas in 2014.[5] A monster (werewolf) themed variation. |
| wit laughs | I hugged witch | — | — | wit loves witchself | Created by Tumblr user princenstolas in 2014.[5] Tumblr user bigendeer then pointed out that these should only be used by those who practice witchcraft, out of respect for people with those spiritual beliefs.[5] |
| wy laughs | I hugged wir | wire heart warmed | that is wires | wy loves wirself | Created by Tumblr user trashqan in 2014.[5] A robot themed variation. |
See also[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Roxiw (28 December 2015). "What's the deal with auxiliary pronouns vs other pronouns?". Transgender Teen Survival Guide. Archived from the original on 17 July 2023. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
- ↑ otherkinlogic, vulpinekin, and roborenard. "Nounself pronouns and how to use them." https://autismserenity.tumblr.com/post/172817325306/whew-ok-i-made-a-powerpoint-thing-for-nounself Archived on 17 July 2023
- ↑ Miltersen, E.H. (2016). "Nounself pronouns: 3rd person personal pronouns as identity expression". Journal of Language Works - Sprogvidenskabeligt Studentertidsskrift. Archived from the original on 17 July 2023.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 NB/GQ Survey 2016 - the worldwide results, March 2016. Archived on 17 July 2023
- ↑ 5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 5.10 5.11 5.12 5.13 5.14 5.15 5.16 5.17 5.18 5.19 5.20 5.21 5.22 5.23 5.24 5.25 5.26 5.27 5.28 5.29 5.30 5.31 5.32 5.33 5.34 5.35 5.36 5.37 5.38 5.39 5.40 5.41 5.42 5.43 5.44 5.45 "Themed pronouns reblogged on frameacloud's Tumblr". Archived from the original on 1 September 2015.
- ↑ 6.00 6.01 6.02 6.03 6.04 6.05 6.06 6.07 6.08 6.09 6.10 YAY PRONOUNS!: Zodiac pronouns, captured March 2016. Archived on 17 July 2023
- ↑ https://purrloinsucks.tumblr.com/post/95724132469/boggender Archived on 17 July 2023
- ↑ 8.00 8.01 8.02 8.03 8.04 8.05 8.06 8.07 8.08 8.09 8.10 8.11 8.12 8.13 8.14 8.15 8.16 ask a non-binary. "Credit." http://askanonbinary.tumblr.com/credit Archived on 17 July 2023
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 http://askanonbinary.tumblr.com/ungrouped Archived on 17 July 2023
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 ask a non-binary. "general (unthemed pronouns)." http://askanonbinary.tumblr.com/general Archived on 17 July 2023
- ↑ "So I might possibly have spent today on and off prodding pronouns..." 1 October 2013. Archived from the original on 17 July 2023.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 http://yaypronouns.tumblr.com/post/75461460005/feline-pronouns Archived on 17 July 2023
- ↑ File/Fileself Pronouns, from Digigender on DeviantArt. Archived on 17 July 2023
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 http://askanonbinary.tumblr.com/animal Archived on 17 July 2023
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 http://askanonbinary.tumblr.com/creature Archived on 17 July 2023
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 hyaenahart. "I NEED TO COMPILE THIS OMGGGGGGGG". Archived from the original on 17 July 2023.
- ↑ http://askanonbinary.tumblr.com/nature Archived on 17 July 2023
- ↑ Fractal Database Tetris (personal website) Archived on 17 July 2023
- ↑ https://dailypronouns.tumblr.com/post/630705976945917952/color-themed-pronouns-he-asked Archived on 17 July 2023
