Therian Dictionary

Introduction

Before we get into the terms, we first need to understand why these community specific words came about and how their usage pertains to you.

"As the community developed, there was a need for a common language, especially since it was developing on such a language intensive media like the Internet. It became important for individuals to make themselves understood by other people. Personal languages morphed according to peer influences to form a relatively consensual vocabulary that could be understood by the rest of the community.

"Finally, as the need to interact with the larger human community arose - commentaries were appearing on mass media, misidentification with other groups were developing - the common language had to accommodate the larger society."
- WolfVan Zandt, Therian Timeline -

For younger people who are just beginning to explore Therianthropy as part of your identity it's best not to concern yourself too much with some of these labels. It's okay that you don't have any clear answers right now. You're not expected to. Be honest with yourself, and honest with others in the community if you are questioned. Focus on being mindful of your own experiences. Don't force yourself to fit into a label. Knowing for sure if you are Therianthrope can takes years.

Now, whenever a new term is coined, usually by an individual and not a need within the community as a whole, discussion and debate arises. Most Therians now feel that we have adequately defined what needs to be defined. Any more terms will likely just cause confusion. Also, it would be difficult to create terminology every time an individual experiences something slightly different. The constant generation of new terms found on Tumblr is troublesome for the more private community forums. A vocal minority of less experienced individuals is considered to be having a negative impact on the community.

Interestingly, it has been observed that these terms are mainly applied online, and rarely used in real life.

"Most weres out there have integrated who they are into regular life and don't bother with semantics. They just live like normal people." - Swiftpaw, Jaguar Therian (from public internet archive, see source below)

"It doesn't seem like there's any emphasis on labels in the offline community. We don't seem to use much jargon at all when we get together in real life." - WolfVan Zandt

"Yep the jargon just doesn't seem to matter at offline gatherings." - Ashen

NOTE: For ease of use, references will appear on the same page with the term. All of these terms are also available in video format on Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/c/TherianNation

References

Therian Timeline - Words and Concepts -http://www.theriantimeline.com/therianthropy/words_and_concepts

Project Shift - Terms and Definitions -http://project-shift.net/terms-definitions/

"Why our language shouldn't be so hung up in slang" by Swiftpaw - (web archive) -http://web.archive.org/web/20040324003900/http://www.otherwonders.com/swiftpaws/therian/old/myterms.html