We might need some new terms!!

[idealist]

Recent discussions have led a few of us to think about coming up with some new terms. Since the word Polyamory is only about 5 years old (correct me anyone if you know more about the history of the word itself) It is possible that the Polyamory.com Forum will actually come up with some new needed terms which will be found in the dictionary 5 years from now!!!

So- this is the thread for people who need new terms and for people who have come up with a new term!!

I've quoted snippets of former conversations to get the ball rolling!!

Originally Posted by redpepper

there has to be a better term than "single" for someone with many lovers... seriously, is there not some other term? I don't know of one... anyone?

Originally Posted by idealist

Well, maybe I could simply say that I am poly with 4 tertiary lovers....

Originally Posted by redpepper

In that light Idealist and because now I understand the term *sans* I agree..... "Sans primary" suits if you are willing to accept it. (I like poly with tertiaries also however)

I like sans primary....

Originally Posted by rolypoly

I'd love to see some new terms! What do you call your "boyfriend's wife's boyfriend"? Or what about all those shades of grey. There are people in my life that I am in love with and will love for the rest of my life. But, I'm not with them. That needs a name.

[rolypoly]

Ooh, the linguist in me loves it! I think we need to pull out some latin dictionaries... or?

[ksandra]

and then we could have paramour maritus paramour!

[rolypoly]

Ooooh!

[MonoVCPHG]

Personally I don't like to be called anything beginning in meta or ending in amour/mor. My boyfriends wife's boyfriend works just fine

[rolypoly]

You have a boyfriend?

[Breathesgirl]

Originally Posted by rolypoly

You have a boyfriend?

snicker

Greek for significant is simantikos and other is allos (although sadly I couldn't find the term significant other) so simantikos allos?

[idealist]

Polyamory is a fairly new term and we are really lacking additional terms to explain ourselves and our relatioships to ourselves and others.

It is possible that this forum will come up with new terms that will be used in the future by all Poly people!! I don't see any reason why we can't try to agree on some terms and then start adding them to widepedia on the Polyamory pages.

So- here are some ideas from other areas that I've put here so we can keep things together


Posted by: Ariakas
reciprocity - A mutual or cooperative interchange of favors or privileges, especially the exchange of rights or privileges of trade between nations


posted by capricorny (I think....correct me if I'm wrong)
On: 05-14-2010 02:29 PM
I really think *multiamory* would be a much better word for the "foundationless" version of polyamory. Would give a better mental image of where it is heading. And we could easily sort between "multi" and "poly" people. I think that would be practical. Would tell a lot about the intentions and ambitions involved. If there were not such widespread agreement on the foundations of polyamory, it would be a more doubtful enterprise. But there isn't really, and most people trying to make it work also end up with about the same principles. But one size definitely doesn't fit all in "loving" non-monogamy - therefore the category multiamory in addition to "traditional" poly.

[jkelly]

Originally Posted by Breathesgirl

snicker

Greek for significant is simantikos and other is allos (although sadly I couldn't find the term significant other) so simantikos allos?

This came out kind of funny. 'Simantikos' is where we get words like 'semantic'; it's the property of signifying, like "the signifier" in linguistics. 'Simantikos allos' makes me think of the Signifying Monkey in American folklore, only it would be The Signifying (An)Other, which sounds like a really labourious grad thesis.

[Ariakas]

Originally Posted by idealist

Polyamory is a fairly new term and we are really lacking additional terms to explain ourselves and our relatioships to ourselves and others.

Actually ... and new is relative...its been around almost 20 years. Fetlife had a huge thread on its origins but at the very least it was mentioned in the early 1990's...

wiki has some history but is missing the pagan background which was the biggest argument I saw

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyamory