Different cultures (or subcultures) use several different terms for
therianthropes. This is a miniature glossary of the most important ones:
- Anthromorph
This word translates to "human shape". It describes an
animal with human characteristics. See furry.
- Berserk
A nordic war tribe that was said to be able to change into
bears in a fight. The word translates to "skin of a bear",
probably bear pelts were part of their war clothes.
- Furry
A word originally describing a "funny (= strange) animal" in
comics and cartoons, an animal with human characteristics. The
correct term would be anthropomorphized animal, short
anthromorph. In most cases the
character behaves more like a human being in an animal body,
being more a theriomorph.
- Furry Lifestyle
This has lead to much misunderstanding. The word lifestyle
apparently has the same meaning of gay in modern English,
while in German it often means "the decadence of the
rich and beautiful". Furry lifestyle, however, just
means a "furry style of life". Nobody really likes the word, it was
just chosen as the word closest to what was intended to express.
Plus, there already was an alt.lifestyle.* hierarchy on Usenet,
so it was natural to choose. There is no single definition of
furry lifestyle though. For me it is just shorter to
say "I'm a furry lifestyler" than "I'm
living the life of a (non-symbolical) wolf in a human body".
- Kitsune
A Japanese fox spirit, can take possession of an human being
who then can turn into a fox with several (seven or nine) tails.
Not an overly friendly spirit but not not evil either.
- Loup garou
Frensh for werewolf, translates to
"battle wolf". One of the big exception to the rule
that the corresponding words in other languages are combined
of the words for "man" and "wolf".
- Lycanthrope
from greek lykos = wolf and anthropos = human.
This is the medical term for a human who believes being a physical
wolf (or dog) and behaving (almost) like that. Lycanthropy needs
medication. However someone certainly does not suffer from this
illness if he/she is still capable to sit in front of the monitor
and write Usenet posts or create web pages...
- Shape shifter
Originally a term for the therianthropes of North American
religions, often used to describe similar being in other
cultures or in SF novels. Hence werewolves
are shape shifters as well.
- Therianthrope
The general term for humans in the shape of animals, from
greek therios = animal and anthropos = human.
Either a being combining a human shape with animal attributes
(fur, tail, muzzle) or a human able to turn into the shape of an
animal (for example a werewolf).
- Theriomorph
Translates to "animal shape". Mostly used synonymous
to therianthrope, see
anthromorph.
- Werewolf
From germanic wer = man, human and wulf = wolf.
The original therianthrope of Middle Europe.
- Windigo
A shape shifter of the
original North American cultures, a polymorph. The windigo
can turn into any animal and terrorizes the human population.
As an omnivore, he sometimes likes the taste of human flesh.
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Copyright 2002 by Jörg Reuter.
Last modified: 2002-07-20
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The picture of the werewolf is used by kind permission of the artist.
