User blog:Chaoticcylinder/Creating A Term Advice

This is part one of my personal advice for people who want to create an LGBT+ term.

Part 2: Creating a flag

Step 1)
Identify a reason for creating the term. Do not create a term just because you want to make a term. Make sure this is an experience that actually exists and needs word to describe it. Do not create something unless people are actually going to use it. Here are some reason for creating a term (I will also give an example of a term I personally coined or helped coin):


 * You personally experience this and there isn't an existing term for it (iodic, I created to describe my relationship preferences as an aro person, which I could not accurately do before).
 * Someone else described their experience to you and there isn't an existing term for it (finmasexual, multiple person asked if this was something that existed).
 * This is a logic extension of an existing them (pomoimplagender, pomoimplasexual existed and there was no reason a gender version could exist).
 * This is an umbrella term or description for a group that did not previously have a description (mesi ace/aro, technically a term already existed but it was far too ambiguous for my liking).
 * The term is an alternative of something that already exists (only do this if there is a very good reason as to why an alterative is absolutely necessary). (triasexual, created as an alterative to ceterosexual that anyone can use, because that was not explicit with ceterosexual.)

Step 2)
Make sure it doesn't already have a term. Make absolute sure. Do not create a new word for something that already exists or is a simple combination of things that already exist. If you're unsure if something like this already exists then ask. Ask multiple in places and wait for a response. Do not create the term until you are absolutely sure something else doesn't already exist.

Step 3)
Make your definition clear. Understand the words your are using in your definition. Do not use a word in your definition when it actually doesn't mean what you actually mean. Do not make your definition rambling and incomprehensible. Just because you know what you meant doesn't mean everyone will. If you're unsure ask someone to read through to see if it makes sense to them. When asking for help make sure the person will actually critique your writing, ask for clarification, and help to make the definition more clear, don't go to someone who will just say "this is valid" at any combination of words you give them. To put it simply, if someone else cannot accurately describe the term in their own words, then the definition probably isn't clear enough.

Step 4)
Choose a name. Take inspiration from existing terms. Do not make the exceedingly literal, particularly for sexualities I've found that most people dislike terms were the entire definition of the word can be understood just by reading the word. Do not make it overly long. If you want to use another language do not rely on google translate. Additionally, if you want to use another language use a single word or a portmanteau of multiple words, do not use complete phrases, and definitely never use google translate for phrases.

Step 5)
Google search your name. For the love of g-d google search the name you choose. It's not that hard to do. You don't want to choose a name when a term of the exact same name already exists, and you definitely don't want to give your term the same name as a brand of cough syrup or something.