So I don't really like "human" and similar words except when specifically referring to the species. Phrases like "human rights" and "humanity" whatever. I call what most of these things refer to "person". And I believe there is at least the possibility of non-human persons (e.g. Spock, Chewbacca, GLaDOS, let alone grey areas like Dolphins maybe etc.).
But linguistically, it doesn't quite work because "human" can be an adjective or a noun, whereas "person" is just a noun and there's no good adjective?
@benhamill hmm, how about "you realize him"? Might be a bit of an archaic use, or at least not as common in the US, but "realize == to make real" might be a more palatable use
@balrogboogie Hmmm. I like this line of thinking, at the least. Will have to meditate on it.
@balrogboogie @benhamill Actualize could work too, as in self-actualization.
@erinbee @balrogboogie Ooooooooooooo. I like this, too.
@benhamill this reminds me of "Learning the Grammar of Animacy" by Robin Wall Kimmerer, so I'd use some version of "animate"
@beezyal Maybe I'll look that up. Thanks.
@benhamill I understand what you mean. "Humanize" is a very egotistical term.
That said, linguistically speaking, it refers to giving human attributes to other species.
Wookies are a sentient species in & of themselves. Portraying them as that isn't "humanizing" them.
On the other hand, my avatar *is* an example of humanizing. It adds physical human attributes to a fox.
@KitsuneAlicia Yeah. Anthropomorphization is an interesting related concept. I feel like your avatar is both humanized (as you point out) and anthropomorphized.
@benhamill I've been gravitating towards "sapient" lately, myself.
@LexYeen Hmmm. That's a good one, but I think has a slightly different meaning than I intend. Like... I think a human might be sapient, but unable (or unwilling) to be a person (or anyway a full person). To me "person" implies a certain involvement in society. It involves accepting some limits (e.g. don't lie constantly all the time) and getting some benefits (e.g. people generally trust the things you say).
So, like, aliens probably aren't people. And Dolphins might not be able to be?
@benhamill Huh, I legit hadn't considered that distinction before. Excellent point. 👍
@LexYeen I read a blog post several years ago (which I now cannot find) that talked about personhood in terms sort of like an interface in the computer science sense. A contract that you can fulfill to get benefits from others.
In this model, you can actually PARTIALLY fulfill it and only partially get benefits. Most often we do that as we're growing up.
@benhamill
This. "sapient"?
And, like, "humanize" is a butt. You don't exactly "humanize" Chewbacca if you give him more agency and opinions and show insight into his character or whatever. He's a freakin' Wookie. So you... person...ify? Him??? That's already a different word. You personize him? Yuck. Yuck yuck yuck.