Right-o. Like the last journal, I'll get right to the point here.

I find most furry terms unnecessary.

Take the biggest two, for example: fursona and furry.

The word “fursona” usually refers to a personal anthropomorphic animal version of oneself. It is derived from the common word “persona”. In this context, the word "persona" is your alter ego, or your true self. It has nothing to do with being human. Subtracting the prefix per- from the root word "sona" and adding the prefix fur- to it is meaningless. Persona is based on the concept of person, or being, so there's no relation to homo sapiens.

Now, when I say I'll talk about the word “furry”, I mean I'll analyze it as it applies to actual anthro characters. I find the word to be obsolete in relation to the fandom, really. While a good deal of furries are indeed, well, furry, there are many who have a persona without fur. This has been countered by the creation of words like “scalie”. But that's not very helpful when the fandom is still governed by “furries”, no? By definition, they should be called anthros. So...why aren't they?

I believe that, as with many things, they aren't called anthros due to tradition. The world has been calling them furries for so long that it simply stuck. However, this brings a bit of a problem aside from the previous. If they're all furries, then how come some are weres? While it may not be as common as reptilian or avian personas, there are quite a bit of weres in the fandom. They might look like a typical werewolf, werecat, or werebear. But some look like any other muscled anthro. It would be a lot easier to differentiate between all the various types of furs by simply adopting the term “anthro”.

If most personas were called anthros, then the weres could be called weres and ferals would remain as they are. Three simple main categories.

Now, if you will, allow me to derail this train for a moment and discuss another lightly related, personal point...

I've seen many furs categorize their personas and drawings as anthros, but they draw them with digitigrade legs and animal genitalia. By definition, an anthro is an animal, concept, or inanimate object which has human characteristics. A were is a human or humanoid gaining animal-like qualities. So I would assume most anthros would have plantigrade feet and human styled genitals.

But back to the main issue at hand.

And speaking of hand...anthros have hands, not paws. I can understand it just being a coined term to make the characters more “furry”, but what anthros have are hands. Ferals have paws.

Furthermore, words like “everyfur”, “furson”, and “yiff” (when pertaining to a sound) make no sense whatsoever. (And don't even get me started on the bastardization of the word “murr”...)

Now, as I have some chips and a soda to tend to and I've lost my train of thought, I'll end this rant here.





FOR NOW *cue dramatic music*