What make a demihuman "Demihuman"?

[Gallas]

What is demihuman? What makes an entity categorized as demihuman? Is demihuman only limited to animals that resemble humans? Or does it depend on the author's will?

 

[K5Rakitan]

It's up to the author.

 

[Minx]

Sub-human or something that closely resembles human—having four limbs, two arms, two legs, with a head.

 

[Gallas]

Sub-human or something that closely resembles human—having four limbs, two arms, two legs, with a head.

So, how about elemental people? Let's say they have characteristics of humans, but instead of flesh, they have bodies of steel. Are they demi human?

 

[CL]

What is demihuman? What makes an entity categorized as demihuman? Is demihuman only limited to animals that resemble humans? Or does it depend on the author's will?

I am honestly a little confused about its etymology. I did a search and saw that "demi" comes from the Medieval Latin word "demidius". As true as it is, I could've sworn that "demi's" etymology originated from Greek, not Latin, off of the word "daimon".

 

[NotaNuffian]

So, how about elemental people? Let's say they have characteristics of humans, but instead of flesh, they have bodies of steel. Are they demi human?

Yes.

 

[CL]

I am honestly a little confused about its etymology. I did a search and saw that "demi" comes from the Medieval Latin word "demidius". As true as it is, I could've sworn that "demi's" etymology originated from Greek, not Latin, off of the word "daimon".

I apologize for this mistake I've made in referencing "daimon" as my suggested etymological origin. I meant the Greek word "daiomai", which even pronouncing it out loud sounds closer to "demi".

Definition of demi-
1: half; half-size or demisemiquaver
2: partially; in an inferior degree or one that partly belongs to (a specified type or class) demigod

and

The term "Daimon" is derived from Greek "δαίμων" (daimon, gen. daimonos): "lesser god, guiding spirit, tutelary deity", by way of Latin—dæmon: "spirit". "Daimon" itself is thought to be derived from daiomai, with the meaning of to divide or to lacerate.

 

[Cipiteca396]

Based on what you consider 'half a human', it can be literally anything. https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/DemiHuman

In most cases, it's basically a human with extra parts. Even down to being able to interbreed with humans.

 

[Echimera]

If we're being honest, it should probably be considered a derogatory term and preference should be given to the name a people labelled demihuman gives themselves. That counts for basically every setting I can think of.
Especially since it's often used as a catch-all term for everyone except humans, including elves, dwarves, and obviously every kind of beastkin under the sun.

The biggest exceptions I can think of are probably demons, given that they are often the direct enemy as opposed to the often more neutral or even allied other peoples (not that it stops the humans from looking down on them or enslaving them).

 

[Mephi]

Demi-human is just another way of saying "human-shaped being while not being human." Elves, dwarves, orcs, goblins, etc are all demihumans.

Insult? Probably - I can't imagine elves like being called pointy eared humans, even if the author makes it true. But demi-human is mostly used as a meta, out of story term rather than an in character phrase

 

[TotallyHuman]

Whatever you wish it to be

Sub-human

Except for this. Don't be racist kids

 

[Stepp]

Definition of demi-
1: half; half-size or demisemiquaver
2: partially; in an inferior degree or one that partly belongs to (a specified type or class) demigod

Whatever you wish it to be

Except for this. Don't be racist kids

If that's so then I wonder if the term demihuman can be considered as deragatory as well, since they can take it as if they're "less than humans".

Maybe Beastkin can be an alternative, since it means that they're family of beasts. I don't know if that's better but it certainly better than "a half-assed human", "half-breed" or other stuff like that.

 

[Minx]

Whatever you wish it to be

Except for this. Don't be racist kids

What, why am I being called racist for pointing that out? There are many JP light novels, isekai in general that often implied demi-human as sub-human in a literal sense.

 

[TotallyHuman]

If that's so then I wonder if the term demihuman can be considered as deragatory as well

Demi=half, part. Part-human, nothing derogatory about it. Sub=below. Clearly derogatory.

 

[DarkeReises]

What, why am I being called racist for pointing that out? There are many JP light novels, isekai in general that often implied demi-human as sub-human in a literal sense.

Yes, there are stories like that because humans are the best, and we have the biggest stick shoved up our asses. We as a species would definitely do what's portrayed in those LN and manga. If suddenly there were fantasy races on earth, they'd be enslaved and sold as commodities and would have to fight for at least half a century before getting rights, too lazy to include magic in the calculations though. Even any guy who tries white knighting is just doing it so that they get a free subhuman sex toy like they see the beta JP cucks do in manga.

Whew, somehow this turned into a rant. Also i know my logic is flawed because most people would probably not react much either way, but there's definitely be a huge problem along those lines. Especially with governments and rich people.

Demi=half, part. Part-human, nothing derogatory about it. Sub=below. Clearly derogatory.

I think the fact that it says human explains it all. Ofc this depends on the world, but why does it have to be they are part human and not just completely separated? They're humanoid, sure, but that word was based off us, because we're humans. Sorry for the aggressive tone, just mean to point out how it can be made to seem, and how the terms can be interpreted in a derogatory manner due to us basing things off ourselves, but that's just because there was nothing else we could do it off. Language do be like that sometimes.

 

[Echimera]

Demi=half, part. Part-human, nothing derogatory about it. Sub=below. Clearly derogatory.

Yes, because the etymology of a word is such a good indication if it is derogatory or not.
The n-word basically just means black, so it's just fine, right?

The mere idea that another species, even a potentially related one, is named whatever-human takes away part of their agency and enforces an idea of the world where human is the base and everything else is a deviation of human.

Demihuman is a useful, if lazy, shorthand for us when talking about a fictional setting and the species that live there, but I can't see it working as a neutral or positive term in universe.

 

[Lloyd]

Whatever you wish it to be

Except for this. Don't be racist kids

Lies! Be racist.

 

[strayCat0]

I would probably never use demi-human term. This would also lead to elf calling other races demi-elf, then demi-whatever. And it's gonna confusing in the long run.

Though, realistically, demi-human should only refer to evolutions of in between our ancestor ape to us humans.

Also, I like to use 'anthropomorphic' more. As in, has similar characteristics with human, but no doubt, not human, and if it matters, also not demi-human nor sub-human. Like, it's not rare to see authors lump dwarves and elves as demi-human. And for whatever reason, these races don't seem to mind that they're regarded as half-worse-than-human. Like, it's not just from human perspective, mind you. According to the authors, every races basically objectively regards any anthropomorphic races as demi-human, not just some subjective term that humans come up with.

It's not hard to call goblin as goblin, and nothing else, actually.

If you use 'demi-human' as a term because of racist tendencies of humans? Fine, that's cool. But I'm not gonna read some half-assed lit-RPG fantasy story where you have a goblin(or any other anthropomorphic races) with system, and one of the lines in the goblin's description is [Race = Demi-Human], then the goblin thinks, "yeah, me a demi-human, no doubt. A lesser human. Me happy."

 

[BlackKnightX]

Half-human, half-something else. Sometime, that something else is limited to only animals, sometime it has a wider range and variety. Depends on you, the author.

 

[Nahrenne]

What is demihuman? What makes an entity categorized as demihuman? Is demihuman only limited to animals that resemble humans? Or does it depend on the author's will?

I would have said a demi-human is someone who isn't 100% human.
So, someone who has ancestry other than human mixed in.
An example - I guess - could be if a magical beast took on the form of a human and mated with a human, thus producing a child.
That child would be a demi-human, bearing the traits of both parents.
'-'
Just an example.
It doesn't have to be just animals.
An elf and human child would be demi-human, though could just as easily be called a half-elf.
I guess, story-wise, it could depend on what the society is.

Using the earlier magic beast example, if the community was all magic beasts, then it could be reversed and the child be called a demi-beast instead.
'-'
Food for thought, I suppose.

Sorry for rambling.
orz

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