Help with a new term for gender specific telepathy please

[Noisy Rhysling]

I want to build a world where men can read women's minds, but not other men, and vice-versa. I need to have them show the gender of the person doing the telepathy. Any suggestions? I have considered just having two words that show this, but I'm not really happy with that, which means it doesn't work or I'm not good enough to come up with two good ones.

 

[Bystander]

men can read women's minds, but not other men, and vice-versa.

Can't you simply state this "up-front" as one of "the facts of life" that have been taken for granted since "they" came down from the trees?

 

[Noisy Rhysling]

Can't you simply state this "up-front" as one of "the facts of life" that have been taken for granted since "they" came down from the trees?

My character isn't from that planet. They make gender determination by whether they can "read" a person or not. Neither gender can read Our Hero. Scientists are excited by him because not everybody is crazy about the telepathy.

 

[Bystander]

gender determination by whether they can "read" a person or not.

"He's abnormal," not them, which makes "him" a "neuter."

 

[Noisy Rhysling]

"He's abnormal," not them, which makes "him" a "neuter."

No, he's just an alien there. Picked up drifting by one of their military patrols. They're enough like us that he wouldn't be considered "neuter", just "silent". Those occur there, but only under extreme circumstances.

 

[Drakkith]

I want to build a world where men can read women's minds, but not other men, and vice-versa. I need to have them show the gender of the person doing the telepathy. Any suggestions? I have considered just having two words that show this, but I'm not really happy with that, which means it doesn't work or I'm not good enough to come up with two good ones.

Seems to me that you've already got such a constraint that it is unnecessary to tell the reader their gender. If they know who the POV character is, then they know the gender of everyone in telepathic communication with them.

In any case, I'm not really sure what you mean when you ask for a way to show their gender. How is this different from normal dialogue? All the same pronouns and whatnot (he/she said, etc) can be applied to telepathy in my opinion. Are you asking for small descriptions to use, made up words instead of he/she/it, or something else?

My character isn't from that planet. They make gender determination by whether they can "read" a person or not. Neither gender can read Our Hero. Scientists are excited by him because not everybody is crazy about the telepathy.

I don't quite see how this is related to your original question. Can you elaborate more on what you're trying to ask?

 

[Noisy Rhysling]

Our Hero is trying to sort out the culture of this planet, and being who he is he wants something better than "hepathy" and "shepathy". As for the residents, a woman can read a man's mind when they're in close proximity, but not a woman's, and vice versa. A woman can't keep secrets from a man and a man's thoughts about a woman are very, very clear to her.

 

[Drakkith]

Our Hero is trying to sort out the culture of this planet, and being who he is he wants something better than "hepathy" and "shepathy".

What's wrong with just using plain old "telepathy"? It's not confusing, it doesn't require your readers to learn any new words, and it seems to apply just fine to this situation. I guess I'm just trying to understand your motivation behind wanting new words for this.

 

[Noisy Rhysling]

What's wrong with just using plain old "telepathy"? It's not confusing, it doesn't require your readers to learn any new words, and it seems to apply just fine to this situation. I guess I'm just trying to understand your motivation behind wanting new words for this.

Our Hero wants to convey the gender specific nature of the telepathy clearly in his report back to the University that sent him out.

 

[Drakkith]

"Male-based telepathy"?
"Female-based telepathy"?

If it's a serious report he's sending back then I think some kind of technical term would be appropriate, even though I think "telepathy" is still easier and more natural to use. I mean, as far as I can tell, there is no functional difference between the telepathic abilities of men and women, so having a distinction between the two feels odd. But that's just my opinion.

 

[Noisy Rhysling]

"Male-based telepathy"?
"Female-based telepathy"?

If it's a serious report he's sending back then I think some kind of technical term would be appropriate, even though I think "telepathy" is still easier and more natural to use. I mean, as far as I can tell, there is no functional difference between the telepathic abilities of men and women, so having a distinction between the two feels odd. But that's just my opinion.

There's a bit of backstory to this character that makes it necessary for him to do it this way. And I've noted that men can only read women's minds and vice versa. The ability they have to read minds is completely gender specific.

 

[Vanadium 50]

Heterolepathy?

 

[Noisy Rhysling]

Heterolepathy?

I was wondering if someone could suggest names for male and female telepathy, not the phenomenon in general.

 

[Drakkith]

And I've noted that men can only read women's minds and vice versa. The ability they have to read minds is completely gender specific.

Yes, but there's no real difference in the two. It's like pheromones. Males and females of many species emit pheromones to attract the other or do other kinds of communicating, but we don't have separate names for them. However, if there's an in-story reason that necessitates this, then I suppose I it's fine.

I was wondering if someone could suggest names for male and female telepathy, not the phenomenon in general.

Hmmm. Not sure. It's a little difficult without knowing something about this species. Are there any differences in the way it "feels" or "sounds" to each gender? Or are there any significant gender differences in this species? Perhaps some sociological differences that might come into play here? That might be a good way to start brainstorming for names.

 

[Noisy Rhysling]

Yes, but there's no real difference in the two. It's like pheromones. Males and females of many species emit pheromones to attract the other or do other kinds of communicating, but we don't have separate names for them. However, if there's an in-story reason that necessitates this, then I suppose I it's fine.

I did mention that men could read women's minds and women could read men's minds, but neither gender could read their own gender's minds. The plot revolves around this.

Hmmm. Not sure. It's a little difficult without knowing something about this species. Are there any differences in the way it "feels" or "sounds" to each gender? Or are there any significant gender differences in this species? Perhaps some sociological differences that might come into play here? That might be a good way to start brainstorming for names.

Other than the gender specific telepathy, there's no obvious difference. The planet's residents haven't been DNA tested yet, Our Hero is the first outsider to visit. They might be a "lost colony".

 

[Drakkith]

Other than the gender specific telepathy, there's no obvious difference. The planet's residents haven't been DNA tested yet, Our Hero is the first outsider to visit. They might be a "lost colony".

Oh, they're humans or human-like?

 

[Noisy Rhysling]

Oh, they're humans or human-like?

Highly humanoid. Our Hero was diverted from another assignment because of the TV signals a probe had picked up. The time is about 1,000 years post-collapse of the previous Empire, and the new Coalition is looking to collect the lost colonies. The problem for Our Hero is that if this gender specific telepathy gets off the planet chaos might result.

 

[Drakkith]

Hmmm. Well, I'm not very much good at coming up with new words, so I don't think I can help you that much. I'd say just try to think of somehow relating the words to the character's background or something. Try to get into his head and figure out what he'd call them.

 

[Vanadium 50]

someone could suggest names for male and female telepathy

Androlepathy and Gynolepathy?

 

[Noisy Rhysling]

Androlepathy and Gynolepathy?

Our Hero would like those. I don't know about the readers. Sounds a bit Potterverse, which isn't bad in my book.

 

[Drakkith]

Androlepathy and Gynolepathy?

Not bad.

 

[Vanadium 50]

How about telepath-HE and telepath-SHE then?

 

[Noisy Rhysling]

How about telepath-HE and telepath-SHE then?

He-path ("hep-ath), She-path (shep-ath)? I need a casual/conversational term for each as well as Our Hero's phrasing.

Of course, I could make Our Hero a German speaker and really dick with the readers. ;)

 

[Hercuflea]

Heterolepathy?

How about heterotextual intercommunication?

 

[Noisy Rhysling]

How about heterotextual intercommunication?

The "textual" part wouldn't be misleading?

 

[Vanadium 50]

I need a casual/conversational term for each as well as Our Hero's phrasing.

Why don't you post all the constraints at once instead of dribbling it out a little at a time to knock down answers from people trying to help?

 

[Noisy Rhysling]

Why don't you post all the constraints at once instead of dribbling it out a little at a time to knock down answers from people trying to help?

Well, to start with, there's nothing written down yet.

 

[Ryan_m_b]

I'd say you have it backwards: gender would be defined by this telepathic ability, not the other way round. Given that gender is a social construct and biological sex isn't black-or-white membership to group A or B for this species would be defined on the basis of who you can and can't read.

 

[Noisy Rhysling]

I'd say you have it backwards: gender would be defined by this telepathic ability, not the other way round. Given that gender is a social construct and biological sex isn't black-or-white membership to group A or B for this species would be defined on the basis of who you can and can't read.

Just need a good word for it at this point. The major issue will be the Coalition's attitude toward "contamination of the human race" and their draconian methods of dealing with any dangers.

 

[Ryan_m_b]

I still don't quite get why you need new words that are gender specific given that it's the exact same ability. "He read her mind while she read his" is surely better than "he andread her mind while she gynosensed his". As others have said all you need to do is explain it earlier in text:

"So you're all mind readers?" the astronaut asked

"Not exactly" the alien explained. "Egg carriers (you call them "females" correct?) can read the minds of sperm producers and vice versa. But, bar rare cases of intesexuality, none can read their own sex"

 

[Noisy Rhysling]

I still don't quite get why you need new words that are gender specific given that it's the exact same ability. "He read her mind while she read his" is surely better than "he andread her mind while she gynosensed his". As others have said all you need to do is explain it earlier in text:

"So you're all mind readers?" the astronaut asked

"Not exactly" the alien explained. "Egg carriers (you call them "females" correct?) can read the minds of sperm producers and vice versa. But, bar rare cases of intesexuality, none can read their own sex"

Because that's what Our Hero routinely does.

 

[Ryan_m_b]

Because that's what Our Hero routinely does.

The hero routinely makes up needless words?

 

[Noisy Rhysling]

The hero routinely makes up needless words?

I'm expressing myself poorly, I guess.

 

[Ryan_m_b]

Why don't you outline all of the criteria you are trying to satisfy? I get that the protagonist is a visitor or to the planet and is looking to describe the natives to his colleagues back home. Why can't he simply say "the people of this planet exhibit hetero-telepathy; they are capable of reading the minds of the opposite gender"? Why does he need to say "the women have the power of man-reading and the men the power of women-reading"?

It would be particularly helpful if you could post a sample extract from this story.

 

[Noisy Rhysling]

Why don't you outline all of the criteria you are trying to satisfy? I get that the protagonist is a visitor or to the planet and is looking to describe the natives to his colleagues back home. Why can't he simply say "the people of this planet exhibit hetero-telepathy; they are capable of reading the minds of the opposite gender"? Why does he need to say "the women have the power of man-reading and the men the power of women-reading"?

It would be particularly helpful if you could post a sample extract from this story.

It's a characteristic of the character that he does things like this. "Signature move" if you will. And as I said above, nothing is on paper yet. When I start writing the story down it will be because it is complete.

 

[newjerseyrunner]

Why don't you give the telepathy some sort of physical mechanism, then name it based on that? Is it magic or does it fit with our understanding of the universe and evolution? Considering that many animals can create electromagnetic current and other animals are highly sensitive to such things, I don't see it outside the possibility of life.

I assume there is a locality limit? How far is it? They can't read each others minds across a planet can they? Do they hear everyone of the opposite gender at once and filter what they want like we do with conversations in crowded rooms? Do they have to physically touch like Vulcans in Star Trek?

I have a greater concern, how do you define genders of the alien species? Male/female biological roles may not be the same as with humans. What physically separates the genders? On Earth, I would name such telepathy as XX or XY telepathy because I define sex based on this. So how you define the biological sex, for me, would make a difference in how you name it.

 

[Noisy Rhysling]

As mentioned above they're very human, perhaps even an lost colony of Earth's. And they have to focus on a person to hear their thoughts.

 

[newjerseyrunner]

Then I'd probably use the differentiating chromosomes. It also makes sense scientifically, the gene for determining which you could listen to and be heard by would have to reside somewhere on the Y chromosome.

Jessica bent down to tie her shoe in front of Jason and his brother Alex. Jason was glad that Alex couldn't read his Y waves and hoped that Jessica wasn't listening to them either as he looked her up and down. Her X waves indicated that she was not in a particularly good mood today and he didn't want her to catch him gawking.

 

[Ryan_m_b]

That doesn't make sense as women don't have a Y chromosome and men do have an X (aside from the myriad of intersex cases). Also genes code for protein, complex traits are the emergent property of many genes working together. So a single gene is unlikely to determine something as remarkable as telepathic "frequency".

You seem to have a soft-SF setting, in which case keeping it vague: have the telepathy be a product of some synthetic, replicating organelle. Have the organelle detect sex chromosomes to calibrate its I/O frequencies. Or even vaguer: don't explain it.

 

[Noisy Rhysling]

Chi waves, gamma waves?

That doesn't make sense as women don't have a Y chromosome and men do have an X (aside from the myriad of intersex cases). Also genes code for protein, complex traits are the emergent property of many genes working together. So a single gene is unlikely to determine something as remarkable as telepathic "frequency".

You seem to have a soft-SF setting, in which case keeping it vague: have the telepathy be a product of some synthetic, replicating organelle. Have the organelle detect sex chromosomes to calibrate its I/O frequencies. Or even vaguer: don't explain it.

Just me being flakey, that's all Greek to me. :)

And I don't plan to explain how it works, Our Hero already has enough problems and this is the first Coalition ship there, so research hasn't been done.

 

[newjerseyrunner]

That doesn't make sense as women don't have a Y chromosome and men do have an X (aside from the myriad of intersex cases). Also genes code for protein, complex traits are the emergent property of many genes working together. So a single gene is unlikely to determine something as remarkable as telepathic "frequency".

You seem to have a soft-SF setting, in which case keeping it vague: have the telepathy be a product of some synthetic, replicating organelle. Have the organelle detect sex chromosomes to calibrate its I/O frequencies. Or even vaguer: don't explain it.

Right, that's why I'd call them X and Y, I'd omit the other X since it exists in both. I know things aren't encoded like that, but how they emerge from those genes. I'm not saying they'd create two different encodings, I'm saying there would be a default state and the Y chromosome simply alters it slightly. By default we are all female, we all have a clitoris. Those of us with a Y chromosome just had it transformed into a penis during development, that change from the default state is because of Y.

It may not be literally encoded, it could be (probably would be) emergent. Perhaps the receptor or transmitter is affected by the concentration of testosterone or estrogen.

 

[axiom]

Create a new language and add a narrative, to explain the origins and meaning of your new words [bit of a backstory]...Assuming your location in the universe...is the spoken language Aqorai or English?

 

[Noisy Rhysling]

Create a new language and add a narrative, to explain the origins and meaning of your new words [bit of a backstory]...Assuming your location in the universe...is the spoken language Aqorai or English?

Our Hero will eventually determine that the language is derived from Celtic. However, for ambiguousness' sake, there are indications that the language may have been imported during the Empire by separatists.

(Sorry I haven't responded sooner, I've been "enjoying" a gall bladder removal.)

 

[Bystander]

gall bladder

You will actually feel better in the long run --- been there --- done that. It IS .

 

[Noisy Rhysling]

You will actually feel better in the long run --- been there --- done that. It IS .

It was educational. I found that opiods depress my respiration to the Blue Man point. Nice to have a hospital near by.