Neopronouns, a social and linguistic phenomenon on Wikipedia

Neopronouns are a relatively new concept on the Wikipedia‘s free knowledge setting. In the Wikimedia movement, contributors often experience difficulties when working with linguistic terms that are not widely established. Translating them is not simply a matter of finding an equivalent word in another language. It also means interpreting a social and linguistic reality.

The Neopronoun article on English Wikipedia is pretty recent. It was created on August 24, 2020, and even now it is available in a small number of Wikipedia languages, including Albanian, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Greek, and Thai. This means that the concept is still developing and has not been documented in many language communities. Therefore, my attempt is to share how different languages respond to new terminology, changing identities, and new ways of referring to people.

During various Wikimedia activities organized in Albania with members of the LGBTQ+ community, the Albanian Wikipedia article on neopronouns became a starting point for discussion. The contributors asked practical questions: Does Albanian have a neutral way to refer to nonbinary people? Is it possible to avoid gendered pronouns in certain sentences? How should contributors describe a term that is still unfamiliar to many Albanian speakers?

These questions showed that the challenge was not only linguistic. For them, the article created a challenging point from which contributors and community members could examine the terminology, identify missing information, and discuss what reliable sources were available.

This is where the wider responsibility of Wikimedia contributors begins. When translating a new or sensitive term, simple translation is not enough. Contributors need to understand the concept, study reliable sources, compare articles in different languages, and write content that is clear, neutral, and verified. The Wikipedia translation tool is fine as a first step to transfer content from one language to another, but it does not reflect the cultural and social meaning of a term.

The perspectives of the LGBTQ+ community are also important in this process. A term linked to how nonbinary people wish to be recognized and addressed cannot be understood without considering the experiences of those directly affected by it. At the same time, Wikipedia articles must be based on reliable, published sources rather than personal opinions.

In this sense, Wikimedia projects can serve as a setting for thoughtful documentation. Contributors are not expected to invent a linguistic solution or say that a particular form must be adopted. Their role is to document existing usage, explain different perspectives, identify where terminology remains unsettled, and clearly present the available evidence.

This is important when references are limited. Without sufficient sources, the same concept may be translated in several different ways, creating confusion to contributors. However, this uncertainty can also reveal an important knowledge gap and create an opportunity for better-informed discussion.

The neopronoun article is one example of such a knowledge gap within Wikimedia projects. A concept may be well documented in one language but only briefly described, poorly sourced, or completely absent in another. In these cases, contributors must do more than translate existing sentences. They need to consider which sources are relevant to their own linguistic context, how the concept can be explained to local readers, and which misunderstandings should be addressed.

In the Albanian language, the challenge is closely linked to the use of gendered personal pronouns. The forms „ai“ and „ajo“ mean „he“ and „she“, while „ata“ and „ ato“ which mean „they“, are also gendered in the plural. In English, „they“ can be used as a singular, gender-neutral pronoun. Albanian does not have an established form that performs the same function. This does not necessarily mean that contributors should immediately create a new Albanian neopronoun. A useful first step is to examine how Albanian already expresses, emphasizes, or avoids gender in communication.

Because Albanian verbs often indicate the grammatical person, a sentence can sometimes be written without using a personal pronoun. For example, „Shkoi“, „Foli“ and „Shikoi“ can mean „Went“, „Spoke“ and „Saw“ without referring to whether the person is male or female. However, avoiding a pronoun is not always possible or sufficient. Longer sentences, formal introductions, translations, and direct forms of addressing require clear linguistic choices. This becomes particularly important when nonbinary people wish to be referred to accurately and respectfully.

For Wikimedia audiences, the value of such an article is more immediate. It moves the discussion away from assumptions and misunderstandings and toward reliable information. It also reminds contributors that emerging terminology should be handled with the same care as any other developing area of knowledge.

Wikipedia is not only a place where a term is defined. It is also a place where the history, development, use, and discussion surrounding that term can be carefully documented. When a phenomenon is new or contested, contributors can help readers understand the discussion without presenting an unsettled question as if it already had a final answer.

There are several practical ways in which Wikimedians can contribute. They can improve the references in the existing article, compare how the concept is described on different Wikipedia language editions, and search for reliable sources about its use in their own languages. They can also review the related Wikidata item, improve categories and internal links, and add accurate multilingual descriptions to relevant files on Wikimedia Commons.

Contributors can use article talk pages to discuss terminology and identify missing sources. Local communities can organize editing activities where participants review LGBTQ+ terminology, improve related articles, and document knowledge gaps. Wikimedians can also collaborate with linguists, translators, researchers, and LGBTQ+ organizations while ensuring that the final content follows Wikipedia‘s principles of neutrality, verifiability, and reliable sources.

Documenting new concepts is part of the natural development of every language. Even when a term is not fully established, including well-sourced information about it on Wikipedia can encourage discussion about how different languages respond to new social realities. This process can enrich vocabulary, improve public understanding, and show how languages continue to develop over time.

Neopronouns therefore serve as a practical lesson for the Wikimedia community. When we document a new term or linguistic phenomenon, we are not simply adding another article on Wikipedia. We are helping communities understand a developing matter and creating space for responsible, evidence-based discussion. Contributors can review the neopronoun article in their own language, identify what is missing, add reliable sources, improve connections across Wikipedia, Wikidata, and Wikimedia Commons, and invite informed discussion on the article‘s talk page. Through these small but concrete actions, Wikimedian communities can turn an emerging concept into knowledge that is clearer, more inclusive, and more useful to readers around the world.