History InsistentTerminology / Literature

* In ''Literature/TheShipWho Searched'', [[BrainsAndBrawn Tia and Alex]] check in on an archaeological dig and find that three quarters of the people have died and the emaciated survivors are stumbling around and seem to have lost their higher brain functions, acting for all the world like [[TechnicallyLivingZombies undead]]. Alex ''immediately'' starts calling them Zombies. Tia [[NotUsingTheZedWord protests this]] and wants to call them the survivors, but he won't be moved on this, and gradually Tia starts using that word as well. As they perform the hard work of capturing the Zombies to take to the medical quarantine center that can cure them, a little dehumanization helps.

* In the self-published German sci-fi adventure novel ''Literature/TheAdventuresOfStefonRudel'', the planet Earth is usually referred to as "World-Earth". There's also a single reference to "Main-Earth", though how it differentiates from the former is unclear.

* Creator/IsaacAsimov:
** "{{Literature/Segregationist}}": The patient keeps calling one of the two heart transplant options "plastic", while the surgeon insists it is a fibrous cyber-heart. While the surgeon is more correct, the patient is making an emotional decision to insult the pseudo-organic option by lumping it into the same category as plastic bags, preferring the stronger titanium-alloy replacement.
** "Literature/TheTercentenaryIncident": The [[TitleDrop titular incident]] refers to an AssassinationAttempt on the life of President Winkler. The severity of the situation is downplayed by claiming the [[RobotMe President's robot duplicate]] had [[MadeOfExplodium malfunctioned explosively]]. At worst, government figures admit "A mechanical device was destroyed. Nothing more." [[spoiler:Which is part of a cover-up to hide the fact that the President ''was'' assassinated, and [[KillAndReplace his duplicate replaced him]].]]

* In ''LightNovel/{{Durarara}}'' while Izaya and Shizuo are decidedly human, neither consider the other to be human. Izaya is especially adamant on calling Shizuo a monster.

* ''LightNovel/TheUnexploredSummonBloodSign'': The White Queen refers to her times spent with Kyousuke as "dates", regardless of the coercion and bloodshed they invariably involve. This is one of many indications that she's a {{Yandere}}.

* ''Literature/BruceCovillesBookOf Nightmares'': Andrew in ''Drawing the Moon'' insists that his parents aren't dead, they were ''stolen''. And you can get stolen things back. [[spoiler: His sister is the same way when he gets his parents back but is one of the two people taken in their place.]]

* Creator/IsaacAsimov's ''Literature/TheCompleteAdventuresOfLuckyStarr'': Lucky's {{sidekick}}, John Bigman Jones, who allowed no one to call him anything but Bigman, and [[TheNapoleon who was five feet two inches tall if he stretched a little]]." He often won't even put up with being addressed as "Mr. Jones", insisting on Bigman instead.

* ''Literature/TheWitchOfKnightcharm'': One of the new rookies at the evil WizardingSchool known as Myth/TheScholomance, Caline, gets mad whenever anyone calls her Canadian. She is ''Quebecois'', and she won't let anyone forget it.

** From ''Literature/MakingMoney'', Unseen University has a Department of Postmortem Communications, who summon the spirits of dead people to talk to them. They are ''not'' "necromancers". Necromancy, in fact, is strictly forbidden at Unseen University!

* Creator/IsaacAsimov's ''Literature/TheCompleteAdventuresOfLuckyStarr'': Lucky's {{sidekick}}, "John Bigman Jones, who allowed no one to call him anything but Bigman, and [[TheNapoleon who was five feet two inches tall if he stretched a little]]." He often won't even put up with being addressed as "Mr. Jones", insisting on Bigman instead.