aquelaquellos

Aquelaquellos is a coined term used in linguistic and cultural discussions to describe a hypothetical deictic form that blends elements of demonstratives from different gender and number categories. It is not a standard or widely accepted category in formal grammar, but rather a concept that appears in speculative discourse about how languages could encode referents that do not fit neatly into existing systems.

Etymology and concept. The neologism combines two Portuguese demonstratives: aquela, meaning that (feminine singular), and aqueles, meaning those (masculine plural). As a thought experiment, aquelaquellos is used to illustrate situations where a single referent or group might be described using mixed deictic cues, challenging conventional rules of agreement and clarity.

Usage and interpretation. In theoretical examples, aquelequellos might refer to a reference that includes both distant masculine plural elements and a nearby feminine singular element, or to a mixed group where traditional gender-number categories fail to capture the speaker’s intention. The term is primarily discussed in academic and online debates about deixis, gender-inclusive language, and the boundaries of grammatical agreement. It is not proposed as a prescriptive form for everyday use.

Reception and scope. Because it remains a fringe or speculative idea, aquelaquellos does not appear in standard dictionaries or formal grammars. It is mainly of interest to linguists exploring the flexibility of demonstratives and to readers engaged in debates about inclusive and evolving language practices.

See also: deixis, demonstratives, gender and language, linguistic neologisms.