nonselfrelating

Nonselfrelating is an adjective used to describe entities, relations, or statements that do not relate to themselves or lack self-reference. The term appears in discussions of logic, mathematics, and rhetoric, where it can denote either a structural property of a relation or a descriptive quality of discourse.

In mathematics and logic, non-selfrelating often corresponds to the property irreflexive. A relation R on a set A is irreflexive if no element relates to itself, meaning for every x in A, not R(x, x). For example, the relation “is less than” on real numbers is irreflexive, since no number is less than itself. Note that irreflexivity is distinct from non-reflexivity more generally, which can refer to a relation not being reflexive in all cases but may still have some self-relations.

In rhetoric and philosophy, non-self-referential (a closely related idea) describes statements or works that do not refer to themselves or their own creation. This contrasts with self-referential or metafictional texts, which explicitly acknowledge their status as discourse. A non-self-referential statement conveys information without invoking the speaker, the text, or its production as part of the content.

Usage and terminology notes: in formal contexts, the terms irreflexive and non-self-referential are clearer and more widely used than the compact form nonselfrelating. The latter may appear in informal writing or as a shorthand in certain discussions, but it can introduce ambiguity. Related concepts include reflexivity, symmetry, and asymmetry in relation theory.