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Gender Inclusive LanguageQuestions about culture and cultural differences between countries and languages. |
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Gender Inclusive Language
I was studying the other night when I came across a section in my grammar book that mentioned alternative ways to phrase things in Spanish in light of current debate about gender-inclusive language. Por ejemple:
Los niños empiezan el colegio a los cinco años. (Children start school at age five.) A more politically correct way to say this would be: Los niños y las niñas empiezan el colegio a los cinco años. Now personally, I don't do PC. I just take a look at each unique day with its own unique situations and just go with life in a way that makes sense to me . However, some people are really into the PC thing. Anyway, in Spanish-speaking cultures is making sure things are gender inclusive more of an issue since the rise of PC culture? Or have you really not noticed that much of a difference where you are? Just curious . I've gotta run out the door so I'm typing fast. Sorry for any typos or if something I've said does not make sense!
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Por favor, corrígeme si me equivoco . ¡Muchas gracias! Last edited by AutumnBreeze; May 20, 2009 at 08:30 AM. |
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There is some debate about PC language here where genders are concerned but it's not an easy subject. It makes language cumbersome to have to keep talking about "los niños y las niñas", "los señores y las señoras", "los padres y las madres", "los hombres y las mujeres", etc.
Not too long ago a member of parliament talked about "los miembros y las miembras" trying to get the two genders in, when the word "miembras" does not exist and the press had a field day. In terms of professions, a lot of words in the language were male oriented as the posts were traditionally held by men. Now that there are more women, the language has changed to talk about "la jueza, la ministra". In professions where it was traditional for both sexes to work there are separate words: profesor/a. But some words for professions have female (a) endings even if it was traditionally a male profession, i.e. policía, tenista, futbolista, guardia. A man or a woman tennis player = tenista. The ending does not change only the article: la tenista or el tenista. Why couldn't the same be done for other professions: la juez or el juez, el/la abogado. I think it would save a lot of hassle.
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"Desiderata" - ...be gentle with yourself.You are a child of this universe no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. ...sé amable contigo mismo. Eres una criatura de este universo al igual que los árboles y las estrellas; tienes derecho a estar aquí. |
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Most likely it will be accepted sooner than later. As you pointed, it is being used already, it is a matter of time. |
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In Spain there is a hard debate about PC language, specially since the socialists came to power six years ago and established a so called "Ministry of Equalty". Till then, we had heard just a few extemists, saying the spanish language was sexist and criticising the classical gramatical male gender as not marked and accurated for both gendres names and adjectives. Well nowadays the PC language is compulsory in politics and press and the use of padres y madres where before was enough with padres, or jueces y juezas, ciudadanos y ciudadanas, etc, is common. The young ministress of equalty Bibiana Aído, has invented new weird words, as "miembras", "jóvenas", etc. In fact, the Spanish novelist and Spanish Language Academy member, Arturo Pérez Reverte, published not a long time ago, an article explaining how, a bussines man from Galicia, who had published an advertising looking for an accountant, had to remove and rewrite it including that he wanted a male or female accountant under the threat of being sued by sexual discrimination made by a govern official.
Last edited by explorator; March 13, 2010 at 10:09 AM. |
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Then they should get a life, and stop making up artificial problems for others. Sorry, but I find that almost all problems in life are caused by other people just being stupid. This issue is a good example. |
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Same prudishness in Spanish. I wonder what these people do with the old-fashioned expressions: "el sexo débil" and "hacer las labores propias de su sexo".
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Ha! Good one Angelica.
Eventually, might we suppose that the electronic age and our ever-increasing modes of communication will morph terms like 'el juez' to 'la juez' when it makes cultural sense to accept it into general use?
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"Be brief, for no discourse can please when too long." miguel de cervantes saavedra |
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Although "la juez" is a term that sounds well to my ears, it's said "la jueza".
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@Hermit:
"La juez" was widely used in Mexico, but lately they use "la jueza", and lately they avoid the word "poetisa" and say "la poeta".
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♪ ♫ ♪ Ain't it wonderful to be alive when the Rock'n'Roll plays... ♪ ♫ ♪ |
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gender, political correctness |
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