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Gender neutral language in Spanish: Difference between revisions
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{{Template:Gender neutral language}} | {{Template:Gender neutral language}} | ||
[[File:ParentsFloat2009MarchaDF.JPG|thumb|Parents of Gays float at the 2009 Marcha Gay in Mexico City. The banner shows the @ symbol substituted for the masculine "o" or feminine "a" to make it gender neutral.]] | [[File:ParentsFloat2009MarchaDF.JPG|thumb|Parents of Gays float at the 2009 Marcha Gay in Mexico City. The banner shows the @ symbol substituted for the masculine "o" or feminine "a" to make it gender neutral.]] | ||
'''Gender neutral language in Spanish''' is more difficult than [[gender neutral language]] (also called gender inclusive language) in some other languages, because its grammatical gender is pervasive, and it has no true neutral grammatical gender, at least not in standard usage. See the main article on [[gender neutral language]] for general reasons to use neutral language, common problems in using it, and its use for [[nonbinary]] people. | '''Gender neutral language in Spanish''' is more difficult than [[gender neutral language]] (also called gender inclusive language) in some other languages, because its grammatical gender is pervasive, and it has no true neutral grammatical gender, at least not in standard usage. See the main article on [[gender neutral language]] for general reasons to use neutral language, common problems in using it, and its use for [[nonbinary]] people. | ||
Spanish has two grammatical genders, masculine and feminine. Like other Romance languages, it's very difficult to talk about a person in a gender-neutral way. This is because every adjective, noun, and article are all either masculine or feminine. It's difficult or even impossible to be completely gender-neutral in standard Spanish. However, feminists, LGBT people, and other activists today have made ideas for how to speak Spanish in a gender-neutral way when necessary. For example, it's now common for people to write "Latinx," "Latine" or "Latin@" as a gender-inclusive version of "Latino" and "Latina". For more information, see [[Wikipedia:Gender neutrality in Spanish and Portuguese|Wikipedia's article: Gender neutrality in Spanish and Portuguese]]. | Spanish has two grammatical genders, masculine and feminine. Like other Romance languages, it's very difficult to talk about a person in a gender-neutral way. This is because every adjective, noun, and article are all either masculine or feminine. It's difficult or even impossible to be completely gender-neutral in standard Spanish. However, feminists, LGBT people, and other activists today have made ideas for how to speak Spanish in a gender-neutral way when necessary. For example, it's now common for people to write "Latinx," "Latine" or "Latin@" as a gender-inclusive version of "Latino" and "Latina". For more information, see [[Wikipedia:Gender neutrality in Spanish and Portuguese|Wikipedia's article: Gender neutrality in Spanish and Portuguese]]. | ||
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In Spanish, many nouns and adjectives end in either a masculine -o or a feminine -a. These same letters are also used in the grammatical gender of the definite articles. For example, niño bueno ("good boy") and niña buena ("good girl"); los amigos ("the friends," if the group has at least one man, or isn't known to be all women, although this can be used in a gender-neutral sense) and las amigas ("the friends," but only if the group is all women). Many people who want gender-neutral options for Spanish have had ideas for substituting these letters with something else that would make a word gender-neutral. These non-standard proposed alternatives are: | In Spanish, many nouns and adjectives end in either a masculine -o or a feminine -a. These same letters are also used in the grammatical gender of the definite articles. For example, niño bueno ("good boy") and niña buena ("good girl"); los amigos ("the friends," if the group has at least one man, or isn't known to be all women, although this can be used in a gender-neutral sense) and las amigas ("the friends," but only if the group is all women). Many people who want gender-neutral options for Spanish have had ideas for substituting these letters with something else that would make a word gender-neutral. These non-standard proposed alternatives are: | ||
* '''@'''. In this use, the "at" symbol is meant to look like a mix of a masculine o and a feminine a letters.<ref name="sikian">Sikian. ''Reddit''. Forum comment. 2015. https://www.reddit.com/r/genderqueer/comments/2ymn25/gender_in_language_to_all_you_nonbinary_redditors/cpdjdhi</ref><ref name="gubb">Sophia Gubb. "Construyendo Un Género Neutro En Español – Para Una Lengua Feminista, Igualitaria E Inclusiva." February 10, 2013. ''Sophia Gubb's Blog''. Personal blog entry. http://www.sophiagubb.com/construyendo-un-genero-neutro-en-espanol-para-una-lengua-feminista-igualitaria-e-inclusiva/</ref><ref name="socialchange">http://www.spanishforsocialchange.com/2015/05/living-as-non-binary-or-gender-neutral.html</ref> For example: niñ@ buen@ ("good child"), l@s amig@s ("the friends" with no assumptions about their genders), Latin@ ("Latino/Latina"). It can be pronounced as "ao".<ref name="genderfork">http://genderfork.com/2013/question-gender-neutral-honorifics-in-spanish/</ref> It's one of the most commonly used in this list. It would go with the proposed neutral pronoun ell@.<ref name="pronounlist">rabbitglitter, "Multilingual pronouns list." ''Nonbinary Resource'' (blog). http://nonbinaryresource.tumblr.com/post/102614223062/multilingual-pronouns-list</ref> | * '''@'''. In this use, the "at" symbol is meant to look like a mix of a masculine o and a feminine a letters.<ref name="sikian">Sikian. ''Reddit''. Forum comment. 2015. https://www.reddit.com/r/genderqueer/comments/2ymn25/gender_in_language_to_all_you_nonbinary_redditors/cpdjdhi [https://web.archive.org/web/20220923080826/https://www.reddit.com/r/genderqueer/comments/2ymn25/gender_in_language_to_all_you_nonbinary_redditors/cpdjdhi/ Archived] on 17 July 2023</ref><ref name="gubb">Sophia Gubb. "Construyendo Un Género Neutro En Español – Para Una Lengua Feminista, Igualitaria E Inclusiva." February 10, 2013. ''Sophia Gubb's Blog''. Personal blog entry. http://www.sophiagubb.com/construyendo-un-genero-neutro-en-espanol-para-una-lengua-feminista-igualitaria-e-inclusiva/ [https://web.archive.org/web/20230318230932/http://www.sophiagubb.com/construyendo-un-genero-neutro-en-espanol-para-una-lengua-feminista-igualitaria-e-inclusiva/ Archived] on 17 July 2023</ref><ref name="socialchange">http://www.spanishforsocialchange.com/2015/05/living-as-non-binary-or-gender-neutral.html [https://web.archive.org/web/20230323183754/https://www.spanishforsocialchange.com/2015/05/living-as-non-binary-or-gender-neutral.html Archived] on 17 July 2023</ref> For example: niñ@ buen@ ("good child"), l@s amig@s ("the friends" with no assumptions about their genders), Latin@ ("Latino/Latina"). It can be pronounced as "ao".<ref name="genderfork">http://genderfork.com/2013/question-gender-neutral-honorifics-in-spanish/ [https://web.archive.org/web/20220921230102/http://genderfork.com/2013/question-gender-neutral-honorifics-in-spanish/ Archived] on 17 July 2023</ref> It's one of the most commonly used in this list. It would go with the proposed neutral pronoun ell@.<ref name="pronounlist">rabbitglitter, "Multilingual pronouns list." ''Nonbinary Resource'' (blog). http://nonbinaryresource.tumblr.com/post/102614223062/multilingual-pronouns-list [https://web.archive.org/web/20230521064816/http://nonbinaryresource.tumblr.com/post/102614223062/multilingual-pronouns-list Archived] on 17 July 2023</ref> | ||
* '''æ'''. The "AE" character stands for an alternative to the O and A. For example: niñæ buenæ, læs amigæs, Latinæ. It can go with the proposed neutral pronoun ellæ.<ref name="pronounlist" /> | * '''æ'''. The "AE" character stands for an alternative to the O and A. For example: niñæ buenæ, læs amigæs, Latinæ. It can go with the proposed neutral pronoun ellæ.<ref name="pronounlist" /> | ||
* '''Ⓐ'''. The anarchy symbol happens to look like a mix of an O and A, and some radical political writings use it in their place, in the sense of rebellion against gender roles and other oppressive aspects of society.<ref name="tawny">Phoenix Tawnyflower. "Nonbinary Spanish." May 24, 2014. ''Reflections of a Queer Artist'' (personal blog). http://phoenixtawnyflower.blogspot.com/2014/05/nonbinary-spanish.html</ref>For example: niñⒶ buenⒶ, lⒶs amigⒶs, LatinⒶ. Like the more common @, this would also be pronounced "ao". | * '''Ⓐ'''. The anarchy symbol happens to look like a mix of an O and A, and some radical political writings use it in their place, in the sense of rebellion against gender roles and other oppressive aspects of society.<ref name="tawny">Phoenix Tawnyflower. "Nonbinary Spanish." May 24, 2014. ''Reflections of a Queer Artist'' (personal blog). http://phoenixtawnyflower.blogspot.com/2014/05/nonbinary-spanish.html [https://web.archive.org/web/20220924210924/https://phoenixtawnyflower.blogspot.com/2014/05/nonbinary-spanish.html Archived] on 17 July 2023</ref>For example: niñⒶ buenⒶ, lⒶs amigⒶs, LatinⒶ. Like the more common @, this would also be pronounced "ao". | ||
* '''e'''. The letter E represents an alternative to the O and A.<ref name="Schmidt">{{Cite web |title=A Language for All |last=Schmidt |first=Samantha |work=Washington Post |date=5 December 2019 |access-date=29 May 2020 |url= https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2019/12/05/teens-argentina-are-leading-charge-gender-neutral-language/}}</ref><ref name="socialchange" /> For example: niñe buene, les amigues, Latine. Many nouns and adjectives already end in -e, so it can sound natural to create new -e versions. A few words would need spelling changes to keep the pronunciation the same: if the E comes after a C, the C becomes "qu" (chico – chique); after G, it becomes "gu" (gallego – gallegue).<ref name="gubb" /> The neutral E would go with with the proposed neutral pronouns elle or ele.<ref name="pronounlist /> <ref name="tawny" /> | * '''e'''. The letter E represents an alternative to the O and A.<ref name="Schmidt">{{Cite web |title=A Language for All |last=Schmidt |first=Samantha |work=Washington Post |date=5 December 2019 |access-date=29 May 2020 |url= https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2019/12/05/teens-argentina-are-leading-charge-gender-neutral-language/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230510125055/https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2019/12/05/teens-argentina-are-leading-charge-gender-neutral-language/ |archive-date=17 July 2023 }}</ref><ref name="socialchange" /> For example: niñe buene, les amigues, Latine. Many nouns and adjectives already end in -e, so it can sound natural to create new -e versions. A few words would need spelling changes to keep the pronunciation the same: if the E comes after a C, the C becomes "qu" (chico – chique); after G, it becomes "gu" (gallego – gallegue).<ref name="gubb" /> The neutral E would go with with the proposed neutral pronouns elle or ele.<ref name="pronounlist /> <ref name="tawny" /> | ||
* '''i'''. The letter I is a substitute for O and A. For example: niñi bueni, lis amigi, Latini. This would go with the proposed neutral pronoun elli.<ref name="pronounlist /> | * '''i'''. The letter I is a substitute for O and A. For example: niñi bueni, lis amigi, Latini. This would go with the proposed neutral pronoun elli.<ref name="pronounlist /> | ||
* '''u'''. The letter U is a substitute for O and A. For example: niñu buenu, lus amigus, Latinu. This would go with the proposed neutral pronoun ellu.<ref name="pronounlist /> | * '''u'''. The letter U is a substitute for O and A. For example: niñu buenu, lus amigus, Latinu. This would go with the proposed neutral pronoun ellu.<ref name="pronounlist /> | ||
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Like other languages in the Romance family, Spanish doesn't normally have neutral [[pronouns]]. However, people have created some new, neutral pronouns, which are used in some groups that are sensitive about LGBT, gender, and social justice issues. Most of these neutral pronouns work by taking the feminine pronoun, ''ella'', and the standard abstract neuter pronoun ''ello'' (which can't be used for people), and substituting a different letter or symbol for the masculine "o" or feminine "a" ending. This approach of substituting a letter is shared by creating other parts of gender neutral language in Spanish, such as neutral-gender endings for adjectives. These new, neutral pronouns include: | Like other languages in the Romance family, Spanish doesn't normally have neutral [[pronouns]]. However, people have created some new, neutral pronouns, which are used in some groups that are sensitive about LGBT, gender, and social justice issues. Most of these neutral pronouns work by taking the feminine pronoun, ''ella'', and the standard abstract neuter pronoun ''ello'' (which can't be used for people), and substituting a different letter or symbol for the masculine "o" or feminine "a" ending. This approach of substituting a letter is shared by creating other parts of gender neutral language in Spanish, such as neutral-gender endings for adjectives. These new, neutral pronouns include: | ||
'''elle'''. A neutral pronoun that can be easily said out loud. This is non-standard, but one of the '''most common''' of these.<ref name="rabbitglitter ML pronouns"></ref> It's used by nonbinary people in Chile.<ref>http://linguaphiles.livejournal.com/5990300.html</ref> | '''elle'''. A neutral pronoun that can be easily said out loud. This is non-standard, but one of the '''most common''' of these.<ref name="rabbitglitter ML pronouns"></ref> It's used by nonbinary people in Chile.<ref>http://linguaphiles.livejournal.com/5990300.html [https://web.archive.org/web/20230605124148/http://linguaphiles.livejournal.com/5990300.html Archived] on 17 July 2023</ref> | ||
'''ellx'''. A neutral pronoun that can't be said out loud. This non-standard, but one of the '''most common''' of these. Note that, unlike English coinages such as "princex," which is only for people of color, a neutral x in Spanish is not only for people of color. "Ellx" can be used by white people as well.<ref name="rabbitglitter ML pronouns"></ref> | '''ellx'''. A neutral pronoun that can't be said out loud. This non-standard, but one of the '''most common''' of these. Note that, unlike English coinages such as "princex," which is only for people of color, a neutral x in Spanish is not only for people of color. "Ellx" can be used by white people as well.<ref name="rabbitglitter ML pronouns"></ref> | ||
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'''ell@'''. A neutral pronoun that can't be said out loud, or else is pronounced like "ellao". This is non-standard, but one of the '''most common''' of these. The @ (at symbol) is meant to be seen as a mix between an "a" and an "o".<ref name="rabbitglitter ML pronouns"></ref> | '''ell@'''. A neutral pronoun that can't be said out loud, or else is pronounced like "ellao". This is non-standard, but one of the '''most common''' of these. The @ (at symbol) is meant to be seen as a mix between an "a" and an "o".<ref name="rabbitglitter ML pronouns"></ref> | ||
'''ele'''. A neutral pronoun that is a mix of the masculine pronoun ''él'' ("he") and a proposed gender-neutral ending letter, -e. This is less common. The plural would be '''elles'''.<ref name="tawnyflower spanish">Phoenix Tawnyflower. "Nonbinary Spanish." May 24, 2014. ''Reflections of a Queer Artist'' (personal blog). http://phoenixtawnyflower.blogspot.com/2014/05/nonbinary-spanish.html</ref> | '''ele'''. A neutral pronoun that is a mix of the masculine pronoun ''él'' ("he") and a proposed gender-neutral ending letter, -e. This is less common. The plural would be '''elles'''.<ref name="tawnyflower spanish">Phoenix Tawnyflower. "Nonbinary Spanish." May 24, 2014. ''Reflections of a Queer Artist'' (personal blog). http://phoenixtawnyflower.blogspot.com/2014/05/nonbinary-spanish.html [https://web.archive.org/web/20220924210924/https://phoenixtawnyflower.blogspot.com/2014/05/nonbinary-spanish.html Archived] on 17 July 2023</ref> | ||
'''ell*'''. A neutral pronoun that can't be said out loud. This is less common. The * (asterisk) means that the "a" or "o" is left out. Compare the [[Pronouns#*E|splat *e pronouns]] in English, which work by the same idea.<ref name="rabbitglitter ML pronouns"></ref> | '''ell*'''. A neutral pronoun that can't be said out loud. This is less common. The * (asterisk) means that the "a" or "o" is left out. Compare the [[Pronouns#*E|splat *e pronouns]] in English, which work by the same idea.<ref name="rabbitglitter ML pronouns"></ref> | ||
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'''ellæ'''. A neutral pronoun. This is less common.<ref name="rabbitglitter ML pronouns"></ref> | '''ellæ'''. A neutral pronoun. This is less common.<ref name="rabbitglitter ML pronouns"></ref> | ||
'''ell_'''. A neutral pronoun that can't be said out loud. This is less common. The _ (underscore) means that the "a" or "o" is left out.<ref name="rabbitglitter ML pronouns">rabbitglitter, [http://nonbinaryresource.tumblr.com/post/102614223062/multilingual-pronouns-list "Multilingual pronouns list." ''Nonbinary Resource'' (blog)].</ref> | '''ell_'''. A neutral pronoun that can't be said out loud. This is less common. The _ (underscore) means that the "a" or "o" is left out.<ref name="rabbitglitter ML pronouns">rabbitglitter, [http://nonbinaryresource.tumblr.com/post/102614223062/multilingual-pronouns-list "Multilingual pronouns list." ''Nonbinary Resource'' (blog)]. [https://web.archive.org/web/20230521064816/http://nonbinaryresource.tumblr.com/post/102614223062/multilingual-pronouns-list Archived] on 17 July 2023</ref> | ||
'''elli'''. A neutral pronoun that can be said out loud. It's uncommonly used.<ref name="rabbitglitter ML pronouns"></ref> | '''elli'''. A neutral pronoun that can be said out loud. It's uncommonly used.<ref name="rabbitglitter ML pronouns"></ref> | ||
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* ''ciclista'' = cyclist | * ''ciclista'' = cyclist | ||
* ''el cliente'' = client, but a female client can be ''la clienta''. | * ''el cliente'' = client, but a female client can be ''la clienta''. | ||
* el dentista = dentist of any gender, but a female dentist can be ''la dentista''. | * ''el dentista'' = dentist of any gender, but a female dentist can be ''la dentista''. | ||
* ''el especialista'' = specialist | * ''el especialista'' = specialist | ||
* ''el estudiante'' = student of any gender, but a female student can be ''la estudiante''. | * ''el estudiante'' = student of any gender, but a female student can be ''la estudiante''. | ||
* ''la persona'' = person | * ''la persona'' = person | ||
* ''el personaje'' = character | * ''el personaje'' = character | ||