1,180
edits
Gender neutral language in Swedish/en: Difference between revisions
Updating to match new version of source page
(Updating to match new version of source page) |
(Updating to match new version of source page) |
||
| (2 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown) | |||
| Line 4: | Line 4: | ||
The Swedish language has two grammatical genders, common (en-words, previously feminine and masculine but they are now merged) and neuter (ett-words). Swedish has thus been more adaptable to gender-neutral (or gender inclusive) expressions than languages with rigid feminine-masculine distinctions. | The Swedish language has two grammatical genders, common (en-words, previously feminine and masculine but they are now merged) and neuter (ett-words). Swedish has thus been more adaptable to gender-neutral (or gender inclusive) expressions than languages with rigid feminine-masculine distinctions. | ||
Gender-neutral/gender-inclusive language is a way of communicating that intentionally avoids assumptions about gender. In Swedish, this can mean: | Gender-neutral/gender-inclusive language is a way of communicating that intentionally avoids assumptions about gender. In Swedish, this can mean: | ||
| Line 13: | Line 14: | ||
The goal of gender-neutral language is to foster equality and inclusion for all individuals, regardless of gender, as well as to lessen the excess emphasis and importance that is put on gender in a highly socioculturally gendered society. It helps reduce the risk of misgendering, which can cause discomfort or distress – particularly for people who experience gender dysphoria or those who do not identify within the traditional gender binary. | The goal of gender-neutral language is to foster equality and inclusion for all individuals, regardless of gender, as well as to lessen the excess emphasis and importance that is put on gender in a highly socioculturally gendered society. It helps reduce the risk of misgendering, which can cause discomfort or distress – particularly for people who experience gender dysphoria or those who do not identify within the traditional gender binary. | ||
Gender-neutral language is not only a useful and necessary grammatical tool, but also a social one. It is especially important in contexts where gender is varied/queer, mixed/diverse in a group, irrelevant/unwanted, secret or unknown. By adopting inclusive language, we create environments that respect and acknowledge everyone. | Gender-neutral language is not only a useful and necessary grammatical tool, but also a social one. It is especially important in contexts where gender is varied/queer, mixed/diverse in a group, irrelevant/unwanted, secret or unknown. By adopting inclusive language, we create environments that respect and acknowledge everyone, it does not theaten gender equality. | ||
=== History === | === History === | ||
| Line 79: | Line 80: | ||
===Generic pronoun=== | ===Generic pronoun=== | ||
To refer to people in general in Swedish, the pronouns "man/en/en" (one/one/one’s) or "en/en/ens" (one/one/one’s) can be used. Swedish’s generic pronoun man/en/ens has been discussed for being male-generalizing, and some people have opted to use en/en/ens instead to make it gender neutral. Even though the word "man" is in modern times specifically associated with and viewed as for male people specifically, does also have the etymological meaning of "human" in addition to the meaning "male person". Although in the use of -man as a suffix, it is usually replaced with -kvinna (-woman) for women because it isn't seen as or used as a synonym for human anymore, but it is specifically ingrained and established as male, but as a generic pronoun it's not necessarily viewed that way. Using "en" instead of "man" can be seen as more gender- | To refer to people in general in Swedish, the pronouns "man/en/en" (one/one/one’s) or "en/en/ens" (one/one/one’s) can be used. Swedish’s generic pronoun man/en/ens has been discussed for being male-generalizing, and some people have opted to use en/en/ens instead to make it gender neutral. Even though the word "man" is in modern times specifically associated with and viewed as for male people specifically, does also have the etymological meaning of "human" in addition to the meaning "male person". Although in the use of -man as a suffix, it is usually replaced with -kvinna (-woman) for women because it isn't seen as or used as a synonym for human anymore, but it is specifically ingrained and established as male, but as a generic pronoun it's not necessarily viewed that way. Using "en" instead of "man" can be seen as more gender-inclusive through it being non-male-generalizing, it is also frequently practiced in some of Sweden's regions, so it is a natural grammatical dialect variation in the Swedish language, but can make some common sentences awkward and is not universally recognized. Either one is fine though. [https://web.archive.org/web/20221102131452/https://www4.isof.se/cgi-bin/srfl/visasvar.py?sok=man&svar=78373&log_id=909986] | ||
"Folk" (people) can in some cases be used as an alternative to using a generic pronoun. | "Folk" (people) can in some cases be used as an alternative to using a generic pronoun. | ||
| Line 219: | Line 220: | ||
|} | |} | ||
'''Note 1:''' | '''Note 1:''' "Enby" and "enban" are not standardized words in Swedish, but are loanwords from English to fill the gap of nonbinary inclusive language. | ||
'''Note 2:''' " | '''Note 2:''' The words "enby" and "enban" were made for nonbinary people specifically, but could be used by intersex people who identify with being "inter". They can also be used by parents for their intersex children "if" the child expresses an identification with not being specifially a girl or a boy and wants to use those words. These words are, however, not condoned by everyone since they do reinforce gendering. It's important to remember that words like "girl", "boy" and "enby" are gendered nouns, while endosex, intersex, female and male are about biological sex and should be used as descriptors for such, which is why some people opt not to have any single specific gendered person-nouns for intersex people. | ||
'''Note 3:''' "Enby" and "enban" | '''Note 3:''' "Enby", and by extension "enban", stem from the abbreviation of nonbinary – "NB" (/en-bee/). Enby is the nonbinary equivalent of the words "girl" and "boy", and enban is the nonbinary equivalent of the words "woman" and "man". Many nonbinary adults do however call themselves "enby". | ||
'''Note 4:''' Some nonbinary people dislike "enby" and see it as infantilizing. | '''Note 4:''' Some nonbinary people dislike "enby" and see it as infantilizing. | ||
'''Note 5:''' The descriptive adjectives can be used instead of the specific people nouns as to not nounify attributes and descriptive characteristics (such as age) that one deems to be misplaced | '''Note 5:''' The descriptive adjectives can be used instead of the specific people nouns as to not nounify attributes and descriptive characteristics (such as age) that one deems to be misplaced in prescriptive or identifying people-nouns. | ||
{| class="wikitable" | {| class="wikitable" | ||
| Line 346: | Line 347: | ||
*'''Partner.''' Neutral, standard. Means partner. | *'''Partner.''' Neutral, standard. Means partner. | ||
*'''Livspartner, platonisk livspartner.''' Neutral. Means lifepartner | *'''Livspartner, platonisk livspartner, QPP/Queerplatonisk partner.''' Neutral. Means lifepartner, platonic lifepartner and queerplatonic partner. | ||
*'''Sambo.''' Neutral, standard. Means cohabitation-partner. | *'''Sambo.''' Neutral, standard. Means cohabitation-partner. | ||
*'''Älskling.''' Neutral, standard. Means love. | *'''Älskling.''' Neutral, standard. Means love. | ||