Gender neutral language in Portuguese: Difference between revisions

    From Nonbinary Wiki
    imported>Genderedgoose
    (removed one table plus some info because not enough information / not enough clear information out there. might re-add eventually)
    imported>Genderedgoose
    No edit summary
    Line 15: Line 15:


    This article will focus on '''gender neutral Portuguese language'''. While, in Portuguese, non-living things are also attributed a gender, that is not meant to change with the use of neutral language. The sentence "my chair is purple" would still be said like "a minha cadeira é roxa," in which ''cadeira'' is still a feminine noun and the article ''a'', the possessive pronoun ''minha'' and the adjective ''roxa'' are also feminine. Moreover, words like ''pessoa'' ("person"), which are gendered but used to refer to anyone regardless of gender, remain the same and gender agreement is still expected in sentences that use them.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://dezanove.pt/sistema-elu-linguagem-neutra-em-genero-1317469|title=Sistema Elu, Linguagem Neutra em Género|last=Valente|first=Pedro|date=13 April 2020|website=dezanove|language=Portuguese|trans-title=Elu System, Language Neutral in Gender|access-date=23 June 2021}}</ref>
    This article will focus on '''gender neutral Portuguese language'''. While, in Portuguese, non-living things are also attributed a gender, that is not meant to change with the use of neutral language. The sentence "my chair is purple" would still be said like "a minha cadeira é roxa," in which ''cadeira'' is still a feminine noun and the article ''a'', the possessive pronoun ''minha'' and the adjective ''roxa'' are also feminine. Moreover, words like ''pessoa'' ("person"), which are gendered but used to refer to anyone regardless of gender, remain the same and gender agreement is still expected in sentences that use them.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://dezanove.pt/sistema-elu-linguagem-neutra-em-genero-1317469|title=Sistema Elu, Linguagem Neutra em Género|last=Valente|first=Pedro|date=13 April 2020|website=dezanove|language=Portuguese|trans-title=Elu System, Language Neutral in Gender|access-date=23 June 2021}}</ref>
    ==Pronouns==
     
    ==Language sets==
    There are two established ways of representing language sets in the Portuguese language. The first one, ''ela/dela'' follows the same format as the English "she/her," however, it is very incomplete. In Portuguese, word endings indicate gender, so the format ''ela/dela/-a'' was suggested as an alternative. Though this format is more complete than the previous one, it has been criticized. Some of the criticisms are that it doesn't take the particularities of the Portuguese language into account; that the other elements in the language that indicate gender, like articles and demonstrative pronouns, should also be declared and that article and word ending choice are unrelated to pronoun choice. For these reasons, the recommended representation is ''a/ela/a'', which follows the format article/pronoun/word ending.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://amplifi.casa/~/Asterismos/motivos-para-n%C3%A3o-usar-pronome-d-pronome-como-indica%C3%A7%C3%A3o-de-conjuntos-de-linguagem|title=Motivos para não usar "pronome/d[pronome]" como indicação de conjuntos de linguagem|date=20 September 2019|website=Amplifi.casa|language=Portuguese|trans-title=Reasons not to use "pronoun/d[pronoun]" as an indication of language sets|access-date=21 June 2021}}</ref> An even more complete version of this format would be ''a/uma/da/ela/dela/minha/essa/a''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://forum.orientando.org/thread-225.html|title=expansão do sistema artigo/pronome/final de palavra?|date=23 May 2018|website=Fórum Orientando|access-date=21 June 2021|language=Portuguese|trans-title=expansion of the article/pronoun/word ending system?}}</ref> Note that, because pronouns aren't the only language elements that indicate gender in Portuguese, some people suggest calling these sets '''language sets''' instead of '''pronoun sets'''.
    There are two established ways of representing language sets in the Portuguese language. The first one, ''ela/dela'' follows the same format as the English "she/her," however, it is very incomplete. In Portuguese, word endings indicate gender, so the format ''ela/dela/-a'' was suggested as an alternative. Though this format is more complete than the previous one, it has been criticized. Some of the criticisms are that it doesn't take the particularities of the Portuguese language into account; that the other elements in the language that indicate gender, like articles and demonstrative pronouns, should also be declared and that article and word ending choice are unrelated to pronoun choice. For these reasons, the recommended representation is ''a/ela/a'', which follows the format article/pronoun/word ending.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://amplifi.casa/~/Asterismos/motivos-para-n%C3%A3o-usar-pronome-d-pronome-como-indica%C3%A7%C3%A3o-de-conjuntos-de-linguagem|title=Motivos para não usar "pronome/d[pronome]" como indicação de conjuntos de linguagem|date=20 September 2019|website=Amplifi.casa|language=Portuguese|trans-title=Reasons not to use "pronoun/d[pronoun]" as an indication of language sets|access-date=21 June 2021}}</ref> An even more complete version of this format would be ''a/uma/da/ela/dela/minha/essa/a''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://forum.orientando.org/thread-225.html|title=expansão do sistema artigo/pronome/final de palavra?|date=23 May 2018|website=Fórum Orientando|access-date=21 June 2021|language=Portuguese|trans-title=expansion of the article/pronoun/word ending system?}}</ref> Note that, because pronouns aren't the only language elements that indicate gender in Portuguese, some people suggest calling these sets '''language sets''' instead of '''pronoun sets'''.


    ===Pronouns===
    In Portuguese, there are two standard personal pronouns for the third person singular and two for the third person plural. ''Ela'' is equivalent to the English "she" and ''ele'' is equivalent to the English "he," while ''elas'' and ''eles'' are both equivalent to the English plural "they." Portuguese-speaking non-binary people who don't feel comfortable with these have had to come up with their own neopronouns.
    In Portuguese, there are two standard personal pronouns for the third person singular and two for the third person plural. ''Ela'' is equivalent to the English "she" and ''ele'' is equivalent to the English "he," while ''elas'' and ''eles'' are both equivalent to the English plural "they." Portuguese-speaking non-binary people who don't feel comfortable with these have had to come up with their own neopronouns.



    Revision as of 17:29, 24 June 2021

    Text lines white icon.svg This article is a stub. You can help the Nonbinary wiki by expanding it!
    Note to editors: remember to always support the information you proved with external references!
    Gender neutral language

    The vast majority of Portuguese words have one of two grammatical genders: the feminine or the masculine. The creation and implementation of gender neutral terms in the Portuguese language aims to make non-binary people feel included. It is important to note that, in Portuguese, there’s a distinction between gender neutral language and inclusive language. Though the two overlap in some aspects, the latter makes use of already existing binary terms and its main goal is to include both men and women in conversations.[1] It comes as a response to the way Portuguese uses the masculine to encompass the feminine. This can be seen, for example, when groups are referred to with the masculine and plural form of a noun even when they’re not made-up exclusively of men.

    How the sentence "good night, everyone!" is traditionally said and what each category of language suggests as an alternative:
    Common language Gender neutral language Inclusive language
    Boa noite a todos! Boa noite a todes! Boa noite a todos e todas!

    This article will focus on gender neutral Portuguese language. While, in Portuguese, non-living things are also attributed a gender, that is not meant to change with the use of neutral language. The sentence "my chair is purple" would still be said like "a minha cadeira é roxa," in which cadeira is still a feminine noun and the article a, the possessive pronoun minha and the adjective roxa are also feminine. Moreover, words like pessoa ("person"), which are gendered but used to refer to anyone regardless of gender, remain the same and gender agreement is still expected in sentences that use them.[2]

    Language sets

    There are two established ways of representing language sets in the Portuguese language. The first one, ela/dela follows the same format as the English "she/her," however, it is very incomplete. In Portuguese, word endings indicate gender, so the format ela/dela/-a was suggested as an alternative. Though this format is more complete than the previous one, it has been criticized. Some of the criticisms are that it doesn't take the particularities of the Portuguese language into account; that the other elements in the language that indicate gender, like articles and demonstrative pronouns, should also be declared and that article and word ending choice are unrelated to pronoun choice. For these reasons, the recommended representation is a/ela/a, which follows the format article/pronoun/word ending.[3] An even more complete version of this format would be a/uma/da/ela/dela/minha/essa/a.[4] Note that, because pronouns aren't the only language elements that indicate gender in Portuguese, some people suggest calling these sets language sets instead of pronoun sets.

    Pronouns

    In Portuguese, there are two standard personal pronouns for the third person singular and two for the third person plural. Ela is equivalent to the English "she" and ele is equivalent to the English "he," while elas and eles are both equivalent to the English plural "they." Portuguese-speaking non-binary people who don't feel comfortable with these have had to come up with their own neopronouns.

    Ela and ele compared to some Portuguese neopronouns:[5][6][7]
    ela/e(s) ael(s) el(s) el@(s)* elu(s) elx(s)* ile(s) ilu(s)
    dela/e(s) dael(s) del(s) del@(s) delu(s) delx(s) dile(s) dilu(s)
    nela/e(s) nael(s) nel(s) nel@(s) nelu(s) nelx(s) nile(s) nilu(s)
    esta/e(s) estae(s)? est(s) est@(s) estu(s) estx(s) iste(s) istu(s)
    essa/e(s) essae(s)? ess(s) ess@(s) essu(s) essx(s) isse(s) issu(s)
    aquela/e(s) aquael(s) aquel(s) aquel@(s) aquelu(s) aquelx(s) aquile(s) aquilu(s)
    daquela/e(s) daquael(s) daquel(s) daquel@(s) daquelu(s) daquelx(s) daquile(s) daquilu(s)
    naquela/e(s) naquael(s) naquel(s) naquel@(s) naquelu(s) naquelx(s) naquile(s) naquilu(s)
    àquela/e(s) àquael(s) àquel(s) àquel@(s) àquelu(s) àquelx(s) àquile(s) àquilu(s)

    *The use of these sets has been increasingly discouraged for the following reasons: they aren't convenient for people who use screen readers; they can be hard to read for people with dyslexia; they aren't orally pronounceable.[8]

    See also

    References

    1. Folter, Regiane (9 March 2021). "Linguagem inclusiva e linguagem neutra: entenda a diferença!" [Inclusive language and neutral language: understand the difference!]. politize! (in Portuguese). Retrieved 20 June 2021.
    2. Valente, Pedro (13 April 2020). "Sistema Elu, Linguagem Neutra em Género" [Elu System, Language Neutral in Gender]. dezanove (in Portuguese). Retrieved 23 June 2021.
    3. "Motivos para não usar "pronome/d[pronome]" como indicação de conjuntos de linguagem" [Reasons not to use "pronoun/d[pronoun]" as an indication of language sets]. Amplifi.casa (in Portuguese). 20 September 2019. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
    4. "expansão do sistema artigo/pronome/final de palavra?" [expansion of the article/pronoun/word ending system?]. Fórum Orientando (in Portuguese). 23 May 2018. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
    5. Lobo, Cari; Gaigaia, V. "Linguagem não-binária ou neutra" [Non-binary or neutral language]. wikia (in Portuguese). Revised by Kumiho Lim. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
    6. "Pronome neutro de terceira pessoa" [Neutral third person pronoun]. Wikipedia (in Portuguese). Retrieved 21 June 2021.
    7. "Elementos de conjuntos de linguagem" [Elements of sets of language]. orientando (in Portuguese). Retrieved 21 June 2021.
    8. "NEUTRALIDADE DE GÉNERO NA LÍNGUA PORTUGUESA" [GENDER NEUTRALITY IN THE PORTUGUESE LANGUAGE]. ORGULHO GAY (in Portuguese). 17 October 2019. Retrieved 21 June 2021.

    External links