Page 105 - Šolsko polje, XXXI, 2020, 5-6: Teaching Feminism, ed. Valerija Vendramin
P. 105
inism and Gender-Neutral Language:
Between Systems and Effects
Mojca Šorli, Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana,
and Institute for Slovenian Literature and Literary Studies ZRC SAZU,
Ljubljana, Slovenia
As much as a glimpse into the prevailing cultural patterns, within which
current gendered social-linguistic bickering takes place, can also con-
tribute to a tolerant and inclusive discussion of “linguistic subversion”
(Jogan, 2018).
The power of form /…/ is that very symbolic power that enables power
to fully realise itself by concealing itself as power and letting everyone
acknowledge it, approve of it, and accept it precisely because it appeared
as universal – a universality of mind and morals (Bourdieu, 2001, trans-
lation by M. Š.).
Introduction
While the first quote refers to “bickering”, as some have labelled
the public discussion that took place in 2018 and 2019 about
gender‑neutral language and how to limit its androcentricity,
the second quote answers some key questions about the relation between
the symbolic and the universal, on the one hand, and the distribution of
social power, on the other. These questions are also central to discrimina-
tion in language as part of a wide range of aspects of inequality and social
marginalisation of individual groups. The present article and the author’s
previous work on gender-neutral language in Slovenia are the result of no-
ticing that on the discursive level, especially in less formal discourse, but
also in institutionalised discussions about gender and language, the rights
of socially disadvantaged groups are all too often disrespected, including
https://doi.org/10.32320/1581-6044.31(5-6)103-120 103
Original scientific article
Between Systems and Effects
Mojca Šorli, Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana,
and Institute for Slovenian Literature and Literary Studies ZRC SAZU,
Ljubljana, Slovenia
As much as a glimpse into the prevailing cultural patterns, within which
current gendered social-linguistic bickering takes place, can also con-
tribute to a tolerant and inclusive discussion of “linguistic subversion”
(Jogan, 2018).
The power of form /…/ is that very symbolic power that enables power
to fully realise itself by concealing itself as power and letting everyone
acknowledge it, approve of it, and accept it precisely because it appeared
as universal – a universality of mind and morals (Bourdieu, 2001, trans-
lation by M. Š.).
Introduction
While the first quote refers to “bickering”, as some have labelled
the public discussion that took place in 2018 and 2019 about
gender‑neutral language and how to limit its androcentricity,
the second quote answers some key questions about the relation between
the symbolic and the universal, on the one hand, and the distribution of
social power, on the other. These questions are also central to discrimina-
tion in language as part of a wide range of aspects of inequality and social
marginalisation of individual groups. The present article and the author’s
previous work on gender-neutral language in Slovenia are the result of no-
ticing that on the discursive level, especially in less formal discourse, but
also in institutionalised discussions about gender and language, the rights
of socially disadvantaged groups are all too often disrespected, including
https://doi.org/10.32320/1581-6044.31(5-6)103-120 103
Original scientific article
