I just received a letter signed by several readers, which I think deserves to be published here, obviously, and not in the comments. It adds to the comment of another reader (Ivana Palomba) to my previous intervention, and contributes to the debate on linguistic sexism in this intervention I hoped he could start, and which, hopefully, will still be many men and women to participate.
Massimo Arcangeli
To editors, to editors, the readers and the readers of the Republic
We invite you to reflect on a subject about which the media can have a major influence. In recent days, two major inserts in this newspaper, appeared disrespectful expressions of "gender equality". The first is the blog of Professor Arcangeli, who, when asked by a professional on how to use professional titles for women, recommended that expressions such as " minister "and second, even more incredibly, is the appeal of women" for a republic that respects ", the signatories, illustrious citizens of this country, are defined: the mayor, deputy, Commander, and they are all women.
Now, Italian grammar is very clear: the names in-form or in the feminine-a. Boy / girlfriend, teacher / teacher. You would say why the teacher? Either the home? Or the man nurse? And then: ministers, lawyers, mayors, deputy. If someone 'sounds wrong', it means that there is a prejudice, a stereotype that is emerging. It is not the word to be funny, is its meaning. The grammar is clear, then the problem is not the form, but that to which it refers. We are not used to these words for women because women have never held those positions. Now that the ministers, lawyers and architects are there, we use the right words, because the exception of the word (a male name with a feminine article) refers to the exceptional nature of meaning: as long as we use expressions to indicate abnormal women, their presence in positions of prestige and perpetuated will always be perceived as an anomaly.
It is not enough: we know that if it sounds bad mayor, the mayors sounds terrible, but that does not mean it's wrong, and indeed, this is confirmation of what has just said if the mayor is rare and it is hard to find one in the singular, imagine how many possibilities there are to use this name in the plural! And unless you use it, it sounds more strano.Quindi, courage, begin to use it!
Word choice is important because the language in which we express our thought conveys. We are not racists, and our words are consistent with our thinking. We are not even sexist, and not our words should not be!
never called "nigger" a friend of your color? And the person who cleans the house, would call "servant / or"? And the garbage collector, that every morning shall bear the thankless task of cleaning the streets, monnezzaro would call it? Clearly not, because we have developed an awareness that these words are the bearers of prejudice and we have knowingly, intentionally replaced with more environmentally friendly, with the help of institutions and the media, including print, exactly.
For over two decades, scholars and Italian scholars addressing the problem of linguistic sexism and conclude with the words of one of them, Alma Sabatini: "When we are ashamed of being seen as" sexist "many changes here hope will become reality" normal. "
The change can be encouraged, if you believe in them: this letter is our small contribution.
POSTSCRIPT: For questions relating to women's language, there is a great tool: the female gender in today: the provision and use, created by Cecilia Robustelli, Professor of Italian Linguistics at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia , commissioned by the Directorate General for Translation of the European Commission in 2007.
Signed by a group of readers and players otherwise engaged in the fields of school education and university education, scientific research, culture and communication:
Raffaella Ancona, Professor of Italian and Latin at the Liceo Scientifico in Rome
Rossana Annacondia , Professor of literary subjects, Latin and greek - Liceo "Virgilio" in Rome
Maria Antonietta Berardi, Head TA at the CNR-IBF
Francesca Brezzi, Professor of Moral Philosophy, "Roma Tre"
Marcella Corsi, "Sapienza" University of Rome
Livia De Pietro, Professor of Literature and Literary Criticism
Aureliana Di Rollo, Professors High School "Foscolo" Albano L. Maria Pia
Ercolini, Professor of Geography, IIS "Falcone" in Rome
Renata Grieco Nobile, Professor, School of Riano
Alessandro Gentilini, Adjunct Professor at the University "La Sapienza" of Rome
Simona Luciani, Professors, High School "John F. Kennedy in Rome
Nadia Meeks, Professor of Italian and Latin in High School" Socrates "of Bari
Rosanna Oliva, President of" looking tired "
Nocentini Maria, Professor of Italian and Latin at the high school," Joyce "Ariccia (Rome )
Cristina Sanna Com Equal Opportunity University of Tor Vergata
Sapegno Maria Serena, Professor of Italian Literature 'Sapienza' University of Rome
Ilaria Tanga, Radiology, General Hospital "Paolo Colombo Velletri
Maria Cristina Doormat Professor of humanities, Latin and greek, Liceo "Montale" in Rome
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