Sociolinguistics

Högskolan Dalarna

English Sociolinguistics

Teacher Soraya Tahrani

The Introduction of a Gender Neutral Pronoun.

Autumn 2012

Viktor Nordgren

1988-07-13 8576

H10vikno

2012-11-28

Table of contents

Abstract

1. Introduction p.4

1.1 Aim p.4

2. Theoretical Background p.4

2.1 Languages and Gender p.4

2.2 Swedish and Hen p.4

3. Methodology and Data p.5

4. Data analysis and Results p.5

4.1 Different Usages p.5

4.2 Different ways of speaking p.5

4.3 Bigger than the word p.6

4.4 Results p.6

5. Conclusion p.6

References p.7

Appendix p.8

Abstract

This essay is about an introduction of a gender neutral pronoun. Gender issues and gender equality is something important in today's society. In Sweden a third pronoun has been introduced. It does not refer to he or she, it is hen. Due to the reactions this introduction has given rise to is this essay investigating men and women's opinion towards a gender neutral pronoun. Four people have been interviewed, they have been asked how a gender neutral pronoun can be used. Their results have then been compared in order to discover possible differences. Men and women had different views concerning the usage of a gender neural pronoun. For example, one informant said a gender neutral term could be used to refer to unborn children. Another informant said it should be used in referring to occupational terms. Nonetheless they agreed that the issue and the discussion hen has raised is very important. This essay provides initial thoughts about the introduction of a gender neutral pronoun

1.Introduction

The fact that men and women use language differently is not novel to the field of linguistics. “Popular opinion and academic work frequently describe women's way of speaking as...