An example of Feminazi in action

[Aunt Spiker]

Some of that nonsense has started to invade Spanish too. You will now see a huge proliferation of the @ sign in Spanish writing, especially in government texts. As you probably know, most masculine words in Spanish end in 'e' or 'o' and feminine words in 'a'. The general convention, no doubt one born of sexism, is that the plural takes the male form such that 'perro' means dog, 'perra' means bitch/female dog and 'perros' means dogs plural. Now we are meant to write 'perr@s'.

The new orthodoxy covers almost everything, certainly all living things, so you now see this ugly little symbol, which can't decide whether it's upper- or lower-case, which sits towards the end of a word like a cow pat on a wedding dress, everywhere. To me it's more unsightly than a wind farm. Teachers are now 'profesor@s', company boards are composed of 'director@s', TV is filled with 'presentador@s' and 'músic@s', 'bailaor@s' and 'cómic@s'. You now receive circulars from the town hall beginning, "Estimad@s Compañer@s". I don't know anyone who doesn't find it annoying and ugly, but its use is increasing month by month, year by year.

That is messed up - but absolutely fascinating at the same time.

I've never before had someone explain anything about their language in another country. In my cultural anthropology class (years ago) we spent a lot of time learning about how gender oriented languages may or may not shape how we view gender. In nations which don't emphasize gender (like English) as much - using only occasional words that are different (actor vs actress, tailor vs seamstress) don't view things in a gender-minded way. Things are more like to be 'it' and 'neutral gender' rather than 'male or female' (and by things - it was 'spoons, forks, plates, cups, houses, cars, trucks). Those coming from gender-minded languages tend to assign gender to these same objects. spoons are female, forks are male, etc etc.

All very fascinating - I never could grasp Spanish. If you don't know something's or someone's gender how are you supposed to refer to it? Drove me nuts. LOL

The problem overall, for me, is why do people care THAT much - what is so offensive about words that drives people to this extreme and then pushes them to do it universally? do we need to rewrite the dictionary, too?

I don't mind being a female - and would gouge out my eyes if they start writing femail or femaille.

 

[Andalublue]

All very fascinating - I never could grasp Spanish. If you don't know something's or someone's gender how are you supposed to refer to it? Drove me nuts. LOL

Guess. You'll be right 50% of the time.

The problem overall, for me, is why do people care THAT much - what is so offensive about words that drives people to this extreme and then pushes them to do it universally? do we need to rewrite the dictionary, too?

They care for the reason you state; so that people stop thinking in that gender-driven way when gender is really irrelevant. It's not the intention that bugs me so much, but the method of achieving it. Why not use a symbol that is a real letter, like å, ø or æ.

 

[Aunt Spiker]

Guess. You'll be right 50% of the time.

They care for the reason you state; so that people stop thinking in that gender-driven way when gender is really irrelevant. It's not the intention that bugs me so much, but the method of achieving it. Why not use a symbol that is a real letter, like å, ø or æ.

That's so much more extreme than writing womyn. OI! Reshaping every single element in a language? Wouldn't it be easier to just push to use a new language? LOL . . . Oh - I feel bad for you.

 

[Andalublue]

That's so much more extreme than writing womyn. OI! Reshaping every single element in a language? Wouldn't it be easier to just push to use a new language? LOL . . . Oh - I feel bad for you.

Don't. I love speaking, reading and writing Spanish. It was always one of my life ambitions to become fluent in another language and that's just about achieved. Silly stuff like this is nothing more than annoying little buzzing noise.

I do think that within a century or two Spanish will have lost gender. Frankly, I don't think it's quite as annoying to language learners as English spelling must be. Now that really does make no effing sense whatsoever.