Abstract:
This thesis investigates the perceptions and use of gender-inclusive language in
Spanish among Spanish speakers living in the United States. The term inclusive language
encompasses a series of written and spoken strategies intended to provide more linguistic
options apart from the traditional use of the generic masculine, with the ultimate goal of
increasing the visibility and representation of people who identify as women and
nonbinary within the Spanish language. These strategies include “doubling”, or using
both the masculine and feminine form (e.g., los profesores y las profesoras, instead of los
profesores); replacing the terminal -o with a graphical symbol such as @, *, or x;
replacing the terminal -o with -e to neutralize gender; and/or the use of collective nouns
(e.g., el profesorado) to replace the use of the generic masculine form. Extant literature
about inclusive language in Spanish often analyzes the dynamics of the debate between
language academies and activists, however the opinions and uses of day-to-day Spanish
speakers are just beginning to be analyzed. Using survey and interview data, this thesis
intends add to the growing body of literature about inclusive language, providing insight into current perceptions and uses of inclusive language in Spanish by speakers of diverse
backgrounds.
