GENDER SENSITIVE LANGUAGE IN THE MACEDONIAN JOB ADVERTISEMENTS
Abstract
In the past few years, there is an intensified gender sensitive language discussion in Macedonia as well, which increases the women’s visibility and overcomes the patriarchial pattern according to which the male has a superior and the female inferior role.
This paper poses two research questions: Whether the gender sensitive language is used in the job advertisements? and What type of gender sensitive language is used when certain occupation is advertised? The aim is to get general insights of the gender sensitive language used in the advertisements, bearing in mind that they use nouns which denote occupations and describe the preferred characteristic of the persons. The sample consists of 500 job advertisements, and the analysis includes the coding and the general qualitative inductive-interpretative method.
The results show that most job advertisements use the generic masculine form which contributes to the woman’s invisibility in the society. The same counts for the additional information on the conditions that a person should fulfill and his characteristics, which are also given in masculine. The results point to the smaller number of advertisements in which the feminine noun is used, which additionally affects the woman’s underrepresentation in the society. Yet, there are advertisements which use the feminine forms, independently or in word pairs and the gender neutral noun person. This indicates that there is an increased consciousness for gender neutral language through the language as well.
Keywords: gender sensitive language; job advertisements.
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References
Латиница
Agius, S., & Tobler, C. (2012). Trans and intersex people: discrimination on the grounds of sex, gender identity and gender expression. Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Union.
Bem, S. J., & Bem, D. J. (1973). Does sex-biased job advertising “aid and abet” sex discrimination? Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 3, 6–18. doi:10.1111/j.1559-1816.1973.tb01290.x, https://tinyurl.com/4e8kn5fn, 15.1.2024.
Bojarska, K. (2011). Wpływ androcentrycznych i inkluzywnych płciowo konstrukcji językowych na skojarzenia z płcią [Influence of androcentric and gender-inclusive lexical constructions on gender-associational responses]. Studia Psychologiczne, 49, 53–68. doi:10.2478/v10167-011-0010-y, https://tinyurl.com/4uw36dvc, 17.1.2024.
Cameron, D. (2005). Language, gender and sexuality: current issues and new directions. Applied Linguistics, 26(4), 482–502, https://bit.ly/3Lf8KgB, 23.12.2023.
Crawford, M., & English, L. (1984). Generic versus specific inclusion of women in language: Effects on recall. Journal of Psycholinguistic Research, 13, 373–381. doi:10.1007/BF01068152, https://tinyurl.com/2rfm6svr, 18.1.2024.
Deutcher, G. (2010). Does your language shape how you think? The New York Time Magazine, https://nyti.ms/3K1mhYG. 29.12.2023.
Doleschal, U., & Schmid, S. (2001). Doing gender in Russian, structure and perspective. In H. Bußmann & M. Hellinger. (eds.) Gender across Languages vol. 1. John Benjamins Publishing Company, 253–282, https://bit.ly/3LloUFv, 20.12.2023.
Doleschal, U. (2015). Gender in Slovenian. In M. Hellinger & H. Motschenbacher (eds.) Gender across Languages, vol. 4. Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing Company, https://bit.ly/36LAg6A, 15.12.2023.
Gabriel, U., Gygax, P., Sarrasin, O., Garnham, A., & Oakhill, J. (2008). Au pairs are rarely male: Norms on the gender perception of role names across English, French, and German. Behavior Research Methods, 40, 206–212. doi:10.3758/BRM.40.1.206, https://tinyurl.com/y7tujdez, 2.1.2024.
Gaucher, D., Friesen, J., & Kay, C. A. (2011). Evidence that gendered wording in job advertisements exists and sustains gender inequality. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 101(1), 109–128. American Psychological Association. doi: 10.1037/a0022530, https://tinyurl.com/5ndek7tp, 21.1.2024.
Graddol, D., & Swann, J. (1989). Gender voices. Oxford: Blackwell.
Hardie, А. (2016). Corpus linguistics. In Keith Allan, ed., The Routledge handbook of linguistics (502–515). Routledge.
Harding, T., & Whitehead, D. (2016). Analyzing data in qualitative research. In Z. Schneider & D. Whitehead Dean (eds.) Nursing and midwifery research: methods and appraisal for evidence-based practice. Elsevier, 5th ed.,.ch. 8, https://bit.ly/3tFUoA3, 1.12.2023.
Heise, E. (2000). Sind Frauen mitgemeint? Eine empirische Untersuchung zum Verständnis des generischen Maskulinums und seiner Alternativen [Are women included? An empirical study on the interpretation of masculine generics and their alternatives]. Sprache und Kognition - Zeitschrift für Sprach- & Kognitionspsychologie und ihre Grenzgebiete, 19, 3–13. doi:10.1024//0253-4533.19.12.3, https://tinyurl.com/y2e32tbv, 10.1.2024.
Hodel, L., Formanowicz, M., Sczesny, S., Valdrová, J., & Von Stockhausen, L. (2017). Gender-fair language in job advertisements: A cross-linguistic and cross-cultural analysis. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology 48(3) 384–401. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022022116688085, https://tinyurl.com/39ecpvve, 12.1.2024.
Holmes, J. (2013). An introduction to sociolinguistics 4th ed. Routledge. https://bit.ly/3iuKxqy, 12.11.2023.
Horvath, L. K., & Sczesny, S. (2016). Reducing women’s lack of fit with leadership positions? Effects of the wording of job advertisements. European Journal of Work & Organizational Psychology, 25, 316–328. doi:10.1080/1359432X.2015.1067611, https://tinyurl.com/2pum3nx4, 13.1.2024.
Irmen, L. (2007). What’s in a (role) name? Formal and conceptual aspects of comprehending personal nouns. Journal of Psycholinguistic Research, 36, 431–456. doi:10.1007/s10936-007-9053-z, https://tinyurl.com/3tzd3yu5, 17.1.2024.
Janusheva, V. (2023). The gender-specific nouns denoting profession/role:The Мacedonian case. LLT Journal: A Journal on Language and Language Teaching, 26(1), 115–133. doi.org/10.24071/llt.v26i1.5645.
Kahlke, М. R. (2014). Generic qualitative approaches: pitfalls and benefits of methodological mixology. International Journal of Qualitative Methods 13(1), 37–52, https://bit.ly/3wF0gLG, 15.11.2023.
Lazović, V. (2008). Job titles in English and Serbian in light of the gender neutral language. Proceedings from the Conference English language and literature studies: Structures across cultures, 1, 263–272. Belgrade: Faculty of Philology, https://tinyurl.com/2vcy8wev, 13.12.2023.
Lincoln, S. Y., & Guba, G. E. (1985). Naturalistic inquiry. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage.
Maxwell, J. (2005). Qualitative research: an interactive design, 2nd ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Menegatti, M., & Rubini, M. (2017). Gender bias and sexism in language. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Communication, https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780190228613.013.470.
Sapir, E. (1986) Language, culture, and personality. Oakland, CA: University of California Press.
Spender, D. (1980). Man made language. London: Routledge and Paul.
Sunderland, J. (2006). Language and gender, an advanced resource book. Series eds. C. N. Candlin & R. Carter. Routledge Applied Linguistics. Routledge, https://bit.ly/3uhm79i, 18.10.2023.
Yin, K. R. (2011). Qualitative research from start to finish. The Guilford Press, https://bit.ly/3iAybwY, 10.9.2023.
Vervecken, D. (2012). The impact of gender fair language use on children’s gendered occupational beliefs and listeners’ perception on speakers. Doctoral dissertation, https://bit.ly/3ppr26m, 15.9.2023.
Кирилица
Национална класификација на занимањата. (2015). Скопје: Државен завод за статистика.
Стојаноска, М., Јанушева, В. (2023). Македонски родово чувствителен јазик. Палимпсест, 8(15), 95–105. doi.org/10.46763/PALIM23815095s.
Agius, S., & Tobler, C. (2012). Trans and intersex people: discrimination on the grounds of sex, gender identity and gender expression. Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Union.
Bem, S. J., & Bem, D. J. (1973). Does sex-biased job advertising “aid and abet” sex discrimination? Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 3, 6–18. doi:10.1111/j.1559-1816.1973.tb01290.x, https://tinyurl.com/4e8kn5fn, 15.1.2024.
Bojarska, K. (2011). Wpływ androcentrycznych i inkluzywnych płciowo konstrukcji językowych na skojarzenia z płcią [Influence of androcentric and gender-inclusive lexical constructions on gender-associational responses]. Studia Psychologiczne, 49, 53–68. doi:10.2478/v10167-011-0010-y, https://tinyurl.com/4uw36dvc, 17.1.2024.
Cameron, D. (2005). Language, gender and sexuality: current issues and new directions. Applied Linguistics, 26(4), 482–502, https://bit.ly/3Lf8KgB, 23.12.2023.
Crawford, M., & English, L. (1984). Generic versus specific inclusion of women in language: Effects on recall. Journal of Psycholinguistic Research, 13, 373–381. doi:10.1007/BF01068152, https://tinyurl.com/2rfm6svr, 18.1.2024.
Deutcher, G. (2010). Does your language shape how you think? The New York Time Magazine, https://nyti.ms/3K1mhYG. 29.12.2023.
Doleschal, U., & Schmid, S. (2001). Doing gender in Russian, structure and perspective. In H. Bußmann & M. Hellinger. (eds.) Gender across Languages vol. 1. John Benjamins Publishing Company, 253–282, https://bit.ly/3LloUFv, 20.12.2023.
Doleschal, U. (2015). Gender in Slovenian. In M. Hellinger & H. Motschenbacher (eds.) Gender across Languages, vol. 4. Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing Company, https://bit.ly/36LAg6A, 15.12.2023.
Gabriel, U., Gygax, P., Sarrasin, O., Garnham, A., & Oakhill, J. (2008). Au pairs are rarely male: Norms on the gender perception of role names across English, French, and German. Behavior Research Methods, 40, 206–212. doi:10.3758/BRM.40.1.206, https://tinyurl.com/y7tujdez, 2.1.2024.
Gaucher, D., Friesen, J., & Kay, C. A. (2011). Evidence that gendered wording in job advertisements exists and sustains gender inequality. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 101(1), 109–128. American Psychological Association. doi: 10.1037/a0022530, https://tinyurl.com/5ndek7tp, 21.1.2024.
Graddol, D., & Swann, J. (1989). Gender voices. Oxford: Blackwell.
Hardie, А. (2016). Corpus linguistics. In Keith Allan, ed., The Routledge handbook of linguistics (502–515). Routledge.
Harding, T., & Whitehead, D. (2016). Analyzing data in qualitative research. In Z. Schneider & D. Whitehead Dean (eds.) Nursing and midwifery research: methods and appraisal for evidence-based practice. Elsevier, 5th ed.,.ch. 8, https://bit.ly/3tFUoA3, 1.12.2023.
Heise, E. (2000). Sind Frauen mitgemeint? Eine empirische Untersuchung zum Verständnis des generischen Maskulinums und seiner Alternativen [Are women included? An empirical study on the interpretation of masculine generics and their alternatives]. Sprache und Kognition - Zeitschrift für Sprach- & Kognitionspsychologie und ihre Grenzgebiete, 19, 3–13. doi:10.1024//0253-4533.19.12.3, https://tinyurl.com/y2e32tbv, 10.1.2024.
Hodel, L., Formanowicz, M., Sczesny, S., Valdrová, J., & Von Stockhausen, L. (2017). Gender-fair language in job advertisements: A cross-linguistic and cross-cultural analysis. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology 48(3) 384–401. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022022116688085, https://tinyurl.com/39ecpvve, 12.1.2024.
Holmes, J. (2013). An introduction to sociolinguistics 4th ed. Routledge. https://bit.ly/3iuKxqy, 12.11.2023.
Horvath, L. K., & Sczesny, S. (2016). Reducing women’s lack of fit with leadership positions? Effects of the wording of job advertisements. European Journal of Work & Organizational Psychology, 25, 316–328. doi:10.1080/1359432X.2015.1067611, https://tinyurl.com/2pum3nx4, 13.1.2024.
Irmen, L. (2007). What’s in a (role) name? Formal and conceptual aspects of comprehending personal nouns. Journal of Psycholinguistic Research, 36, 431–456. doi:10.1007/s10936-007-9053-z, https://tinyurl.com/3tzd3yu5, 17.1.2024.
Janusheva, V. (2023). The gender-specific nouns denoting profession/role:The Мacedonian case. LLT Journal: A Journal on Language and Language Teaching, 26(1), 115–133. doi.org/10.24071/llt.v26i1.5645.
Kahlke, М. R. (2014). Generic qualitative approaches: pitfalls and benefits of methodological mixology. International Journal of Qualitative Methods 13(1), 37–52, https://bit.ly/3wF0gLG, 15.11.2023.
Lazović, V. (2008). Job titles in English and Serbian in light of the gender neutral language. Proceedings from the Conference English language and literature studies: Structures across cultures, 1, 263–272. Belgrade: Faculty of Philology, https://tinyurl.com/2vcy8wev, 13.12.2023.
Lincoln, S. Y., & Guba, G. E. (1985). Naturalistic inquiry. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage.
Maxwell, J. (2005). Qualitative research: an interactive design, 2nd ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Menegatti, M., & Rubini, M. (2017). Gender bias and sexism in language. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Communication, https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780190228613.013.470.
Sapir, E. (1986) Language, culture, and personality. Oakland, CA: University of California Press.
Spender, D. (1980). Man made language. London: Routledge and Paul.
Sunderland, J. (2006). Language and gender, an advanced resource book. Series eds. C. N. Candlin & R. Carter. Routledge Applied Linguistics. Routledge, https://bit.ly/3uhm79i, 18.10.2023.
Yin, K. R. (2011). Qualitative research from start to finish. The Guilford Press, https://bit.ly/3iAybwY, 10.9.2023.
Vervecken, D. (2012). The impact of gender fair language use on children’s gendered occupational beliefs and listeners’ perception on speakers. Doctoral dissertation, https://bit.ly/3ppr26m, 15.9.2023.
Кирилица
Национална класификација на занимањата. (2015). Скопје: Државен завод за статистика.
Стојаноска, М., Јанушева, В. (2023). Македонски родово чувствителен јазик. Палимпсест, 8(15), 95–105. doi.org/10.46763/PALIM23815095s.
Published
2024-08-24
How to Cite
Janusheva, V. (2024). GENDER SENSITIVE LANGUAGE IN THE MACEDONIAN JOB ADVERTISEMENTS. PALIMPSEST / ПАЛИМПСЕСТ, 9(17), 35-45. https://doi.org/10.46763/PALIM24917035j
Section
ЈАЗИК / LANGUAGE
