Codification of new tendencies of using non-sexist language in Spanish

Abstract

At the end of 2009 the Royal Spanish Academy published the “New Grammar of the Spanish Language”, the first academic grammar since 1931. It is a collective, pan-hispanic, descriptive, normative, synthetic and practic grammar that combines traditions and innovations in the field of norms and standards. In the article we analyze new tendencies in the category of gender of Spanish animate nouns referred to persons in the “New Grammar of the Spanish Language” and nonsexist language critics. We studied different guidelines for non-sexist use of language published by state authorities and famous feminists. The Royal Spanish Academy refused to eliminate the generic masculine considering it to be an integral part of the language system, but it amplified the category of gender-specific job titles.