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The noun “professor” exists in the Serbian language and is actively used by its speakers, so I see no reason for it to be rude and unknown to me. I can’t say that one is closer to the other because both words exist in everyday speech, but if you ask me which one I would like to use as my title, then it would be the noun “professor”, says Dr. Valentina Bošković Marković for “Vesti” , author of the monograph “Women in Language: Fighters”.
He explains whether the adopted law promotes the Serbian language or is directed against it:
– I assume that the question refers to those articles of the Law that are related to the use of gender-sensitive language. It is important to note that gender-sensitive language is not only the use of feminine nouns, as erroneously stated in the media, but also the avoidance of gender-discriminatory speech and portrayal of the feminine in a negative context “Settler”, “smaračica”, the representation of women through their appearance, not deeds, and the like). I think that the media and educational institutions play an important role in shaping the attitudes of our youth, so it is good to have a law according to which textbooks will be written equally for women and men who, for example, marked our history, literature, art… So, I could say that the Law improves the position of women in language. On the other hand, penal provisions can be counterproductive and create in the public an unnecessary aversion to something that already exists in the Serbian language, and these are the names of occupations in the form of masculine and feminine. I would not say that such nouns are directed against the Serbian language, because, if so, we would certainly not use them in everyday speech, and we use them not only since the Law exists, but since there are women who engage in certain occupations (eg teacher, professor, writer, athlete…).
Language can be changed in several ways and there are several linguistic theories about it, our interlocutor points out.
– The one that has been respected in Serbian society for years is the structuralist theory, according to which language must be standardized by an appropriate institution and according to which the only thing that is important in language is its structure, and not the needs of speakers. However, according to the theory of language activity, language changes and adapts to the needs of society, so it is quite logical to introduce neologisms, even those such as “fighter”, “psychological” and the like. The moment there is a need in the language for such terms, it is certainly justified that they exist, and therefore to stand up.
There are no neutral expressions
We shape language, but it also shapes us, how much are we aware of that?
– As Vidouson says, “no language use is ideologically neutral.” In other words, everything we say is a reflection of some of our ideology, whether we are aware of it or not. Ideologies can change over the years, but according to the research presented in my monograph “Women in Language: Fighters or Fighters?” Gender ideology is harder to change, therefore we have discussions on the topic of gender – points out Dr. Valentina Boskovic Markovic.
Natural flow
– There will be language changes as long as the language exists, there is no dilemma. When the need for changes arises, I believe that they will come naturally, as has been the case many times so far. What they will be will largely depend on social achievements, but also on our language policy – says our interlocutor.
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