French neo-pronouns
Abstract
This paper addresses changes in the pronominal grammar of contemporary French. The use of the generic masculine in a grammar built on the masculine/feminine distinction has been criticized for rendering female and non-binary genders invisible. Speakers have created new linguistic practices to promote linguistic equality: inclusive language (écriture inclusive) and gender-neutral language (écriture neutre). This study focuses on neo-pronouns that convey inclusive and gender-neutral reference. The empirical data collected on X reflect linguistic responses to the ongoing evolution of gender representation in society. Their analysis leads to a semantic model of reference that captures the enriched pronominal grammar of gender and agreement in emerging varieties of French.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Gender Studies in Language
Linguistic Variation and Morphology
Linguistic and Sociocultural Studies
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Isogloss Open Journal of Romance Linguistics
- Publisher
- Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona
- Volume
- 12
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 1–30
- Publication date
- 2 February 2026
- Language
- EN