“Dekanesa” and “dekanica” – normative status Cover Image

“Dekanesa” i “dekanica” – normativni status
“Dekanesa” and “dekanica” – normative status

Author(s): Belkisa Dolić
Subject(s): Gender Studies, South Slavic Languages, Philology
Published by: Institut za jezik
Keywords: gender sensibility in language; nomina agentis et professionis; motion; normative manuals; the Bosnian language;

Summary/Abstract: Given that on a daily basis, both in the work environment and in media coverage, we witness the usage of three forms (dekan, dekanica, dekanesa) to denominate a female person as a faculty leader, of which only one is standard (the one in the so-called generic masculine form), we realized the need to nominate the form dekanica for standard word status in a subsequent normative handbook of the Bosnian language. We are encouraged by the established linguistic practice, the Law on Gender Equality in BiH (2010), the treatment of other members of the semantic group of academic titles / occupations / vocations / functions in the normative books of the Bosnian standard language of recent date, as well as the ever increasing frequency of the form dekanesa in public discourse, which is not acceptable for the Bosnian language for several reasons.

  • Issue Year: 2019
  • Issue No: 30
  • Page Range: 255-271
  • Page Count: 17
  • Language: Bosnian