Gender and Language vs. Translation

Abstract

The paper deals with the identification of the main processes of ensuring gender equality in modern communication. The analysis of scientific works on this topic is carried out. The main tendencies in society that led to the emergence of the problem of gender asymmetry in the language and preceded the mutual influence of the problems of gender asymmetry with the language issue with examples in gender and gender non-oriented languages are identified; the main approaches to ensuring gender equality in languages are characterized in accordance with their grammatical structures. The processes of neutralization and feminization are determined with examples, as well as the characteristics of genderless languages are given. Using this macro-approach allows for the identification of general trends, but does not reveal the subtle differences between individual countries and languages. As such, we hope that this article will serve as a catalyst for future work to further explore how grammatical gender works in everyday communication and what the differences are in the use of grammatical gender in different languages. The article discusses the methods of ensuring gender equality in the Ukrainian language through feminization, in particular, the development and formation of feminitives in Ukrainian language and the features of their creation are determined. The problems in the translation industry, caused by tendencies towards gender equality, were described. While the current results indicate that there are differences in gender equality between countries with different grammatical gender language systems, they cannot answer the question of the process by which these differences arise or whether language systems play a causal role. Moreover, while language can play an important role in promoting gender equality and eliminating gender asymmetries, and language reform can be a fruitful way to improve the representation of women's rights in androcentric languages, it is important to remember that language change must first be accompanied by social and political adjustments in order to truly solve the existing problems of gender inequality.