'Snippa'

Abstract

Second wave feminist linguistics has investigated sexist language practices. In Sweden it has often been claimed there is no neutral word for girls’ genitals. The article describes a feminist language reform aimed at establishing the word snippa as a neutral word for the female genitals. Snippa now seems to be one of the most common words to denote girls’ genitals, is included in dictionaries and used in printed books. The article discusses what made this reform successful and also considers whether the word is really the neutral word feminists were asking for. But despite the success of the reform, what to name the female genitalia is still being discussed. It is argued that these metalinguistic discussions are influenced by culturally constructed images of female sexuality, and part of the larger project of discussing and questioning images of female sexuality and women’s place in society.

Strategies for inclusion and equality – ‘norm-critical’ sex education in Sweden

“…Another example of the micro politics of choosing particular words concerned the urgency of finding suitable words for female genitalia, a question which has been stressed in several contexts over the years (Milles 2011). The problem that was firmly addressed was primarily the risk of mystifying or reproducing an inability to speak about female genitals at all.…”

“…The problem that was firmly addressed was primarily the risk of mystifying or reproducing an inability to speak about female genitals at all. In classes, we noted a variety of terms such as 'vagina', mutta (the latter translates into cunt or pussy) and snippa, a term launched by feminist sex educators in the early 2000s, now widely spread and accepted as a neutral and colloquial name for the female genitals, as a counterpart to the male snopp ('willy') (Milles 2011, see also Sherlock 2015). In the education classes these terms were used synonymously, though it was suggested that some were more appropriate when visiting a pharmacy and others when speaking among friends and partners.…”

Resolving a gender and language problem in women’s leadership: Consultancy research in workplace discourse

“…Roberts and Sarangi 2003). Increasingly, direct problem-solving using this approach is happening in various applied linguistic fields such as second language learning (Burns 2010); feminist language planning (Milles 2011); health settings (Roberts 2003); speech and language therapy (e.g. Litosseliti and Leadbetter 2013); forensic linguistics (e.g.…”

“…Burns, 2010), feminist language planning (e.g. Milles, 2011), health settings (e.g. Roberts, 2003), speech and language therapy (e.g.…”