Gender-inclusive language

After discussing the more “standard” levels of analysis (vocabulary, terminology, morphosyntax, textuality, and layout), we will now shift our focus to an aspect of communication that has been gaining increasing importance: gender-inclusive language. The choice of resorting to gender-fair language not only impacts comprehensibility, but also, potentially, acceptability. Readers may be irritated if social conventions of their language and culture are not respected, i.e., if language is not respectful and women are not mentioned explicitly. However, they may also dislike certain very innovative or controversial strategies, like the use of a schwa in Italian.