THE PROBLEM OF EXPRESSING THE GENDER OF NAMES OF PROFESSIONS AND POSITIONS IN MODERN FRENCH

Abstract

The article is devoted to the current problems of language changes in expressing the category of the gender of names of professions and positions in the modern French language. This problem involves considering the correlation between the concepts of biological sex, gender and grammatical gender. It was previously believed that the gender reflects the sex difference between living creatures. Then they noticed that the expression of the gender in the language is formal. Later, the concept of gender acquired a social characterization. Some linguists believe that the formation of the feminine names of professions and positions is largely dictated by gender stereotypes.

The problem is also associated with several linguistic aspects. Firstly, the formation of the feminine gender of a certain nominative unit is not always possible, because it contradicts the internal language laws. Secondly, the generated form of the feminine can be homonymous with the existing word with a different meaning. Also, often the feminine forms of the names of professions and, especially, positions do not mean a woman who performs a certain activity, but the wife of a person who has a specified profession or position. In addition, in some cases the names of the professions or positions in the feminine gender can be used with an ironic or pejorative meaning. However, the development of society leads to increased participation of women in all fields of social and professional activity. This fact is reflected in the speech.

Dictionaries cannot fail to record these changes. However, different dictionaries reflect new forms in different ways. Moreover, the difference is observed in two cases when comparing dictionaries in France, and when comparing French dictionaries with dictionaries of other French-speaking countries. The article compares the French dictionaries with Canadian one. Many French dictionaries do not give the feminine form of the names of professions and positions, while the Canadian dictionary usually gives the feminine forms of the names of professions and positions without specific comments.