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在英语中使用性别包容的词汇和说法

本文根据联合国网站上的Guidelines for gender-inclusive language in English 总结而来,例子来源于该页面。

 

选择说法的时候要考虑:

  • 谈话的类型(正式与否,友好还是严峻等,书面还是口语)、上下文、受众和目的。
  • 可读性。
  • 在整个沟通过程中变换使用多种说法。

英语中表示性别的词只有几个,代词和所有格,以及部分名词和称呼方式。多数名词不区分性别,比如teacher和president。而一些名词区分,比如actor/actress,waiter/waitress。有些词以man结尾,但是现在已经有更好的表达方式,比如police officer 代替policeman/policewoman, spokesperson 代替spokesman, chair/chairperson 代替chairman。

真正的困难是让自己做到默认使用更具包容性的说法,形成习惯。

范本和策略:

称呼。如果不确定,使用Ms.而不是Mrs.,前者无论婚姻状况如何都适用。如果可以,请查找相关的文档确认合适的称呼,或者询问当事人如何称呼。有多个当事人的,应当对所有人一视同仁,例如都表明身份、职位、领域和全名。

反面示例:”Professor Smith (对男性使用了姓氏和职称) and Madeline (对女性使用名) will attend the luncheon.”

正面示例:”Professor Smith and Professor Jones will attend the luncheon (都使用姓氏和职称).”

避免使用性别相关或者可能强化性别固有印象的说法:

歧视性的样例:

“She throws/runs/fights like a girl.”指女性柔弱无力。

“In a manly way.”指男性更有气势。

“Oh, that’s women’s work.”指女性应当那么做,男性没有相关的责任。

“Thank you to the ladies for making the room more beautiful.”指女性和室内装点布置相关。

“Men just don’t understand.”指男性不具备同情心。

 

反面样例:”Guests are cordially invited to attend with their wives.”默认了邀请的客人是男性,女性是附带参加的,同时也限制于异性婚姻。

正面样例:”Guests are cordially invited to attend with their partners.”没有性别、婚姻和性取向的隐含限制。

 

如何判断自己的说法是否歧视?把性别转换一下试试。下面的句子是有歧视性的:

  • “Women should not seek out leadership positions.”
  • “Men cannot do two things at the same time.”

在沟通的内容相关的时候,指明性别:

第一种方法是使用成对的含有性别信息的代词例如he or she; her or his,但在英语中建议不要过度使用,一面扰乱读者思绪。在特别严谨和准确的地方可能不适合,比如法律文书(只规定男女,那么变性人、双性人怎么办?)。

使用成对的性别词的时候可以在段落中轮换先后顺序,但不要在一句话或者一个短语内轮换,以免让句子难以理解。好的例子:

“When a staff member accepts an offer of employment, he or she must be able to assume that the offer is duly authorized. To qualify for payment of the mobility incentive, she or he must have five years’ prior continuous service on a fixed-term or continuing appointment.”

 

有时候需要强调性别,从而达到强调将包含每个人,那么使用单独的两个词并列在一起,例如:

“Boys and girls should attend the first cooking class with their parents.”

“All of the soldiers, both men and women, responded negatively to question 5 in the survey.”

都强调”无论男性还是女性”,明确地表明二者没有差别。

 

沟通的内容和性别无关的时候不要出现性别信息:

使用中性词,例如把”Mankind”换成”Humankind”, “humanity”, “human race”,不用”Man-made”而用”Artificial”, “human-caused”。

反面样例:”Plans to outsource some 19 services have not proceeded at the anticipated pace, as there are significant manpower shortages.”

正面样例:”Plans to outsource some 19 services have not proceeded at the anticipated pace, as there are significant staffing shortages.””

 

使用负数代词也可以避免性别。在电子邮件等非正式场合,使用复数形式的词汇可以轻松保证性别包容。在正式的场合不建议这样做。

例如: “Before submitting your document, send it to the focal point for their review; they will return it to you with comments.”

使用one做代词:

反面案例:”A staff member in Antarctica earns less than he would in New York.”

正面案例:“A staff member in Antarctica earns less than one in New York.”

使用who

反面案例:“If a complainant is not satisfied with the board’s decision, he can ask for a rehearing.”

正面案例:”A complainant who is not satisfied with the board’s decision can ask for a rehearing.”

很多时候性别词是可以直接去掉的:

反面案例:”Requests the Emergency Relief Coordinator to continue his/her efforts to strengthen the coordination of humanitarian assistance.”

正面案例:”Requests the Emergency Relief Coordinator to continue efforts to strengthen the coordination of humanitarian assistance.”

反面案例:”A person must reside continuously in the Territory for 20 years before he may apply for permanent residence.”

正面案例:”A person must reside continuously in the Territory for 20 years before applying for permanent residence.”

 

使用被动语态。虽然被动语态常常会改变句子的强调部分,应该避免使用,但是确实是一种避免性别特征的方法:

反面案例:”The author of a communication must have direct and reliable evidence of the situation he is describing.”

正面案例:”The author of a communication must have direct and reliable evidence of the situation being described.”

 

联合国的网站上还有一些其它的有用的连接,例如测验。

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