Le français non‐binaire: Linguistic forms used by non‐binary speakers of French

Abstract

The Challenge L2 educators strive to create inclusive classrooms for students of all genders. However, a lack of resources on gender non-binary language forms limits the ability to fully realize inclusion. How can all L2 identities be made sayable? How can teaching to and about non-binary speakers support inclusivity and competence development?

Gender Bias in Machine Translation

“…Accordingly, MT models could be brought to avoid binary forms and move toward gender-unspecified solutions, for example, adversarial networks including a discriminator that classifies speaker's linguistic expression of gender (masculine or feminine) could be employed to ''neutralize'' speakerrelated forms (Li et al, 2018;Delobelle et al, 2020). Conversely, Direct Non-binary Language (DNL) aims at increasing the visibility of nonbinary individuals via neologisms and neomorphemes (Bradley et al, 2019;Papadopoulos, 2019;Knisely, 2020). With DNL starting to circulate (Shroy, 2016;Santiago, 2018;López, 2019), the community is presented with the opportunity to promote the creation of inclusive data.…”

Queer is as Queer Does: Queer L2 Pedagogy in Teacher Education

“…Although transrelated scholarship addresses translingualism and transdisciplinarity, there is still a paucity of attention in TESOL and world language education related to transgender issues, nonbinary, nongender conforming, and lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals (e.g., Knisely, 2021; Nelson, 2006; Paiz, 2019). This is not surprising, however, as language education has been described as a mostly “heterosexual space” in relation to the curriculum, pedagogy, materials, and research (Nelson, 2006).…”

“…This is not surprising, however, as language education has been described as a mostly “heterosexual space” in relation to the curriculum, pedagogy, materials, and research (Nelson, 2006). Despite the dearth of attention to transgender issues and gender nonconforming individuals, Knisely’s (2021) study of nonbinary speakers of French draws attention to how learning nonbinary language fosters an awareness of “inclusivity, co‐cultures, language attitudes, and power” (p. 872). Moreover, this line of inquiry extends previous scholarship related to queer theory and issues of sexual/gender diversity in language education.…”

“What do they say in Quebec?”

“…A small number of scholars and bloggers (Hord 2016;LVEQ 2016LVEQ , 2017Kosnick 2019;Bolter 2019;Knisely 2020) have examined the question of how neutral French is being used, analyzing gender-neutrality in French literature and conducting surveys in non-binary communities. These studies measure which of the recommended neologisms cited above are used the most by speakers.…”

“…explains that, in the French-Canadian context, there has been a general lack of awareness of non-binary identities outside of militant circles even if many recommendations have been put forth, including neologisms, to encourage non-binary and neutral language in French (henceforth called neutral French). These neologisms are increasingly used by members of queer/non-binary communities in writing (Hord 2016;LVEQ 2016LVEQ 2017Knisely 2020), and present in a variety of ways. For example, we can see the emergence of the gender-neutral clitics "ille", "al", and "iel", this last one a blend of the traditional gendered third person pronouns il 'he' and elle 'she'.…”