Spanish Bid For Gender Neutral Constitution Sparks Row
Mohammad Ali (@ChaudhryMAli88) Published July 16, 2018 | 06:00 PM
Spain's Socialist government is seeking to erase gender bias in the constitution but the head of the Royal Spanish Academy, the custodian of the language, on Monday said the plan was unworkable.
Madrid, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 16th Jul, 2018 ) :Spain's Socialist government is seeking to erase gender bias in the constitution but the head of the Royal Spanish Academy, the custodian of the language, on Monday said the plan was unworkable.
Last week, Deputy Prime Minister Carmen Calcvo asked the Academy to study updating the 1978 constitution with "inclusive" language.
"We have a constitution in the masculine which dates back to 40 years ago," she said, noting that it referred to "ministers and deputies" with the male form of the noun.
The traditional Spanish use of male pronouns and noun forms to refer to both genders collectively has raised the hackles of some, who say it makes women invisible.
But Dario Villaneuva, the head of the Royal Spanish Academy, on Monday told El Pais newspaper: "The problem is confusing grammar with machismo.
" "Languages are governed by the principle of economy. The systematic use of duplicate words destroys this.
"Some false solutions have been proposed like replacing the end of a word with E in place of the (masculine) O and the (feminine) A but this appears to me to be absurd, ridiculous and absolutely unworkable." However one member of the academy, Arturo Perez-Reverte, has already threatened to resign over the issue.
When a user on Twitter suggested he should storm out in protest if the proposal went ahead, he replied: "You have my word.""The reaction of Arturo Perez-Reverte, who has placed the cart before the horse, has not helped in easing tensions," Villanueva said.
Related Topics
Recent Stories
Badar Shahbaz Warraich appointed as PM’s media coordinator
Finance Minister rules out rupee devaluation in talks with IMF
National team determined for good performance against New Zealand: Babar Azam
Currency Rate In Pakistan - Dollar, Euro, Pound, Riyal Rates On 18 April 2024
Today Gold Rate in Pakistan 18 April 2024
Saka and Odegaard start for Arsenal, Guerreiro in Bayern midfield
Qatar PM says re-evaluating Israel-Hamas mediation role
Govt spokesperson terms allegations of PTI's Marwat against Saudi Arabia 'heinou ..
Minister appreciate UAE’s support for Pakistan economic challenges
Manchester City v Real Madrid Champions League starting line-ups
MIGA's support Pakistan in attracting foreign investments: Federal Minister for ..
Walker returns to captain Man City for Real Madrid clash
More Stories From World
-
Indonesia evacuating thousands after volcano erupts, causes tsunami threat
19 minutes ago -
Karsten Warholm: from local street race to world record
29 minutes ago -
Minister of Economy and Planning meets with Armenian Foreign Minister
29 minutes ago -
Ukraine's Olympic hero Beleniuk hopes for Russia-free Games
39 minutes ago -
Russian shelling kills one in east Ukraine
39 minutes ago -
Englishmen abroad: Kane relishes Champions League duel with Bellingham
39 minutes ago
-
5.5-Magnitude Quake Hits Fiji Islands Region
39 minutes ago -
Two arrested in Germany for allegedly spying for Russia
59 minutes ago -
China sees 141 mln cross-border travels in Q1
1 hour ago -
Number of S. Korea's farming households falls below 1 mln for 1st time
1 hour ago -
Zhang Ziyi leads starry cast in Peter Chan's 1940s Shanghai thriller
1 hour ago -
New Zealand to double renewable energy capacity to reduce emissions
1 hour ago