Battlefield Linguistics: Queer, Trans, and Feminist Interventions in Linguistic and Discursive Change

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Battlefield Linguistics

Queer, Trans, and Feminist Interventions in Linguistic and Discursive Change

Edited by: Scott Burnett and Francesca Vigo

Language: English

Published/Copyright: 2026

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This book is in the series

Volume 9 | Critical Approaches in Applied Linguistics [CRITAL]

About this book

This volume addresses the politicization of linguistic features indexing sexual and gender non-normativity at the phonological, morphological, and discursive levels. In the context of masculinist, heteronormative, and transphobic backlash around the world, these groundbreaking studies adopt queer, trans, and feminist linguistic perspectives to examine how normativity is resisted and identity is stylized, negotiated, and reproduced in everyday text and talk. Part 1 focuses on self-determination/identification through phonetic and other resources. Part 2 focuses on debates over language reform and change. Part 3 examines the contestation of gender ideology using critical linguistic analytical tools.

Author / Editor information

Scott Burnett, Pennsylvania State University, USA; Francesca Maria Vigo, University of Catania, Italy.

Topics

Frontmatter Publicly Available Download PDF	I
Acknowledgements Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed
Contents Publicly Available Download PDF	VII
Chapter 1 Critical approaches to language, gender, and sexuality in a time of rising fascism: Introduction to Battlefield Linguistics Scott Burnett and Francesca Vigo Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	1
Part 1: Styling the self
Chapter 2 Semiotic agency in the articulation of transgender identity J. Calder Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	21
Chapter 3 Indexicality, power, and hegemony: The case for indexical resistance Ariana Steele Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	47
Chapter 4 Varying gender, varying speech: A folk linguistic study on spoken Finnish and gender fluidity Meri Lindeman Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	67
Chapter 5 /s/tylizing the /s/elf: The concurrent fluidity of gender and language Montreal R. Benesch Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	89
Chapter 6 Contemporary uses of Pajubá, the Brazilian LGBTQIA+ dialect Eduardo Alves Vieira Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	113
Chapter 7 “Who am I?”: Thai gay men’s creative self-referencing Cher Leng Lee and Apiradee Charoensenee Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	133
Part 2: Language change
Chapter 8 For a sociolexicology of queer naming: On problematizing the LGBTQ lexicon in historical linguistics Nicholas Lo Vecchio Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	157
Chapter 9 Gender in Irish: How sociocultural factors impact a complex system Keira Colleluori Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	179
Chapter 10 BCMS+ marriage verbs in queer contexts: An experimental study in sociolinguistics Fabian Matthias Helmrich Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	201
Chapter 11 The importance of a trans linguistic approach to singular they Nadir Junco Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	223
Chapter 12 Gender and language in Italian: an ongoing struggle toward inclusivity Pietro Maturi Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	249
Chapter 13 “I NOSTRX CORPX RESISTONO”: A corpus analysis of Italian gender-neutralization strategies in transfeminist online communities Elena Sofia Safina Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	265
Chapter 14 Elle, ellx, and ell@: Spanish gender-inclusive neopronouns and morphemes of the future Diana Carter, Yarubi Díaz Colmenares, Angela George and Francis Langevin Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	291
Chapter 15 Pride or prejudice? La Real Academia Española on inclusive language Farah Alì Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	313
Part 3: Sociopolitical struggles
Chapter 16 The lexeme and image of tęcza ‘rainbow’ in the discursive struggle over LGBTQ+ rights in Poland: A multimodal analysis of a floating signifier Dominika Baran Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	333
Chapter 17 Gender inclusive language use in feminist self defence classes Ann Weatherall, Bell Murphy and Ann Doehring Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	355
Chapter 18 Discursive frames of prejudice and denial: A critical discourse analysis of anti-gender videos on YouTube Helen Sauntson Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	379
Chapter 19 Transgressing the binary: A computational approach to gendered reference Michael Senko and Rob Voigt Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	401
Chapter 20 The threat of “gender ideology”: Regulation of diversity in a Uruguayan EFL textbook Martina Fernández Fasciolo Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	427
Chapter 21 Battlefield linguistics: Reflections William Leap Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	447
Notes on contributors Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed
Index Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed

Publishing information

Pages and Images/Illustrations in book

eBook published on:

December 29, 2025

eBook ISBN:

9783111351568

Hardcover published on:

December 29, 2025

Hardcover ISBN:

9783111351414

Pages and Images/Illustrations in book

Front matter:

464

Main content:

14

Illustrations:

25

Coloured Illustrations:

9

Tables:

57

https://doi.org/10.1515/9783111351568

eBook ISBN: 9783111351568

Hardcover ISBN: 9783111351414

Keywords for this book

Queer Linguistics; Sociolinguistics; Trans Linguistics; Language Politics; Gender; Discourse Dnalysis

Audience(s) for this book

Researchers in Gender/Sexuality in Sociolinguistics, Linguistic Anthropology, Applied Linguistics

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Walter de Gruyter GmbH
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10785 Berlin
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Battlefield Linguistics

Overview

About this book

Author / Editor information

Topics

Table of contents

Bibliographic data