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.

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Publicly Available

Frontmatter
I

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Acknowledgements

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Contents
VII

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Chapter 1 Critical approaches to language, gender, and sexuality in a time of rising fascism: Introduction to Battlefield Linguistics
1
Scott Burnett and Francesca Vigo

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Part 1: Styling the self
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Chapter 2 Semiotic agency in the articulation of transgender identity
21
J. Calder

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Chapter 3 Indexicality, power, and hegemony: The case for indexical resistance
47
Ariana Steele

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Chapter 4 Varying gender, varying speech: A folk linguistic study on spoken Finnish and gender fluidity
67
Meri Lindeman

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Chapter 5 /s/tylizing the /s/elf: The concurrent fluidity of gender and language
89
Montreal R. Benesch

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Chapter 6 Contemporary uses of Pajubá, the Brazilian LGBTQIA+ dialect
113
Eduardo Alves Vieira

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Chapter 7 “Who am I?”: Thai gay men’s creative self-referencing
133
Cher Leng Lee and Apiradee Charoensenee

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Part 2: Language change
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Chapter 8 For a sociolexicology of queer naming: On problematizing the LGBTQ lexicon in historical linguistics
157
Nicholas Lo Vecchio

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Chapter 9 Gender in Irish: How sociocultural factors impact a complex system
179
Keira Colleluori

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Chapter 10 BCMS+ marriage verbs in queer contexts: An experimental study in sociolinguistics
201
Fabian Matthias Helmrich

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Chapter 11 The importance of a trans linguistic approach to singular they
223
Nadir Junco

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Chapter 12 Gender and language in Italian: an ongoing struggle toward inclusivity
249
Pietro Maturi

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Chapter 13 “I NOSTRX CORPX RESISTONO”: A corpus analysis of Italian gender-neutralization strategies in transfeminist online communities
265
Elena Sofia Safina

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Chapter 14 Elle, ellx, and ell@: Spanish gender-inclusive neopronouns and morphemes of the future
291
Diana Carter, Yarubi Díaz Colmenares, Angela George and Francis Langevin

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Chapter 15 Pride or prejudice? La Real Academia Española on inclusive language
313
Farah Alì

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Part 3: Sociopolitical struggles
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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
333
Dominika Baran

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Chapter 17 Gender inclusive language use in feminist self defence classes
355
Ann Weatherall, Bell Murphy and Ann Doehring

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Chapter 18 Discursive frames of prejudice and denial: A critical discourse analysis of anti-gender videos on YouTube
379
Helen Sauntson

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Chapter 19 Transgressing the binary: A computational approach to gendered reference
401
Michael Senko and Rob Voigt

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Chapter 20 The threat of “gender ideology”: Regulation of diversity in a Uruguayan EFL textbook
427
Martina Fernández Fasciolo

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Chapter 21 Battlefield linguistics: Reflections
447
William Leap

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Notes on contributors

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Index

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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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Manufacturer information:
Walter de Gruyter GmbH
Genthiner Straße 13
10785 Berlin
productsafety@degruyterbrill.com

Battlefield Linguistics

About this book

Author / Editor information

Topics

Frontmatter

Acknowledgements

Contents

Chapter 1 Critical approaches to language, gender, and sexuality in a time of rising fascism: Introduction to Battlefield Linguistics

Chapter 2 Semiotic agency in the articulation of transgender identity

Chapter 3 Indexicality, power, and hegemony: The case for indexical resistance

Chapter 4 Varying gender, varying speech: A folk linguistic study on spoken Finnish and gender fluidity

Chapter 5 /s/tylizing the /s/elf: The concurrent fluidity of gender and language

Chapter 6 Contemporary uses of Pajubá, the Brazilian LGBTQIA+ dialect

Chapter 7 “Who am I?”: Thai gay men’s creative self-referencing

Chapter 8 For a sociolexicology of queer naming: On problematizing the LGBTQ lexicon in historical linguistics

Chapter 9 Gender in Irish: How sociocultural factors impact a complex system

Chapter 10 BCMS+ marriage verbs in queer contexts: An experimental study in sociolinguistics

Chapter 11 The importance of a trans linguistic approach to singular they

Chapter 12 Gender and language in Italian: an ongoing struggle toward inclusivity

Chapter 13 “I NOSTRX CORPX RESISTONO”: A corpus analysis of Italian gender-neutralization strategies in transfeminist online communities

Chapter 14 Elle, ellx, and ell@: Spanish gender-inclusive neopronouns and morphemes of the future

Chapter 15 Pride or prejudice? La Real Academia Española on inclusive language

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

Chapter 17 Gender inclusive language use in feminist self defence classes

Chapter 18 Discursive frames of prejudice and denial: A critical discourse analysis of anti-gender videos on YouTube

Chapter 19 Transgressing the binary: A computational approach to gendered reference

Chapter 20 The threat of “gender ideology”: Regulation of diversity in a Uruguayan EFL textbook

Chapter 21 Battlefield linguistics: Reflections

Notes on contributors

Index

Battlefield Linguistics

Overview

About this book

Author / Editor information

Topics

Table of contents

Frontmatter

Acknowledgements

Contents

Chapter 1 Critical approaches to language, gender, and sexuality in a time of rising fascism: Introduction to Battlefield Linguistics

Chapter 2 Semiotic agency in the articulation of transgender identity

Chapter 3 Indexicality, power, and hegemony: The case for indexical resistance

Chapter 4 Varying gender, varying speech: A folk linguistic study on spoken Finnish and gender fluidity

Chapter 5 /s/tylizing the /s/elf: The concurrent fluidity of gender and language

Chapter 6 Contemporary uses of Pajubá, the Brazilian LGBTQIA+ dialect

Chapter 7 “Who am I?”: Thai gay men’s creative self-referencing

Chapter 8 For a sociolexicology of queer naming: On problematizing the LGBTQ lexicon in historical linguistics

Chapter 9 Gender in Irish: How sociocultural factors impact a complex system

Chapter 10 BCMS+ marriage verbs in queer contexts: An experimental study in sociolinguistics

Chapter 11 The importance of a trans linguistic approach to singular they

Chapter 12 Gender and language in Italian: an ongoing struggle toward inclusivity

Chapter 13 “I NOSTRX CORPX RESISTONO”: A corpus analysis of Italian gender-neutralization strategies in transfeminist online communities

Chapter 14 Elle, ellx, and ell@: Spanish gender-inclusive neopronouns and morphemes of the future

Chapter 15 Pride or prejudice? La Real Academia Española on inclusive language

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

Chapter 17 Gender inclusive language use in feminist self defence classes

Chapter 18 Discursive frames of prejudice and denial: A critical discourse analysis of anti-gender videos on YouTube

Chapter 19 Transgressing the binary: A computational approach to gendered reference

Chapter 20 The threat of “gender ideology”: Regulation of diversity in a Uruguayan EFL textbook

Chapter 21 Battlefield linguistics: Reflections

Notes on contributors

Index

Bibliographic data