Danish dictionary carries out a major review of all gender related keywords to remove stereotypes

The Danish language officially lacks a male equivalent for the term “career woman” and a female counterpart for the male-gendered noun “financier.” However, following a comprehensive review of keywords ending with -mand (man), -kvinde (woman), and -person (person), gender-neutral terms such as finanskvinde (female financier) and karrieremand (career man) will soon be included in the Danish spelling dictionary, Retskrivningsordbogen.

The Danish Language Council (Dansk Sprognævn) is conducting its first review in 12 years, with a focus on promoting gender equality and reducing stereotypes in language. The council is also examining the use of gendered pronouns in example phrases in the dictionary. The updated edition, scheduled for publication next year, will introduce gender-neutral terms and adjust existing entries.

For instance, the word “afholdsmand,” which describes someone who abstains from alcohol, currently has a male-gendered suffix. The new edition will introduce the female version, “afholdskvinde.” Similarly, the word “finansmand” (financier) will have a female equivalent, “finanskvinde.” The term “handelsmand” (trader) will be joined by “handelskvinde,” representing a female trader.

The dictionary’s new edition will exclude gendered example phrases such as “pigerne fjantede rundt” (the girls fooled around) and “han er anklaget for uagtsomt manddrab” (he is accused of negligent manslaughter).

Senior researcher at the language council, Margrethe Heidemann Andersen, participated in the review and emphasized the importance of scrutinizing the dictionary for sexist language. She explained that the team compiled lists of words ending in -man and -woman and reviewed them individually to determine whether gender-neutral counterparts should be created. Additionally, the team examined example sentences to ensure they avoided gender stereotypes.

Although an exact number of analyzed or changed sentences and words was not provided, Heidemann Andersen acknowledged that there would likely be fewer words ending in -woman compared to -man. She noted that some -mand words do not refer to people, making it unnecessary to introduce female equivalents. She also acknowledged that language changes can be met with resistance, especially when related to identity and gender.

The effort to make Danish language usage more gender-neutral reflects broader societal trends aimed at promoting equality and reducing stereotypes.