Prof. Dr. Damaris Nübling (Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz): "Historical Sociogrammatics"

A plea for historical sociogrammatics - using the example of gender

Human differentiations - above all by gender, but also by class/status, age, etc. - can sediment not only lexically, but also grammatically and thus particularly deeply in languages, e.g. in binomial orders, in genus and inflectional class systems, in graphematics, and even in phonology. One of the oldest and most widespread distinctions is that of gender. Using German as an example, Ms. Nübling will demonstrate grammatical consolidations that are more persistent and "obligatory" than lexemes, but which can adapt to changing gender orders by fluidizing or dissolving completely.