WHICH MEANINGS ARE THERE FOR GENDER? AN ANALYSIS OF DICTIONARIES

Abstract Situated in the field of History of Linguistics Ideas, this paper offers an analysis in the field of History of Linguist Ideas of different definitions for the entry word gender in two language dictionaries and two specialized dictionaries. Our objective is to investigate how the exploration and silencing of sexual differentiation and gender identity act in different linguistic instruments. Based on the theoretical framework of the History of Linguistic Ideas developed by Collinot and Mazière (1997), as well as on Brazilian references (OLIVEIRA, 2006; NUNES, 1996), we reflect upon linguistic instruments and gramatization. Subsequently, we present the criteria for the construction of our corpus and proceed to the entries’ analysis. The results point to a regularity that permeates the definitions of gender in both the language and the specialized dictionaries: its relations with categories and differences. The specificities that outline distinct meanings depend on the way the word gender functions in the knowledge fields that are included or excluded in each definition.

摘要 本研究立足于语言学思想史（History of Linguistic Ideas）领域，针对两部通用语文词典与两部专科词典中「性别（gender）」这一条目词的不同释义展开语言学思想史视角下的分析。本研究旨在探讨性分化与性别认同的彰显与遮蔽如何在不同语言工具中发挥作用。本研究依托科利诺（Collinot）与马齐耶（Mazière）1997年提出的语言学思想史理论框架，以及巴西本土研究成果（OLIVEIRA, 2006；NUNES, 1996），对语言工具与语法化展开反思。随后，本文阐述了研究语料库的构建标准，并开展词条释义分析。研究结果显示，通用语文词典与专科词典中「性别」的释义均存在一条贯穿始终的共性：其与范畴及差异的关联。而塑造该词不同内涵的具体特征，则取决于「性别」一词在各释义所涵盖或排除的知识场域中的运作逻辑。