Feminine form

What are feminatives
History of feminatives in the Russian language
Modern perception of feminatives
Use of feminatives in business
Conclusion

What are feminatives

A feminative is a feminine noun that is formed from a corresponding masculine noun and denotes a profession or activity. For example, the word "author" has the feminative "authoress," and "host" has the feminative "hostess." These words play an important role in modern language, highlighting gender diversity in professions and public life.

History of feminatives in the Russian language

Feminatives have deep roots in the Russian language. The first such words began to appear as early as the 19th century, when women started to take on new professions. At that time, words like "priestess," "miller's wife," and "treasurer" began to be actively used in the language. Over time, words like "female teacher," "female writer," and "female student" became firmly embedded in everyday language and are perceived in society as common.

Modern feminatives

Currently, feminatives are generally understood as words that rarely convert into the feminine form, such as "authoress," "editoress," and "SMM-specialistess." However, despite their prevalence, many Russians have a negative attitude towards such words. A Superjob study showed that 63% of respondents experience negative emotions regarding feminatives.

Modern perception of feminatives

Not all women view feminatives positively; some consider them offensive and a sign of disregard for professional skills. Interestingly, words with the suffix "-sha" (for example, "directoress," "lectoress") are perceived less negatively than their counterparts with the suffix "-ka." Nevertheless, such forms also spark debates among feminism supporters, as the suffixes "-sha" have historically been used to denote wives, which contradicts the idea of women's independence.

Use of feminatives in business

In marketing communication, feminatives are used quite rarely. This is due to several factors:

Audience specificity: The use of feminatives is appropriate only if the company targets a narrow audience with corresponding views.
Reputational risks: Large companies avoid using feminatives to prevent provoking negative reactions on social media.
Examples of successful use: Some brands, such as ECORINA, successfully use feminatives in their communication, which is perceived positively.
Government policy: There is an opinion that feminatives are associated with feminist and LGBT movements, which may provoke negative reactions.
Standard language ideology: Many believe that feminatives distort the Russian language, which also affects their use in business.

Conclusion

The future of feminatives in the Russian language is still uncertain. If a word is not perceived positively, it is unlikely to take root. In marketing, the use of feminatives requires caution, as they can become markers of belonging to a specific group. For businesses working with a broad audience, it is better to avoid feminatives to prevent losing customers and reputation.