The Return of Feminatives: A Study of Linguistic Attitudes in Contemporary Poland

This article investigates contemporary Polish speakers’ knowledge of, attitudes towards, and use of feminatives. Drawing on a quantitative survey of 120 respondents, it explores the extent to which gender and age infl uence perceptions of feminine professional titles. The fi ndings indicate that, although many respondents recognise the term feminatives, their understanding of its meaning and historical background remains limited. Feminative forms are often perceived as a recent linguistic innovation. The analysis also reveals clear generational and gender-related diff erences: women and younger respondents demonstrate greater awareness, higher acceptance, and more frequent use of feminatives, whereas men and older respondents tend to express more sceptical attitudes. The study further shows that persistent gender stereotypes infl uence associations with particular professions and that emotional responses to feminine forms vary according to the perceived prestige of the title. Despite these diff erences, respondents generally express openness to the formation and use of feminine professional titles. The article contributes to research on gendered language and provides evidence of ongoing linguistic change in contemporary Polish.