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The Linguistic Expression of Gender Identity: Albania's 'Sworn Virgins'

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dc.contributor.advisorWalker, James
dc.creatorDickerson, Carly Elizabeth
dc.date.accessioned2015-12-16T19:24:35Z
dc.date.available2015-12-16T19:24:35Z
dc.date.copyright2015-08-04
dc.date.issued2015-12-16
dc.date.updated2015-12-16T19:24:35Z
dc.degree.disciplineLinguistics and Applied Linguistics
dc.degree.levelMaster's
dc.degree.nameMA - Master of Arts
dc.description.abstractThis paper studies the linguistic tools employed in the construction of masculine identities by burrneshat (‘sworn virgins’) in northern Albania: biological females who have become ‘social men’. Unlike other documented ‘third genders’ (Kulick 1999), burrneshat are not motivated by considerations of personal identity or sexual desire, but rather by the need to fulfill patriarchal roles within a traditional social code that views women as property. Burrneshat are thus seen as honourable and self-sacrificing, are accepted as men in their community, and are treated accordingly, except that they do not marry or engage in sexual relationships. Given these unique circumstances, how do the burrneshat construct and express their identity linguistically, and how do others within the community engage with this identity? Analysis of the choices of grammatical gender in the speech of burrneshat and others in their communities indicates both inter- and intra-speaker variation that is linked to gendered ideologies.
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10315/30704
dc.language.isoen
dc.rightsAuthor owns copyright, except where explicitly noted. Please contact the author directly with licensing requests.
dc.subjectLinguistics
dc.subjectGender studies
dc.subject.keywordsSworn virgin
dc.subject.keywordsAlbanian
dc.subject.keywordsgender identity
dc.subject.keywordssociolinguistics
dc.subject.keywordsvariation
dc.subject.keywordslanguage and gender
dc.subject.keywordsburrnesha
dc.subject.keywordstransgender
dc.subject.keywordsthird sex
dc.subject.keywordsthird gender
dc.subject.keywordssocial men
dc.titleThe Linguistic Expression of Gender Identity: Albania's 'Sworn Virgins'
dc.typeElectronic Thesis or Dissertation

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