Přechylování příjmení v češtině jako případ jazykového managementu
Derivation of feminine surnames in Czech as a case of language management

Summary/Abstract: The aim of the present study is to analyse the organized and simple management of the derivation of feminine counterparts from masculine surnames in Czech on the basis of Language Management Theory (LMT). Two aspects of this issue arouse controversies: 1) the use of the masculine forms of surnames instead of feminine derivatives by some Czech women; 2) the legal regulation of surname usage, which allows women to register the masculine forms of surnames only under specific conditions. On the macro-level, the activities of linguistic institutions, register offices and lawmakers are analysed, with special focus on a bill concerning registries, names and surnames, proposed by a group of senators, which would implement the liberalization of the female surname registration. The bill was ultimately rejected by the Czech senate. On the micro-level, online discussions concerned with feminine surnames and related legal aspects are examined, focusing on participants’ noting and evaluation. Different standpoints, argumentation and language ideologies behind the employed arguments are presented. Some theoretical problems of LMT are also discussed, such as the cooperation of different participants during a single language management act, various forms of noting, or the language management approach to legislative processes.

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