<p>In this paper, generic reference in a collection of juridical texts is examined, with focus on third person singular pronouns. The object of the study is to find out which generic pronouns occur in the material along with their relative distribution, but also to display further use patterns and to offer plausible explanations for these patterns. Another object is to evaluate whether the use of generic pronouns corresponds with language planners’ recommendations for non-sexist language. The corpus studied consists of <em>Rikspolisstyrelsens författnings­samling</em> (“Statute Book of the Swedish National Police Board”), comprising 172 documents written between 1974 and 2009.</p><p>The study is divided into two parts. In the quantitative part, the occurrence of generic pronouns in the material is studied, as well as changes in distribution over time. In the qualitative part, the use of the pronouns is more closely examined, with regard to specific referents and textual contexts.</p><p>The main findings are as follows. Only three out of seven examined generic pronouns appear in the material. The gender neutral <em>han eller hon</em> and the masculine <em>denne</em> are predominant, while the masculine <em>han</em> is relatively scarce. Seen over time, <em>han</em> has diminished considerably whereas <em>han eller hon </em>and <em>denne</em> have increased greatly. A general feature of the material is that the use of pronouns is inconsistent, but several patterns, overlapping each other, are nevertheless discernible. The use of generic pronouns does not entirely correspond with language planners’ recommendations. It is true that linguistic directives and initiatives seem to have had a direct or indirect impact on the material, which appears from an increased and extended, sometimes even surprising, use of <em>han eller hon</em> (for instance regarding referents within the police field and referents associated with weapons), as well as from a decreased and limited use of <em>han</em>. However, <em>denne</em> is still prevalent, possibly as a substitute for the disdained <em>han</em>, and on the whole masculine reference is prevailing in the material.</p>

In this paper, generic reference in a collection of juridical texts is examined, with focus on third person singular pronouns. The object of the study is to find out which generic pronouns occur in the material along with their relative distribution, but also to display further use patterns and to offer plausible explanations for these patterns. Another object is to evaluate whether the use of generic pronouns corresponds with language planners’ recommendations for non-sexist language. The corpus studied consists of Rikspolisstyrelsens författnings­samling (“Statute Book of the Swedish National Police Board”), comprising 172 documents written between 1974 and 2009. The study is divided into two parts. In the quantitative part, the occurrence of generic pronouns in the material is studied, as well as changes in distribution over time. In the qualitative part, the use of the pronouns is more closely examined, with regard to specific referents and textual contexts. The main findings are as follows. Only three out of seven examined generic pronouns appear in the material. The gender neutral han eller hon and the masculine denne are predominant, while the masculine han is relatively scarce. Seen over time, han has diminished considerably whereas han eller hon and denne have increased greatly. A general feature of the material is that the use of pronouns is inconsistent, but several patterns, overlapping each other, are nevertheless discernible. The use of generic pronouns does not entirely correspond with language planners’ recommendations. It is true that linguistic directives and initiatives seem to have had a direct or indirect impact on the material, which appears from an increased and extended, sometimes even surprising, use of han eller hon (for instance regarding referents within the police field and referents associated with weapons), as well as from a decreased and limited use of han. However, denne is still prevalent, possibly as a substitute for the disdained han, and on the whole masculine reference is prevailing in the material.

Syftet med denna undersökning är att beskriva vilka olika kommunikativa strategier med avseende på kön en stiftelse som arbetar för jämställdhet använder i sina texter. Syftet är även att analysera hur stiftelsen använder dessa strategier, samt att tolka strategivalen för att se vilka underliggande normföreställningar som kan utläsas utifrån ett normkritiskt perspektiv. Teoretiska utgångspunkter är dels Pauwels språkplaneringsstrategi och beskrivning av könsneutraliserande och könsspecificerande benämningsstrategier, dels konstruktivistisk pragmatik och normkritik. De metoder som använts är benämningsanalys, samt en pragmatisk och normkritisk analys vari även en positioneringsanalys inkluderas.  Resultatet visar att stiftelsen använder både könsspecificerande och könsneutraliserande benämningsstrategier, men favoriserar den könsspecificerande strategin. Kvinnor specificeras i majoriteten av fallen, oftast genom könsbestämda titlar eller substantiv. Andra strategier med avseende på kön som framträder i materialet är att prata om förhållandet mellan kvinnor och män, att spela på stereotyper, skapa nya ord, använda ord med generisk syftning, samt använda ord som kan inkludera andra könskategorier än kvinna och man. Positioneringsanalysen visar att stiftelsen positionerar sig som expert i förhållande till andra aktörer. Med hjälp av värdeomdömen och negationer positionerar stiftelsen i sin tur mansdominans, traditionalitet och stagnation som negativa motpoler till jämställda styrelser, modernitet och framåtanda. En manlig dominansnorm kommer därmed i konflikt med en jämställdhetsnorm. Analysen visar även att mottagaranpassning kan hindra inkluderingen av ett intersektionellt perspektiv och att olika könsneutraliserande och könsspecificerande strategier inte alltid bidrar till ett jämställt språk.