S is for Schwa

"Schwa" is the name of the letter ə, an "e" rotated by 180° part of the IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet), the linguistic alphabet used to describe sounds in the various languages of the world. As it is a neutral vowel, schwa has no distinctive trait and therefore does not determine a distinction in gender.

Recently, this symbol has increasingly begun to be found in many contexts, both online and on paper, yet not without sparking heated discussions among those who do or do not support its use. The reason why the schwa is increasingly used is that, over the past few years, the need has emerged to convey inclusivity and gender equality also via language, overcoming an expressive limit in the Italian language: the use of two grammar genders and the use of the masculine plural to define a mixed group of people.

In order to obviate the obstacles and make Italian more inclusive, the introduction of the “neutral” genre was suggested to avoid the masculine or feminine declination, thus inserting subjects into a category where they cannot be recognized. The various solutions included the egalitarian asterisk (*) first, and then the schwa (ǝ) which, used at the end of words, would include masculine and feminine without distinction for both singular and cumulative plural forms.

In practice, this undetermined letter replaces the general masculine in sentences where a mix of people is addressed e.g. "Buonasera a tuttə" (Good evening, everyone). And also when the subject indicated is unknown or when reference is being made to a non-binary person.

The schwa has become more popular over the past couple of years, but it first appeared in this context in 2015 when activist Luca Boschetto suggested using this letter for the first time on the Italiano inclusivo website also adding that it is nothing extraordinary, because the letter is being used by many languages such as English ("a" of "about") or in some Italian dialects. The issue has remained a niche one for a few years, until the first conflicting opinions emerged leading to extended discussions on the matter.

Positions have polarized: one side welcomes the proposal as they believe the schwa will help overcome some cultural, social, political and ideological aspects (especially when it comes to professions) that have emerged due to the use of the masculine when subjects are mixed, unknown or non-binary. Another side believes this debate to be superficial, asserting that any change to the language would be forced and non-viable.

This symbol undoubtedly presents some limitations: it is not easy to pronounce and it is not found on the keyboards of many devices. Nonetheless its importance is relevant, because it aims at dismantling some cultural prejudices that pass through the language and imply a perception of reality. For example, reiterating the masculine term for some professions leads to expectations when it comes to the gender of the people who carry them out.