The Languages, Political and Social Sciences and Humanities Departments at the Autonomous University of the State of Mexico (UAEM) will hold their Third Forum on Language.
In an interview, Language Department director Víctor Geleana Estrada, said that global language creates world citizens that emulate the culture, behavior and customs of dominant countries. He added that teaching language as an applied science can develop professional competence, facilitating dialogue and interaction between cultures, while mastery of one or more foreign languages facilitates international cooperation and allows one’s own culture to be shared throughout the world.
The Third Forum on Language will address issues like feminist theory. “The Royal Spanish Academy (RAE) decreed that gender plurality is not adequate in the Spanish language. That is to say, instead of ‘maestros’ and ‘maestras’ (masculine teachers and feminine teachers) the correct way would be to say ‘maestros’ (masculine and feminine teachers).” He said that the position for and against this reform will be discussed at the forum.
Galena Estrada said that the subject of populism and language is also due to be discussed, with the goal of analyzing political discourse and all of its relations. Also under discussion will be different political movements in the United States and Europe, defined by their use of controversial rhetoric that plays on emotions rather than reason.
The university director concluded that in the third edition, the forum aims to maintain a dialogue space between researchers and those interested in analyzing the scope of language in configuring ideas, actions and cultural manifestations.
