Romanian Linguistics Institute clarifies use of feminine job titles

The Iorgu Iordan – Alexandru Rosetti Institute of Linguistics has provided clarification regarding the use of feminine forms for public functions following a request from the Ministry of Culture.

According to the Institute, while the feminization of professions and public roles is a natural process driven by social changes and the increasing participation of women in public life, the usage varies by term. For instance, terms such as “președintă”, “deputată”, and “ingineră” are accepted in standard Romanian without stylistic restrictions.

However, the Institute noted that the term “ministră” is marked as colloquial in the latest orthographic dictionary (DOOM3). Consequently, specialists recommend that public institutions use the masculine form “ministru” in official documents, regardless of the gender of the office holder, even though the feminine form may be used in public discourse.