War, Women, and Language Change: A Corpus-Based Study of Ukrainian Military-Related Feminine Terms – Decolonial Implications

This paper examines the evolving use of military-related feminine personal nouns in Ukrainian, driven by the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war (since 2014), with roots traced back to World War II and World War I. Using data from the Web Dictionary of Ukrainian Feminine Personal Nouns (r2u.org.ua, 2022) and the General Regionally Annotated Corpus of Ukrainian (GRAC), the study analyzes 132 feminine terms for military roles, comparing them with Soviet-era entries from the 11-volume dictionary of the Ukrainian language (SUM-11, 1970–1980) and Ukrainian periodicals. A diachronic corpus analysis of Ukrainian media discourse reveals a sixfold increase in the frequency of feminine terms used in military reference since 2013 and a threefold growth in their diversity, signaling significant linguistic adaptation. Their comparative analysis with corresponding masculine forms shows a clear trend toward both gender parity and de-Russification. The traditionally masculinized and Russified military sector is undergoing significant feminization in the media, reflecting efforts toward de-Russification and the promotion of gender parity and inclusivity in language – developments that carry clear decolonial implications.