KlägerKlägerin

KlägerKlägerin is a neologistic compound used in German to reference plaintiffs of any gender by merging the masculine form Kläger with the feminine form Klägerin into a single term. It is intended as a compact way to cover both male and female plaintiffs without repeating both nouns.

Formation and usage: The form is created by concatenating Kläger and Klägerin (KlägerKlägerin). It appears mainly in discussions about gender-inclusive language, including certain modern legal writings, policy documents, and academic discourse. It is not widely adopted and remains far less common than established alternatives such as Klägerinnen und Kläger or Kläger/-innen.

Advantages and criticisms: Proponents argue that it offers conciseness and inclusivity in a single unit. Critics contend that it can impede readability, create typographic awkwardness, and appear nonstandard or informal in formal contexts. Many style guides and legal drafters prefer explicit gendered phrases or other inclusive formations.

Relation to language policy: KlägerKlägerin reflects broader debates about gender-inclusive language in German. It sits alongside approaches such as Binnen-I (Klägerinnen), gender stars or slashes (Klägerinnen und Kläger, Kläger/-innen), and related typographic strategies, each with varying acceptance across institutions and publications.

See also: Gender-inclusive language in German, Kläger, Klägerin, Binnen-I, gender-neutral forms in legal writing.