secretariosecretária

Secretariosecretária is a coined term in Portuguese that merges the masculine secretario and the feminine secretária into a single written form. It is used to refer to the position of secretary without specifying the individual's gender, or to emphasize inclusivity when gender is unknown or irrelevant. The form is not part of standard Portuguese orthography and is not widely adopted in formal writing; it appears mainly in discussions of gender-inclusive language, in some online texts, and as an experimental typographic variant.

Linguistic background: Portuguese occupations are typically gendered, with secretario for a male secretary and secretária for a female secretary. To avoid gender specification, writers commonly use 'secretário(a)', 'secretários/as', or the broader term 'secretariado' when referring to the field. The concatenated form 'secretariosecretária' lacks official recognition and is regarded as a nonstandard neologism. Some authors also render the idea with hyphenated forms such as 'secretário-secretária' or slashed forms like 'secretário/secretária'.

Usage and reception: The main motivation behind coinages such as secretariosecretária is gender neutrality, but many style guides and linguistic authorities discourage nonstandard coinages due to readability concerns. Proponents view such forms as a way to acknowledge all genders, while critics argue they can complicate text and hinder comprehension. In practice, most institutions prefer established alternatives like 'secretário(a)' or 'secretários/as' and avoid coined blends.

See also: gender-neutral language in Portuguese; occupational titles in Portuguese; Portuguese grammar.