The @ in language: inclusion or confusion?

Have you ever received an email that starts with “Querid@s compañer@s” and wondered where that weird symbol in the middle of a word comes from? Or why do some people write niñ@s or alumn@s instead of “children” or “students”? If the answer is yes, keep reading because this article is made for you.

We are going to talk about the famous at sign (@), that symbol that has become the protagonist of one of the most lively controversies about inclusive language in Spanish. Is it really useful to include all genders? Where exactly does that symbol come from? And what do the experts think? Spoiler: the history of the at is much older and more curious than you imagine.

What does it really mean to use the at sign in words like “tod@s”?

For some years now, the at sign has been used as a quick and visual solution to avoid writing both male and female. So, instead of saying “everyone,” some people write “tod@s.” The same goes for amig@s, niñ@s, profesor@s, etc. The idea behind this is a good one: to include all people, without leaving anyone out.

This usage, however, only appears in writing, not in speech. How do you pronounce “@”? It can’t be done. There is no sound in Spanish that represents that symbol. And here begins the first big problem: it is impossible  to read aloud sentences with arrobas without having to explain what you mean.

In addition, the Academic Grammar and the Pan-Hispanic Dictionary of Doubts (DRAE) point out that this use is unnecessary and inappropriate, since the masculine plural form in Spanish has always functioned as an unmarked gender, that is, as a form that includes men and women in the plural. When we say “the boys,” we are referring to both boys and girls. And while that may seem unfair or unrepresentative to some people, the logic of language doesn’t always coincide with social struggles.

But where does @ really come from?

Now comes the best part. Although many think that the at sign was born with the Internet and emails, the truth is that this symbol has a very long and surprising past. Let’s travel back in time.

One of the most picturesque theories says that the arroba represented an amphora (an ancient container for transporting wine or oil), and that its use is documented as early as 1536. An Italian merchant named Francesco Lapi wrote a letter in which he mentioned a “wine @,” equivalent to a fraction of a barrel. In that context, the at was simply a measure.

In fact, the word “at” already existed in Spanish long before the keyboard or computers. It was (and still is) a unit of weight that is equivalent to a quarter of a quintal, that is, between 11 and 13 kilos approximately. So yes, although it sounds strange to you, the word comes from the Arabic ar-rubʿ which means “the fourth part”.

How did the at end end up in your email address?

The big leap from @ to the digital world occurred in 1971, when Ray Tomlinson, an American engineer, needed to create a system to send messages between computers. To do this, he had to find a symbol that was not part of the usernames, and that could separate the name from the server.

And what did he find on the keyboard? The old acquaintance: @.

Since the at sign was already present in typewriters for commercial use, Tomlinson thought, “This will do.” Thus was born the structure we use today: usuario@dominio.com. In fact, in English it is pronounced “at” (which means “in”), and it makes sense: “username on the server”.

Thanks to the Internet, the @ became a universal symbol. Nowadays it is impossible to conceive of email or social networks without it. Instagram, Twitter, TikTok… Everyone uses the @ to tag users. But that does not mean that it works as a tool to change the rules of Spanish.

Why doesn’t the use of the at sign as a neutral gender work?

Let’s go back to the subject of language. Using the @ as a replacement for the letters “a” or “o” to talk about all genders sounds modern, visual, activist… but it has no linguistic basis. The Royal Spanish Academy makes it clear: the at sign is not a linguistic sign. It is a commercial symbol, a convention, but it cannot replace letters or be an official part of words.

Also, it cannot be applied in all grammatical contexts. For example, if we write “niñ@’s Day,” the article “del” is in masculine, which creates a contradiction. If we wanted to feminize it, we would have to say “of the girl”, but that is another phrase. In other words, grammar cannot be bent so easily.

Real and correct alternatives to speak inclusively

Does that mean that we have to settle for the generic masculine and forget inclusion? Not at all. Spanish has many valid and natural ways of speaking inclusively without altering the structure of the language. Here are some examples:

• Use neutral groups: instead of saying “the students”, you can say “the students”.
• Epicene nouns: words that are valid for both genders, such as the person, the character, the individual, the victim.
• Nouns ending in -e: student, president, lover, interpreter… they are words that do not change according to gender. A man and a woman can be president, without the need to invent a “president”.
• Context and balance: there is no need to repeat masculine and feminine in all sentences. You can alternate, play with language, look for creative ways, but without forcing grammar.

And then… what about words like “president” or “boss”?

Here we enter into another debate. Some feminine forms such as president, mayor, or boss have been accepted over time, although they did not originally exist. These words arise from social pressure and the need for representation, which is completely legitimate.

However, there are those who argue that these forms do not always follow a natural grammatical logic. For example, if we say president, why not president? Well, that’s where the criterion of use comes in: if a word begins to be used by many speakers, the language ends up accepting it. And that is also part of its evolution.

Spanish changes, but it doesn’t break

Spanish is a living language, in constant change. What seems strange to us today, tomorrow may be in the dictionary. But for a change to be consolidated, it needs to respect a certain internal logic, and above all, be understandable and useful for all speakers.

Using signs such as @, x, or e (as in todxs or todes) may have symbolic and political value, but it is not always practical or linguistically correct. And that doesn’t mean we can’t speak with respect, sensitivity, and inclusion. On the contrary, we have many resources within the language to achieve this without complicating our lives.

In short: to use or not to use the @?

It depends. If you are writing an informal poster or a WhatsApp message and you want it to be understood that you are talking about everyone, using the @ can be a nice gesture. But if you’re writing an academic text, a professional email, or a public publication,  it‘s better to opt for inclusive forms recognized by grammar.

And if you want to be creative, modern and clear, remember: the best inclusive language is the one that everyone understands.

Are you surprised by the history of the at? And you, how do you usually write when you want to talk about all people? Do you use the @, the x, the “e”… Or do you prefer to look up other words? Let us know and in the meantime, keep exploring the wonders of Spanish with us.