“English gave me community, belonging, and expressions”Eržen, Manca (Avtor) Smrdelj, Rok (Mentor) Stopar, Andrej (Mentor) empowermentLGBTQ+ communityidentitycode-switchingqueer linguisticsLanguage does not function only as a tool for communication, but as a tool for identity construction. For marginalised communities, the availability of linguistic resources to name and express their identities is particularly important as it allows for the social visibility of a community as a whole. This carries particular weight in smaller language communities – such as the Slovenian LGBTQ+ community –, where the global dominance of English offers an important tool for identity expression. Despite the growing presence of English in Slovenia, no research has previously examined this dynamic within the Slovenian LGBTQ+ community. As such, this thesis addresses this gap by examining whether English functions as a language of empowerment in this community. Drawing on the theories of global language, code-switching, queer linguistics, and language and power, the study analyses data from a survey completed by 50 members of the Slovenian LGBTQ+ community aged between 18 and 30 years, combining quantitative analysis with thematic analysis of open-ended responses. The findings show that English is deeply embedded in participants’ communicative practices. This can be explained by three reasons: greater familiarity with English expressions, the perception of English as less stigmatised, and the structural limitations of Slovenian – particularly its gender-binary grammar. The thesis concludes that English can function as a language of empowerment in the Slovenian LGBTQ+ community by enabling individuals to name and express LGBTQ+ identities as well as make them visible, for which Slovenian currently does not offer adequate linguistic resources. However, this role is neither uniform nor evenly distributed among participants – it is most pronounced for non-binary and transgender identities, for whom the more gender-neutral grammar of English facilitates the expression of LGBTQ+ identities. For other participants, whose identities are more adequately accommodated by Slovenian, English more often proves to be merely a practical tool that does not necessarily influence the formation and social visibility of their identities. At the same time, the role of empowerment remains ambivalent, as the reliance on English may contribute to the continued stigmatisation of Slovenian expressions and exclude those less proficient in English. This thesis contributes to the wider understanding of the dynamics between language and identity in LGBTQ+ communities.[M. Eržen]20262026-09-17 07:18:12Magistrsko delo/naloga187963sl