LANGUAGE AND GENDER 2LANGUAGE AND GENDER 2 11

LANGUAGELANGUAGE AND AND GENDERGENDER((cont.cont.))

LANGUAGE AND GENDER 2LANGUAGE AND GENDER 2 22

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSIONQUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

Do HungDo Hungarianarian (Finnish) women and men (Finnish) women and men

use language use language differently?differently?

If yes, in what way(s)?If yes, in what way(s)?

Do Do womenwomen speak “better” than speak “better” than menmen??

Why do women (tend to) use more Why do women (tend to) use more

standard forms than men?standard forms than men?

Why do men (tend to) use more Why do men (tend to) use more

vernacular forms than women?vernacular forms than women?

LANGUAGE AND GENDER 2LANGUAGE AND GENDER 2 33

MORE MORE QUESTIONS FOR QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSIONDISCUSSION

Who (tend to) swear more: men or Who (tend to) swear more: men or

women?women?

Who (tend to) speak more: men or Who (tend to) speak more: men or

women?women?

What are typical male / female topics?What are typical male / female topics?

What are typical male / female What are typical male / female

adjectives?adjectives?

Any other differences you can think of? Any other differences you can think of?

LANGUAGE AND GENDER 2LANGUAGE AND GENDER 2 44

Gender differences in language Gender differences in language useuse

FeFewer strong expletives ‘wer strong expletives ‘oh dear, oh dear,

fudgefudge’’ (cf.(cf. shit, damnshit, damn))

MMoreore tag questionstag questions

QQuestion intonation with statementsuestion intonation with statements

WWeaker forms of directives, more eaker forms of directives, more

polite formspolite forms

LANGUAGE AND GENDER 2LANGUAGE AND GENDER 2 55

Gender differences in language Gender differences in language use (cont.)use (cont.)

NNeutral adjectives vs women’s eutral adjectives vs women’s

adjectives adjectives

Male vs. female topicsMale vs. female topics

LANGUAGE AND GENDER 2LANGUAGE AND GENDER 2 66

DDifferences in interactional ifferences in interactional

(conversational) (conversational) strategy strategy ofof womenwomen and and

menmen

IInterruptionsnterruptions

Minimal responsesMinimal responses

SilenceSilence

UUse of questions and statementsse of questions and statements

CCompetitionompetition vs. vs. supportsupport, , competitioncompetition vs. vs. cooperationcooperation

LANGUAGE AND GENDER 2LANGUAGE AND GENDER 2 77

Gender differences in language Gender differences in language use (cont.)use (cont.)

SwearingSwearing

VerbosityVerbosity

LANGUAGE AND GENDER 2LANGUAGE AND GENDER 2 88

SUMMARY OF GENDER DIFFERENCES SUMMARY OF GENDER DIFFERENCES

IN CONVERSATIONSIN CONVERSATIONS

W and M behave in conversationW and M behave in conversationss as as

expected of them by societyexpected of them by society

Society Society sees sees menmen as as powerful, powerful,

authoritauthoritativeative, and expects them to behave , and expects them to behave

accordingly accordingly

WomenWomen’s role is different, rather expected ’s role is different, rather expected

to to be be helphelpfulful and and supportsupportiveive

LANGUAGE AND GENDER 2LANGUAGE AND GENDER 2 99

SUMMARY OF GENDER DIFFERENCES SUMMARY OF GENDER DIFFERENCES

IN LANGUAGE USEIN LANGUAGE USE

GGender differenceender differencess are the result of social are the result of social

factors, not linguistic ones per se. factors, not linguistic ones per se.

F and M language reflects what (a male F and M language reflects what (a male

dominated?) society expects of W and M.dominated?) society expects of W and M.

Acquired very early on, and become part Acquired very early on, and become part

of F/M basic identity very youngof F/M basic identity very young..

LANGUAGE AND GENDER 2LANGUAGE AND GENDER 2 1010

How language differs when How language differs when referring to W and Mreferring to W and M??

DISCUSS:DISCUSS:

English is a sexist language. English is a sexist language.

Hungarian is a sexist language.Hungarian is a sexist language.

(SEXIST: Discriminates against the sexes: (SEXIST: Discriminates against the sexes:

MEN and / or WOMEN)MEN and / or WOMEN)

LANGUAGE AND GENDER 2LANGUAGE AND GENDER 2 1111

SEXISM IN LANGUAGESEXISM IN LANGUAGE

MetaphorsMetaphors: : derogatory derogatory (animal) (animal) imagesimages to to describe Wdescribe WGGeneric maleeneric male = use of masculine forms: = use of masculine forms: he, he, manman, to refer to both sexes, to refer to both sexes–– ManMan has learned to control has learned to control hishis environment. environment.

–– The university’s The university’s fourfour--manman crew won in both the men’s crew won in both the men’s and women’s division.and women’s division.

–– The discovery will benefit all The discovery will benefit all manmankind. kind.

–– The emergency room is The emergency room is mannedmanned by a fully competent by a fully competent team.team.

EFFECT??EFFECT??

LANGUAGE AND GENDER 2LANGUAGE AND GENDER 2 1212

SEXISM IN LANGUAGE SEXISM IN LANGUAGE (CONT.)(CONT.)

MMaleale // FFemaleemale pairs, sexpairs, sex--paired wordspaired words::

–– bachelorbachelor / spinster/ spinster

–– governorgovernor / governess/ governess

–– warlockwarlock // witchwitch

–– mastermaster // mistressmistress

–– sir /sir / madam madam

EQUAL??EQUAL??

LANGUAGE AND GENDER 2LANGUAGE AND GENDER 2 1313

SEXISM IN LANGUAGE SEXISM IN LANGUAGE (CONT.)(CONT.)

Suffixes to signal femalesSuffixes to signal females::

–– lion / lionesslion / lioness

–– actoractor // actressactress

–– hero hero / / heroinheroin

–– usher usher / / usheretteusherette

–– ppoet oet / / poetesspoetess

EQUAL? EQUAL?

LANGUAGE AND GENDER 2LANGUAGE AND GENDER 2 1414

MMetaeta--meaning of such a linguistic meaning of such a linguistic systemsystem

DDefault (unmarked) sex = efault (unmarked) sex = MALEMALE. .

Maleness is to be assumed, unless when Maleness is to be assumed, unless when

marked otherwise. Everyone is marked otherwise. Everyone is male, male,

maleness is normmaleness is norm

In In naturenature, , however, wehowever, we see the exact see the exact

oppositeopposite,, reverse is truereverse is true. . MalenessMaleness is an is an

afterthoughtafterthought. .

LANGUAGE AND GENDER 2LANGUAGE AND GENDER 2 1515

SUMMARYSUMMARY

The The relative status of sexes is reflected not relative status of sexes is reflected not

only in the way they use lang, but how only in the way they use lang, but how

language refers to language refers to women women and and men.men.

SSociety’s view of women in mociety’s view of women in mostost EnglEnglishish

speaking countries is rather discriminative.speaking countries is rather discriminative.

WWomenomen are often assigned are often assigned aa subordinate subordinate

status by virtue of their gender alone, thus status by virtue of their gender alone, thus

treated linguistically as subordinatetreated linguistically as subordinate. .

LANGUAGE AND GENDER 2LANGUAGE AND GENDER 2 1616

ATTEMPTS ATTEMPTS TO REMOVE GENDER BIAS TO REMOVE GENDER BIAS

FROM LANGUAGEFROM LANGUAGE

Newspapers, journals, books areNewspapers, journals, books are usingusing a a

varietyvariety of of strategiesstrategies toto avoidavoid genericgeneric ‘‘hehe’ ’

and ‘and ‘manman’ ’

–– using using hehe and and sheshe alternatelyalternately

–– UsingUsing hehe//sheshe, , hishis//herher

–– using ‘using ‘sheshe’ in the generic sense’ in the generic sense

–– usingusing singularsingular ‘‘theythey’’

LANGUAGE AND GENDER 2LANGUAGE AND GENDER 2 1717

ATTEMPTS ATTEMPTS TO REMOVE GENDER BIAS TO REMOVE GENDER BIAS

FROM LANGUAGEFROM LANGUAGE (cont.)(cont.)

(Feminist) movements fighting for (Feminist) movements fighting for gendergender

equalequalityity, for politically correct, for politically correct (PC) (PC) langlang

useuse

–– Use ofUse of gendergender--neutral termsneutral terms instead of instead of discriminating onesdiscriminating ones, e, e.g.: steward/.g.: steward/essess → → flight flight attendantattendant, fireman → , fireman → firefire--fighterfighter

–– UseUse of of MsMs toto replacereplace MissMiss, , MrsMrs ((cfcf. . MrMr))

–– UUse of se of ((originallyoriginally) ) male term for both sexes: male term for both sexes: teacher, manager, doctorteacher, manager, doctor

–– SomeSome exaggerationsexaggerations: : historyhistory →→ herstoryherstory

LANGUAGE AND GENDER 2LANGUAGE AND GENDER 2 1818

ConclusionsConclusions

Sexism in language has its roots in Sexism in language has its roots in society.society.

Removing sexist elements from language Removing sexist elements from language is importantis important..

Sexism /discrimination will only disappear Sexism /discrimination will only disappear from langfrom languageuage completely if it disappears completely if it disappears from societyfrom society..

For this to happen, attitudes of society For this to happen, attitudes of society must be changedmust be changed (first).(first).