Language Log
Julie Sedivy
http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=3607 (http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=3607)
The misconception that language and culture march in lockstep fashion is so prevalent that pronouncements about grammar can often be used as a sort of Rorschach test to reveal how people really feel about a particular culture. I suspect it's more socially acceptable to vent indirectly about a culture by denouncing its grammar than it is to comment bluntly on the culture itself. Ergo, innocent grammar ends up shouldering the blame for the sins of its speakers.
That was really, really interesrting.
Thanks Felix. Great to read something that leaves you thinking.
I don't know if it could be called Misogynistic pronouns in its literal and actual meaning.
For instance, a Dentist I know that comes from Persia, always has the trouble of his life to titulate his patients with the correct gender pronouns, as he as a Persian has yet not gotten fuilly used to the type of gender pronouns that the West World has, hence he ends up calling his male patients "she" and the females"he".
Speaking of it, an array of Widely accepted gendered things can actually, by the same logic, be considered to be Misandristic aswell, if you consider that, for instance, boats and ships and other vehicles are always referred to as "She", while Nature is referred to as "Mother Nature" and Human Species is very often referred to as "she" aswell, and many other examples.
So, Is it truly misogyny, or, just linguistic variations?
Quote from: Bishounen on December 06, 2011, 01:16:18 PM
I don't know if it could be called Misogynistic pronouns in its literal and actual meaning.
Yep yep that's what the editorial is about.
And I'm glad you like it, spacial. :) I thought it was interesting too.
Nice article, Felix! I knew there were some languages that the sex indicated pronouns were absent. First time I heard about Farsi being one of them.
Joelene
Quote from: Felix on December 07, 2011, 12:17:44 AM
Yep yep that's what the editorial is about.
And I'm glad you like it, spacial. :) I thought it was interesting too.
Yes, and I agree that the article was good, too, and refreshing. :)
It's interesting to try to untangle exactly what is a result of misogynistic cultures. It's fair to say that the honor crimes (or at least as they've been portrayed on SVU, which, honestly, is my only exposure to them) are a result of a misogynistic culture, but the lack of gender specification in pronouns would not be, but Blatchford's misconception that they are may be a result of her own culture being misogynistic. Or maybe not. What do I know?