Possibility Of A Gender Neutral Language English Language Essay

Possibility Of A Gender Neutral Language English Language Essay As the story in the Book of Genesis goes God created man and then created women. This joke makes fun of this and is an example of sexist language because it represents men in a light of inadequacy compared to women. But, for every joke that represents men in this light there is an even greater amount of language that is used to discriminate against women. Lu Min (2009) explains that sexist language is that which uses words, phrases, and expressions that unnecessarily differentiate between women and men or exclude, trivialize, or diminish either gender(26). Phrases such as best man for the job or occupational titles such as policeman or fireman are masculine in their description. This sort of language excludes women who could in fact be the best person for the job or similarly, a police officer or firefighter. Language is always changing and in fact in recent years there has been a push for more gender-neutral language as opposed to the sexist language that is already in place. Leaper and Bigler (2004) explain that there has been a shift in peoples speech and writing away from the generic use of the masculine pronouns he and masculine compound nouns such as chairman. Instead, it is now common to find people using gender-inclusive language such as he or she or chairperson (138). There is some debate on whether we should have a gender-neutral language or not. Those in support of a gender-neutral language feel that if this were put into place there would be equality for everyone. Those who are against changing the language that is already in place argue that phrases such as you guys or mankind are already considered gender-inclusive because they refer to all people regardless of gender. They simply see these words, phrases, and expressions as a quirk in the English language. While there are s everal languages that use masculine forms such as Chinese, Spanish, and Italian, the focus of my paper will be on English in various parts of the world. I believe that the current masculine forms of language are not inclusive and that there should be more of a push for gender-neutral language whenever possible. Changes in language will inevitably take course through the duration of time and if more people who speak English become aware of the gender-bias that currently is in place eventually we may be able to have a language that is more gender-inclusive. From my research, Ive observed that there is currently a trend of making language more inclusive. For example, in America in a study done at Virginia Commonwealth University, researchers found that there was consciousness of gendered-biased language as being sexist. Similarly, young people in Australia who speak English, since the 1980s, have been pushing for more generic phrases when referring to individuals. In Hong Kong, speakers of English prefer a masculine form of language but through studying college students they have found that feminist movements in the West are having great impacts on the way young people speak. Deborah Cameron (1992) cites Robin Lakoffs Language and Womans Place which asserts that there is a characteristic register or womens language consisting of certain linguistic gestures and connoting tentativeness, deference, and lack of authority. Women are socialized into using this style of speech as part of their subordinate social position (15). This is what experts would classify as the dominance approach because it demonstrates a power/powerless relationship among men and women. Another approach that Cameron cites is the difference approach which claims that differences in the speech behaviors between men and women come about due to the differences in socialization. As the author puts it, in most cultures there is still considerable social segregation of the sexes, and children learn their conversational strategies for the most part in single-sex peer groups. Research suggests that these are organized differently for the two sexes (15). Leaper and Bigler (2004) invoke the work o f Whorfian who says that language shapes thought (131). More specifically, they argue that some previous research supports the notion that the use of gendered language and having gender-stereotypic thoughts are reciprocally related (131). This goes back to the example of occupational title such as policeman, congressman, or waitress as having to do with the particular person in that position. As I mentioned earlier there is a group of individuals who believe that the English Language is already gender-inclusive. To this group of individual the phrase man would be used as a means of classifying both men and women such as the term mankind. This is illogical for several reasons. For example, if we take this idea of the term man encompassing both males and females and apply it to a similar set of words we quickly find that it does not hold. We can say that a miniature poodle and an alligator are both animals. The term animal like man is being used in a generic sense. It would be correct to say that every miniature poodle is an animal. It would also be correct to say that every alligator is an animal. While at a park you may hear someone say I see an animal. There is no real need to specify whether that animal is an alligator or a dog if that person is just making an observation. There are certain times, however, that this information may be useful. If someones life was being threatened by an alligator you may hear another individual warm the person about to be attacked by saying Thats an alligator! instead of just using the generic animal. If we take the generic term person which can mean either a male or female and use it in the following sentence: This person is having a baby we would assume that this person is a female. To say that this man is having a baby would not only sound funny but it would also be incorrect. Men simply cannot have babies. So, if the term man was generic in what it refers to, either males or females, it would be acceptable to say that man had a baby. Again, we run into a problem of the term not being generic in what it is referring to and thus proves that the term man does not subsume both terms of describing gender. Kenichi Namai (2000) cites a study by Greenbaum and Quirk that explains that in English, gender is not a feature of nouns themselves (as in such languages as German or Russian). Rather, it relates directly to the meanings of nouns, with particular reference to biological sex (771). What the author is basically arguing is that English should not show any grammatical agreements betw een terms such as those that are used to refer to gender. In the article, Namai gives the example sentence he hit herself (773). This sentence is incorrect for what Namai explains as not being a syntactic disagreement with the antecedent and reflexive but says that the conflict arises from a disagreement between the antecedents in terms of sex (774). So if we refer back to the problem of the sentence that man had a baby we see that the problem arises from a disagreement in terms of sex. This would mean that the identification of man being inclusive of all genders is incorrect. Jochnowitz (1982) cites a similar argument from Robin Lakoff who says My feeling is that this area of pronominal neutralization is both less in need of changing, and less open to change, than many of the other disparities that have been discussed earlier, and we should perhaps concentrate our efforts where they will be most fruitful (200). This is surprising because this article is written as Jochonowitz claims from a feminist perspective, yet the author [Lakoff] does not advocate abandoning indefinite he (200). Murdock and Forsyth (1985) in a discussion of Lakoff say that Lakoff would agree that the generic he does refer more to men than to women, but notes that the long-range consequences of the oft-used phrase may be fairly trivial (40). The two studies by Murdock and Forsyth were conducted to define reactions to gender-biased language empirically (39). What they aimed at finding out, as the title of their work suggests, is gender-biased language considered sexist. In the first st udy individuals were asked to evaluate the sexism in several sentences that contained no bias, used words as man or he in the generic sense, or referred to women in an unfair, stereotypical manner (39). The second study focused on examining reactions in a more naturalistic context by asking respondents to evaluate an essay written using all plural pronouns, generic pronouns, or generic pronouns plus evaluative stereotypic phrasings (39). What Murdock and Forsyth discovered was that the reactions to gender-biased language were taken as being sexist. This goes back to the original argument that gender-biased language is in fact not inclusive of both sexes. Another particular finding for Murdock and Forsyth that is surprising is that all do not agree concerning the sexist nature of masculine-biased language (47). Lead this to Æ’Â  Hong Kong English Æ’Â   Australian English Look for Strahan Discussion NoteÆ’Â   Conclusion

Essays --

Timeline Act 1: Scene 1: In the start of the book, the people take a holiday to celebrate Caesar's victory over Pompey in a civil war. They stand in the streets and wait for his arrival, and once he gets to the city, they throw a huge party. Scene 2: On the same day, Caesar attends a party and receives a warning from a small old man saying to beware the ides of March. Later in the chapter Cassius tries to turn Brutus against Caesar. Later in the scene they agree to meet again to talk about Caesar. Scene 3: There is a huge storm in the beginning of the scene, and Cassius thinks it a sign that Caesar must be killed. The two agree that Caesar must not be allowed to continue to rule and later discuses how they will kill Caesar. Act 2: Scene 1: Cassius sends a letter to Brutus saying that he should kill Caesar for Rome, and then later in the act they meet to make their final preparations. Caesar’s wife thinks that Caesar is hiding something and wants to know what is wrong. Scene 2: Caesar was planning on going to go to the Capitol, but Calpurnia tells him to stay home because of so many death threats and warnings they have gotten. Caesar stays home with her, until Decius convinces him that he needs to be at the Capitol. Scene 3: Artemidorus finds a letter that shows proof that a lot of people are going to kill Caesar, he goes to the Capitol to go find Caesar and show him the letter. But sadly, can’t find Caesar in time. Scene 4: Portia sends her servants to go see what is happening at the Capitol to make sure everything is alright with Caesar. Then she meets someone, who tells her more about the danger that Caesar will be facing. Act 3 Scene 1: The Soothsayer and Artemidorus try to warn Caesar outside the Capitol, but he ... ...rge role in making the rise of the Roman Empire. If Caesar wouldn’t have been as big as a figure he was, he might not have had much of an effect on Rome; therefore his ideas would have never been thought of or accepted by the higher population and people in Rome. Caesar had two children with the names of Caesarion and Julia Caesaris. Caesarion was his son and Julia Caesaris was his daughter. Caesar also had a wife by the name of Calpurnia Pisonis. Caesar was killed by many people who thought that if he was to become leader of Rome that he would become a dictator and overthrow the Republic. So many senators got together in one room with him, and stabbed Caesar to death. With Caesar dead, the Roman community was mortified, they soon went against the conspirators and joined Antony’s side to track down the conspirators and bring them to justice for killing Caesar.

The Going by Thomas Hardy

Hardy almost appears unaware of the years passed distanced from his wife ntil the fifth stanza, suggesting her death has the effect of a virtual awakening, allowing him to finally accept it, yet not settle from mourning it ,as is made evident by the following 1912-13 poems. The Repetition of â€Å"Why' beginning the first, third, and fifth stanza illustrate Hardys rejection of Emma's death, probably resulting from the regret of not having taken advantage of the time she was alive. Hardy feels Emma â€Å"calmly' died with â€Å"indifference†, giving way to intense feelings of remorse in the following stanza's.His uspicion of her carelessness is further highlighted in the second stanza as she is described to have â€Å"never to bid goodbye† – â€Å"or lip [him] the softest call†. Emma's apparent alienation of hardy suggests she deliberately left him in response to â€Å"those days long dead† where she was as good as dead to Hardy. Moreover Hardy rem ains unsettled by the fact that death or Emma offered â€Å"no hint† of her â€Å"going†. Deaths unexpectedness emphasizes its fragility, and tendency to â€Å"quickly – and calmly' occur at any â€Å"moment, and alter all†.The use of the oxymoron, quickly – and calmly' to describe death may suggest Hardys state of confusion due to the swiftness of it all happening, as well as him actually not knowing how she died because he was not there. In addition the aural imagery created through the use of the monosyllabic words, â€Å"up and be gone†, has the effect of emphasizing deaths suddenness. The â€Å"IloW' sound created by the feminine end rhyme of â€Å"where I could not follow – with wing of swallow' has the effect of something continuous, in this case suggesting Hardys growing distance from Emma now that she is dead, as well as oreshadowing the long period of grief to come. The Going† is reference to Emma's gradual fading f rom Hardys memory. Emma death is also described to be a â€Å"swift fleeing† and a â€Å"great going†. Death and the after life are never referred to explicitly. Therefore Hardys use of euphemisms illustrate his avoidance of reality, as well as his fear of acknowledging Emma's death. Furthermore, Hardys commemorations of his courtship with Emma in the fourth stanza further stresses this point. The tone of the poem shifts during this process, as he cadence begins to rise, revealing the Joy Hardy feels whilst remembering Emma alive.It almost seems as if Hardy is attempting to â€Å"follow' Emma through his memories of her. Hardys eventually recollects the moments where him and Emma were most distant and â€Å"did not spear or â€Å"visit together those places that they once visited†. By this point, regret dominates Hardys feelings and the poem. Furthermore, in the first stanza Emma's is described to have passed on â€Å"quickly after the morrows dawn† â⠂¬â€œ the use of the word â€Å"dawn† adds a sense of light to poem, allowing readers to imagine the sun rising.This may symbolize Emma's soul rising from her dead corpse, as well as, portraying an ambiance of increasing light. Hardy deliberately eliminates this semblance of light to depict his increasing sense of grief. In the third stanza, the use of the words â€Å"darkening dankness† and â€Å"yawning blankness† coupled with Hardys description of his wife's hallucination â€Å"at dusk†, convey this diffusion of light. In the final stanza Hardy appears to be undergoing acceptance, suggested by the use of the words â€Å"well, well†. Nevertheless his grief has not yet subsided.The broken yntax alters the rhythm, as well as giving the impression of it faltering forward. Hardy describes himself as a â€Å"dead man held on end to sink down soon†, this conflicts with the â€Å"rising† of Emma in the first stanza, nevertheless, may imply the same idea. Hardy is now plagued with a wish to Join his wife in the after life, yet this does not bring them any closer to her, as Hardy feels he'll â€Å"sink down† instead of rising up. In addition, similarly to the sun â€Å"rising† in the first stanza, the use of â€Å"sink down† may symbolize the sun now sinking, bringing about darkness. The Going by Thomas Hardy Hardy almost appears unaware of the years passed distanced from his wife ntil the fifth stanza, suggesting her death has the effect of a virtual awakening, allowing him to finally accept it, yet not settle from mourning it ,as is made evident by the following 1912-13 poems. The Repetition of â€Å"Why' beginning the first, third, and fifth stanza illustrate Hardys rejection of Emma's death, probably resulting from the regret of not having taken advantage of the time she was alive. Hardy feels Emma â€Å"calmly' died with â€Å"indifference†, giving way to intense feelings of remorse in the following stanza's.His uspicion of her carelessness is further highlighted in the second stanza as she is described to have â€Å"never to bid goodbye† – â€Å"or lip [him] the softest call†. Emma's apparent alienation of hardy suggests she deliberately left him in response to â€Å"those days long dead† where she was as good as dead to Hardy. Moreover Hardy rem ains unsettled by the fact that death or Emma offered â€Å"no hint† of her â€Å"going†. Deaths unexpectedness emphasizes its fragility, and tendency to â€Å"quickly – and calmly' occur at any â€Å"moment, and alter all†.The use of the oxymoron, quickly – and calmly' to describe death may suggest Hardys state of confusion due to the swiftness of it all happening, as well as him actually not knowing how she died because he was not there. In addition the aural imagery created through the use of the monosyllabic words, â€Å"up and be gone†, has the effect of emphasizing deaths suddenness. The â€Å"IloW' sound created by the feminine end rhyme of â€Å"where I could not follow – with wing of swallow' has the effect of something continuous, in this case suggesting Hardys growing distance from Emma now that she is dead, as well as oreshadowing the long period of grief to come. The Going† is reference to Emma's gradual fading f rom Hardys memory. Emma death is also described to be a â€Å"swift fleeing† and a â€Å"great going†. Death and the after life are never referred to explicitly. Therefore Hardys use of euphemisms illustrate his avoidance of reality, as well as his fear of acknowledging Emma's death. Furthermore, Hardys commemorations of his courtship with Emma in the fourth stanza further stresses this point. The tone of the poem shifts during this process, as he cadence begins to rise, revealing the Joy Hardy feels whilst remembering Emma alive.It almost seems as if Hardy is attempting to â€Å"follow' Emma through his memories of her. Hardys eventually recollects the moments where him and Emma were most distant and â€Å"did not spear or â€Å"visit together those places that they once visited†. By this point, regret dominates Hardys feelings and the poem. Furthermore, in the first stanza Emma's is described to have passed on â€Å"quickly after the morrows dawn† â⠂¬â€œ the use of the word â€Å"dawn† adds a sense of light to poem, allowing readers to imagine the sun rising.This may symbolize Emma's soul rising from her dead corpse, as well as, portraying an ambiance of increasing light. Hardy deliberately eliminates this semblance of light to depict his increasing sense of grief. In the third stanza, the use of the words â€Å"darkening dankness† and â€Å"yawning blankness† coupled with Hardys description of his wife's hallucination â€Å"at dusk†, convey this diffusion of light. In the final stanza Hardy appears to be undergoing acceptance, suggested by the use of the words â€Å"well, well†. Nevertheless his grief has not yet subsided.The broken yntax alters the rhythm, as well as giving the impression of it faltering forward. Hardy describes himself as a â€Å"dead man held on end to sink down soon†, this conflicts with the â€Å"rising† of Emma in the first stanza, nevertheless, may imply the same idea. Hardy is now plagued with a wish to Join his wife in the after life, yet this does not bring them any closer to her, as Hardy feels he'll â€Å"sink down† instead of rising up. In addition, similarly to the sun â€Å"rising† in the first stanza, the use of â€Å"sink down† may symbolize the sun now sinking, bringing about darkness.

Film Analysis Pocahontas Essay - 949 Words

Film Analysis: Pocahontas The animated Walt Disney movie Pocahontas is based on a true life story of a young Powhatan Indian girl named Pocahontas who falls in love with John Smith. In the making of the movie, Walt Disney, attempts to relate to the early 17th Century historic event of Europeans settling in Jamestown; however, Disney did not portrait the true story. Disney rewrote the story by making it a beautifully romantic and animated love story like a Cinderella fairytale. In the Walt Disney movie, Pocahontas and John Smith were both young adults when they first met. Pocahontas was very alethic, and wore a one-strapped leather short dress and she had a tattoo on her arm. John Smith was a tall, handsome, clean shaved man that wore†¦show more content†¦He started scouting around and began drawing maps immediately. He met Pocahontas by almost shooting her by a water fall, and later they fell in love. He was captured later in the movie while venturing out alone at night to meet Pocahontas. John Smith was going to be executed on top of a rock at dawn, in front of an army of colonists who planned to rescue him. In reality, John smith was arrested and chained in irons during the voyage over, and he was released a month after arriving to Jamestown, Virginia. After he was set free, he did a lot of exploring and trading with the Indians. John Smith mapped most of the Jamestown area. He was eventually captured while seeking food along the Chickahominy R iver. John Smith was brought to Chief Powhatan and was sentenced to be executed. This is when he actually met Matoaka, the real name of Pocahontas, and she rescued him from execution. Matoake was the oldest daughter of Chief Powhatan. John Smith became good friends with Matoake, and eventually Chief Powhatan adopted Smith as his son. (Squidoo, Inc., 2012) According to history, despite the fact that Pocahontas is most famous for saving the life of John Smith, she never marries him. Smith returns to find the situation at the fort desperate. They are running out of food and only 38 of the original 105 Colonists are alive. Smith was accused of causing the deaths of his men. He was overthrown from his position and almost condemned to hang. Lucky a ship arrived at Newport carryingShow MoreRelatedRacism in Pocahontas1552 Words   |  7 PagesRacism in Pocahontas The film Pocahontas, produced by Walt Disney films, portrays the tension between the Powhatan tribe and English settlers during the establishment of Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in the New World. In examining this film using the article Ten Quick Ways to Analyze Childrens Books for Racism and Sexism, it quickly becomes apparent that although there are forms of racism as described in the article (what will be referred to as ‘traditional media racism)Read MoreThe Social Construction Of Race1743 Words   |  7 Pagesthemselves into various cultural outlets of society including the media and film. Through the use of such popular forms of entertainment, the definitions of a race remain largely unchanged as future generations remain exposed to these racial classifications. The effectiveness of media in perpetuating and maintaining racial definitions is apparent through the consistent presence of such ideas in popular films such as Disney’s Pocahontas (1995) and James Cameron’s Avatar (2009). Despite over a decade differenceRead MoreProject Report1277 Words   |  6 Pages This project will take place over a week, starting with the article being published in the Observer. It would be best if the article is published on a Wednesday, with the screening of Pocahontas on Friday and Miss Representation on Saturday, both in the Debartolo Performing Arts Center. Pocahontas was shown quite recently, so they may be unsure about showing it again, but Miss Representation has only been shown once, in 2012. It is quite simple to send in a letter to the editor at the Observer,Read MorePocahontas Term Paper1992 Words   |  8 Pagesï » ¿Pocahontas: A detailed interpretation and analysis of the historical accuracies and inaccuracies in Disney’s Pocahontas In Camilla Townsend’s book, Pocahontas and the Powhatan Dilemma, Townsend points out that there are many historical inaccuracies and myths that are associated with the story of Pocahontas. Using historical evidence to support the story of Pocahontas, Townsend attempted to create an accurate timeline bringing the past to the present. At the same time, the Disney film PocahontasRead MoreThe Colonialism Of The Walt Disney Company1571 Words   |  7 Pagesis the most recent Disney animated film about an indigenous culture. Moana is centered in an unknown Polynesian land before Western colonization and focuses on the chief’s daughter, Moana on the island of Motuni. The plot is a typical hero’s journey where Moana is called by the ocean to return the heart of Te Fiti to restore the land and vegetation of her people’s island and the rest of the South Pacific. I am analyzing the contribution of the animated Disney film, Moana to Disney’s developing appreci ationRead MoreEssay about The Truth of Thanksgiving1644 Words   |  7 PagesThanksgiving didn’t pan out quite as it is explained to Americans today. In the film, The Addams Family Values, the Addams children take part in a traditional, yet misconceived celebration of the first Thanksgiving. This film in comparison to Bradford’s testimony proves how Americans view their history as they please; giving America the official Thanksgiving ceremony even if it never actually happened. In the film, Addams’ Family Values, the Addams’ are depicted as an odd American family.Read MoreEssay on Racism in Disney Films2220 Words   |  9 Pagesanimal kingdom. Disney films have captivated the American culture for years and have become a pivotal part of popular culture as well as a form of education. However, these films have devoured the youth of America and, in the process; have perpetuated an institutionally racist society based on harsh stereotypes. Minorities are often underrepresented, and even completely left out, of many Disney films such as Dumbo (1941), The Lion King (1994), Aladdin (1992), and Pocahontas (1995). As students enterRead MoreUnderstanding Disney : The Manufacture Of Fantasy1441 Words   |  6 Pagesmotives behind the company. In order for Waskos to provide her readers with a deep understanding of Disney’s invisible motives behind their actions, she investigates ways in which Disney constructs society. Waskos first provide s the audience with an analysis of Disney and synergy. She then focuses on how Disney promotes the idea of capitalism. Waskos supports this notion by using examples, such as, Disney theme parks, the concept of mass production and mass merchandising. In addition, Waskos outlinesRead MoreAnalysis Of Disney s And Fat Phobic Appearance Personality Correlation2223 Words   |  9 PagesWith lively animated films, imaginative production, and a knack for nostalgia, it is clear that Disney plays a fundamental role in the juvenility of many. Wander into any elementary school and you’re sure to find a first grader quoting The Lion King or an array of Frozen-themed backpacks lined up against the classroom wall. Unsurprisingly. children absorb whatever they see in television and film. They are malleable, their personalities easily swayed by a favorite celebrity at the moment or an olderRead MoreAmerican Journalist, Editor For News Of The New York Times962 Words   |  4 Pagesgraduate Susan Chira (author’s background) uncovers society’s stagnant opinion of unwed motherhood being deviant and unacceptable, as portrayed in movies (content). Chira states that from the 1930’s to the 1950’s unwed motherhood was a disgrace, and films depicted it as such. This stigma remains today, even when unwed motherhood is a conscious decision, society views it as a bad one. Movie plots have not shifted from a mother being unmarried as the problem to their, often, immaturity, which is the actual