浅议英语中的性别歧视及其社会根源 [5]
论文作者:陈端燕论文属性:短文 essay登出时间:2009-04-03编辑:黄丽樱点击率:19658
论文字数:6958论文编号:org200904031730061001语种:中文 Chinese地区:中国价格:免费论文
关键词:sexismEnglish languagesocial roots性别歧视英语语言社会根源
glish people; Uncle Sam stands for the U.S.A and John Doe symbolizes ordinary American citizens. Female names are often used to disgusting and negative things. In America, hurricanes are often named after female names. In 1952, U.S. meteorology bureau published the first name list of hurricane occurs in Pacific Ocean like this: Alice, Barbara, Carol, Dolly, Edna, Florence, Gilda, Hazel, Irene, Jill, Katherine, Lucy, Mabel, Norma, Orpha, Queen, Rachel, Susie, Tina, Una, Vicky and Walis. The most destructive tropical cyclone that ever hit the United States in September 2005 is called Hurricane Katrina. Many women are dissatisfied with it. It causes troubles for women who have the same names as hurricanes. They are often laughed at.
2.2.2 Titles: Mr. and Mrs. /Miss/Ms
Another naming practice that treats women differently from men concerns courtesy titles or honorifics. The English language distinguishes women’s courtesy titles on the basis of marital status, but not those of men. A name plus title Mr. previously only informs that the addressee is male, while Mrs. and Miss not only tell the gender but also her marital status. This discriminatory practice is said to mark the availability of women in terms of marriage (sex) and reinforces the view that a woman is the property of a man (either her father or her husband). The use of titles is also asymmetrical:
Woman —— Miss/Mrs./Ms.
Man —— Mr.
Let us look at an example: When Susan Jones married Robert Smith, he is still limited to being Mr. Smith or Mr. Robert Smith, unless he has another title Dr. or Judge. She, on the other hand, can choose among Mrs. Smith, Mrs. Susan Smith, Mrs. Robert Smith, and Mrs. Susan Jones Smith, or others with the title Ms. instead of Mrs. An adult woman (who does not use another title such as Dr. or Judge) may use one of the three titles: Miss, Mrs. or Ms. Thus any woman who gives her preferred title on a form is revealing far more information about herself than a man does. Miss reveals she is unmarried (or chooses to present herself as such). Mrs. indicates that she is married. Ms., a relatively new title, was introduced to end the inequality in the system. We usually use the title Ms. in a letter or address unknown women without considering the marital status. But if Ms. largely replaced Miss, it will be a catch—all business title for women. [7]
Why should a woman’s title change with her marital status, but a man’s title stay the same? Feminist Dale Spender’s commentary sheds some light on an explanation in that respect:
The practice of labeling women as married or single also serves supremely sexist ends. It conveniently signals who is ‘fair game’ from the male point of view. There is tension between the representation of women as sex objects and the male ownership rights over women and this has been resolved by an explicit and most visible device of designating the married status of women .[8]
2.3 Word order
Another asymmetry in English language of women and men is reflected in word order when men and women are presented together. Usually men are given precedence while women follow behind, for example, husband and wife, son and daughter, brother and sister, host and hostess, king and queen, Adam and Eve. Some linguists made a hypothesis that in arranging word order, we are often used to following a ‘good to bad ’ sequence, such as good – bad, rich – poor, day – night, light – dark, life – death. And they went further to claim that the arran
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