英语词汇中的性别歧视_1.docVIP

【标题】英语词汇中的性别歧视 【作者】李 晓 霞 【关键词】英语词汇；性别歧视；原因；趋势 【指导老师】廖 东 红 【专业】英语 【正文】I. Introduction???? It is known that?“ language can not be sexist itself, just as it can not be dirty, but it can reflect sexist attitudes just as it can reflect attitudes as to what is or is not considered?‘taboo’.”1 However,?“language is the carrier and container of culture.”2??“Language is the mirror of society which is the means of social communication.”3? It inextricably reflects the customs and values of society.???? There are several definitions about sexism. According to Webster Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary, it is given a definition: prejudice or discrimination based on sex; esp. discrimination against women. Longman English Dictionary gives another explanation: base on sex, esp. man looks down upon female. America Traditional Dictionary gives such a definition: one sex directs the other; esp. man looks down upon female. So, based on the language custom,?“sexism” always expresses that language directs the female.???? Sexism in English language is extremely common and its reflection is on English vocabulary. This paper will discuss some Linguistic features of sexism in English vocabulary, the causes for sexism in English vocabulary and current trends for non-sexist language.Ⅱ. Sex Discrimination in English Vocabulary?We have observed that in the human community, although about half of its members are female, an andocentric language is used for both sexes. In other words, the language is centered on the male portion of the population. This andocentric bias in language leads to a linguistic sexism. According to Merriam Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary?(1996), sexism means:?(1) prejudice or discrimination based on sex; esp. discrimination against women;?(2) behavior, conditions, or attitudes that foster stereotypes of social roles based on sex. This definition shows that the female is largely the sex that suffers discrimination in language.?A. Marked Woman and Unmarked ManW