"Sociolinguistics is a term including the aspects of linguistics applied toward the connections between language and society, and the way we use it in different social situations. It ranges from the study of the wide variety of dialects across a given region down to the analysis between the way men and women speak to on another. Sociolinguistics often shows us the humorous realities of human speech and how a dialect of a given language can often describe the age, sex, and social class of the speaker; it codes the social function of a language."0
One can assume that in southern countries where women are thought to be more under pressure by men, this might be also expressed in the native language.
Indeed, not only in southern countries but also in numerous European languages three basic facts which express the patriarchal status in most countries are apparent:
- It is obvious that the female gender is semantically of lower range than the male form. In English, "master" indicates a positive connotation while the female form "mistress" indicates something negative. In Italian, "filosofo" means "philosopher" and the female form "filosofessa" stands for "imaginary wife".
- Male forms often are seen as revaluating while female forms are perceived as degrading: "She is man enough to ...", or in German, "Im Beruf steht Birgit ihren Mann." And contrary: "Tom behaves girlish.".
- Male forms that are syntactically or morphologically marked refer not only to a group of men but also to a mixed group of female and male persons. For example, when there are 99 women and one man in a lecture-hall, the male form must be taken as the conventional one. In Germany, for instance, it is not common to say "Liebe Studentinnen".
Table of Contents
1. Gender in English and Serbo-Croatian
1.1. Grammatical gender
1.2. Natural gender
1.3. Social gender
2. Methods of specifying gender
2.1.The word formation of female forms
2.1.1. Introduction
2.1.2. Serbo-Croatian
2.1.3. English
2.2. Grammatical methods
2.2.1. Tense
2.2.2. Case
2.3. Lexical methods
3. Methods of gender abstraction
3.1. Grammatical methods
3.2. Laxical methods
4. Social and political aspects of language usage
4.1. Language acquisition
4.2. Politics and sex discrimination
4.3. Solutions for a non-sexist usage of language
Objectives and Thematic Focus
This paper examines and compares the linguistic representation of gender in English and Serbo-Croatian, specifically focusing on how both languages "treat" women. The primary research goal is to determine which language exhibits more patriarchal structures and whether one language discriminates against women more significantly through its grammatical and lexical systems.
- Analysis of grammatical, natural, and social gender categories.
- Evaluation of word-formation patterns for female forms in both languages.
- Investigation of case and tense as markers of gendered identity.
- Discussion of the influence of social and political factors on non-sexist language usage.
- Examination of the Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis in the context of gender acquisition.
Excerpt from the Book
1.2. Natural gender
To recognise if the female or the male form of an English term is being used, it is important to look at the context. Furthermore, for the choice of pronouns it is important if the noun is human, animate or inanimate.
For example: animate, human terms: the neighbour…she/he/who inanimate terms: the table…it/which or that animate terms: the cat…it/which or that animate, but personalized terms: my cat Minky/Jerry…she/he/who
In Serbo-Croatian the article is never used before a noun. Nouns with an [a] –ending are always female forms. If a consonant is found at the end it is grammatically a male noun. Words with an [e]- or an –[o] –ending are neuter.
For example: the moon (-/it) – der Mond (m/er) – mesec (m/on). the sun (-/it) – die Sonne (f/sie) – sunce (n/ono) the book (-/it) – das Buch (n/es) – knjiga (f/ona)
Summary of Chapters
1. Gender in English and Serbo-Croatian: Defines the core concepts of grammatical, natural, and social gender within the two language systems.
2. Methods of specifying gender: Analyzes the specific word formation, grammatical structures, and lexical methods used to express female forms in English and Serbo-Croatian.
3. Methods of gender abstraction: Explores the linguistic possibilities for neutralising gendered terms when generalisations are required.
4. Social and political aspects of language usage: Discusses how societal structures, education, and political movements influence language change and the implementation of non-sexist guidelines.
Keywords
Sociolinguistics, Gender, Serbo-Croatian, English, Grammatical Gender, Natural Gender, Social Gender, Patriarchal Language, Femalisation, Sex Discrimination, Language Acquisition, Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis, Non-sexist Language, Personality Terms, Morphology.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this sociolinguistic study?
The study investigates the linguistic representation of gender in English and Serbo-Croatian, aiming to compare how each language system constructs and potentially discriminates against women.
What are the primary thematic areas explored?
The research covers grammatical gender, word-formation patterns, the impact of case and tense on gender expression, and the sociopolitical context of feminist language reform.
What is the main research question?
The paper seeks to determine which of the two languages "treats" women more equitably and which one exhibits more deeply ingrained patriarchal structures within its linguistic framework.
Which scientific method is utilized?
The author employs a contrastive sociolinguistic analysis, comparing grammatical, lexical, and morphological data from English and Serbo-Croatian alongside relevant theoretical literature.
What does the main body of the work cover?
It covers theoretical definitions of gender categories, practical examples of word formation in both languages, and an analysis of how social factors influence the adoption of non-sexist language.
Which keywords characterize the work?
The research is characterized by terms such as sociolinguistics, patriarchal language, grammatical gender, language acquisition, and feminist language planning.
How does Serbo-Croatian differ from English regarding case and tense?
Unlike English, where the verb and pronouns remain largely gender-neutral in the present tense, Serbo-Croatian grammar enforces congruity, meaning the verb and pronouns must adapt to the gender of the subject, even in the past tense.
How does the author view the "social gender" category?
The author defines social gender as a category motivated by societal stereotypes rather than inherent biological or grammatical characteristics, noting that it influences how speakers choose pronouns for certain professions.
- Citar trabajo
- M.A. Tamara Olschewski (Autor), 2001, Contrasts of gender, case and tense in English and Serbo-Croatian, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1768
