Ladettes, Male Nurses and Man Flu:
Gender Marking and Lexical Asymmetry
The big questions: how important is the debate surrounding androcentric language to challenging gender stereotypes? To what extent has the debate been successful so far? To what extent have fixed attitudes remained?
1. Read these two articles
ARTICLE TWO
2. Answer the questions on these articles below in a word document.
3. When you have finished answering these questions, write a discursive response to the ‘big question’ above. Aim to write 300 - 500 words. Make sure you use terminology from the Language and Gender glossary .
Article 1: Ladettes and Slags – gender culture and language/ Beth Kemp
1. What is reflectionist theory?
2. What is linguistic determinist view?
3. What is meant by lexical asymmetry?
4. List 8 words which include diminutive suffixes.
5. Why is ‘ladette’ not much of a linguistic improvement for gender descriptions?
6. What did Julia Stanley’s 1973 research show and how relevant do you think it is to today’s society?
7. Explain Kemp’s attitude towards words such as ‘slag’ and ‘slut’.
8. Kemp notes that the lexical gap for terms connoting negative male promiscuity is fillings. Summarise her opinion on this issue.
2. Answer the questions on these articles below in a word document.
3. When you have finished answering these questions, write a discursive response to the ‘big question’ above. Aim to write 300 - 500 words. Make sure you use terminology from the Language and Gender glossary .
Article 1: Ladettes and Slags – gender culture and language/ Beth Kemp
1. What is reflectionist theory?
2. What is linguistic determinist view?
3. What is meant by lexical asymmetry?
4. List 8 words which include diminutive suffixes.
5. Why is ‘ladette’ not much of a linguistic improvement for gender descriptions?
6. What did Julia Stanley’s 1973 research show and how relevant do you think it is to today’s society?
7. Explain Kemp’s attitude towards words such as ‘slag’ and ‘slut’.
8. Kemp notes that the lexical gap for terms connoting negative male promiscuity is fillings. Summarise her opinion on this issue.
Modern Marking – a challenge to gender neutral terms/ Suzanne Williams
1. Why do many journalistic style guides recommend gender neutral language?
2. Why does Williams think the phrase ‘male nurse’ was used in the press coverge surrounding Victorina Chua?
3. Summarise the etymology of ‘slag’ and ‘slut’.
4. How do marked terms for male sexuality differ to marked terms for female sexuality?
5. Summarise William’s views on the term ‘man flu’.
6. What is the ‘stupid man trope’ and why does Williams think it is dangerous?
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