Language reinforces the gender role in India. In the article of "India's shifting Gender Roles", girls get accessed to education from the support of the government. There is a quote in the article which exemplifies the equal gender role between men and women. "'If my husband and I are fighting over something small, and he blames me,' Sarita's mom says, 'Sarita scolds him. 'Papa, its your fault too!'" Sarita is not afraid of father at all, and he scolds him in a loud voice. In Indians' view, men are superior than women, so each family wants to have a son instead of a girl. But in this passage, Sarita's family is glad that girls can get education opportunities, which emphasizes the increasing gender role of women.
Monday, April 22, 2013
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Gender Roles
1. Which aspect of gender roles are true everywhere?
Obviously, women are more likely to be "polite" to others, by saying "I am sorry", "Thank you" etc. However, it appears that men are less likely to admit their fault and behave non negotiably.
2. Which are specific to your country?
In my country, I found it very interesting that when I got lost, and asked someone else for directions. Men always answered with specific directions. For example, go north for about five minuets, when you see a traffic light, turn left. However, if it is a woman, she would choose buildings as references. "Go toward that building and then turn left". Although man and woman are answering the same thing, they are thinking in a different way. Gender roles may influence they way they think and give directions.
3. How does language reinforce or create or thwart those gender roles?
If a man says "I am sorry", language will make him seem to be weaker. However, in the second situation, when men and women both are asked for directions, men's language seems to be clearer, like there is a map in their brain.
Obviously, women are more likely to be "polite" to others, by saying "I am sorry", "Thank you" etc. However, it appears that men are less likely to admit their fault and behave non negotiably.
2. Which are specific to your country?
In my country, I found it very interesting that when I got lost, and asked someone else for directions. Men always answered with specific directions. For example, go north for about five minuets, when you see a traffic light, turn left. However, if it is a woman, she would choose buildings as references. "Go toward that building and then turn left". Although man and woman are answering the same thing, they are thinking in a different way. Gender roles may influence they way they think and give directions.
3. How does language reinforce or create or thwart those gender roles?
If a man says "I am sorry", language will make him seem to be weaker. However, in the second situation, when men and women both are asked for directions, men's language seems to be clearer, like there is a map in their brain.
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Shibboleth
I speak Mandarin, English and Spanish, and also, as a Southerner in China, I also speak the dialect of mandarin. Although there are many dialects in china, the difference of it between North and South is major. There are multiple ways to express a word in the same meaning but a different way. For example, for the word "what", northerners say "sha". However, southerners name it "shenme". It's not very common to hear the word "sha" in the southern school.
Meanwhile, in my family, I speak Ningbonese- a dialect in Ningbo. It is complicated and usually, people from different provinces, or even neighboring cities, won't understand what we are talking about. People from other cities think that Ningbonese sounds like Japanese. They may also sometimes have trouble distinguishing Ningbo citizens to Japanese just based on the language they speak.
Meanwhile, in my family, I speak Ningbonese- a dialect in Ningbo. It is complicated and usually, people from different provinces, or even neighboring cities, won't understand what we are talking about. People from other cities think that Ningbonese sounds like Japanese. They may also sometimes have trouble distinguishing Ningbo citizens to Japanese just based on the language they speak.
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