淺析英語中的性別歧視

英語論文編號:YY331  論文字數:7306.頁數:23

A Brief Analysis on Sexism in English
 
Abstract

 Sexism is engrained in the language people speak all over the world. English, one of the most popular languages in the world is no exception. The phenomenon of sexism is not only a linguistic one, but basically, a social issue that is far more notice-worthy than the public would have thought. Demonstrations of Sexism in English are too numerous to be totally covered. This paper illustrates demonstrations from the viewpoints of word-structure, word choosing, sentence structure, sentence pattern, meaning and speech, just to name the most common ones. Then it takes an insight into the causes of sexism in English— the historical, cultural, political, economical, educational, physiological and psychological reasons. History needs reforms to keep marching forward, so does the language. It is only when all these dregs are cleared, can the whole human society to be crowned civilized and the language of English, accurate and elegant.
 
Key Words: Sexism; English; demonstrations; causes.

摘要： 語言是社會的一面鏡子，映射出社會發展的方方面面。人類社會發展到今天，經歷了原始社會、奴隸社會、封建社會、資本主義社會、社會主義社會（未來共產主義社會的初級階段）五種社會形態，看似已經取得了巨大進步，進入了高度文明的階段。在此過程中，女性的地位也從早期男性的附屬品提升到如今獨立的政治、經濟、社會個體。在這個號稱“男女平等”的時代，女性正扮演著越來越令人矚目的角色。然而，這并不代表性別歧視的現象就已經得到了根除。事實上，只要人們稍加留意自己日常使用的語言，就不難發現，語言中性別歧視的現象比比皆是。英語作為一門世界性語言，在詞匯、語法、語義等方面都存在著性別歧視的現象。
 全文共分四部分，淺析了英語中的性別歧視現象。其中，第一部分引入了性別歧視的定義。第二部分分別從選詞、詞句內部結構、意義以及言語特點四個角度詳細列舉分析了英語語言中性別歧視的表現。第三部分則從歷史、文化、政治、經濟等方面剖析了這一現象存在的根本原因。最后一部分是對全文的總結。
 英語中的性別歧視現象不只是種語言現象，更是一個社會問題，應當加以改善。研究語言中的性別歧視現象具有雙重意義：不僅有利于完善語言本身，令其更加準確、優美，對真正實現男女平等、社會公平也有一定的實踐指導作用。  
 
關鍵詞：性別歧視；英語；表現；原因。

Contents
中文摘要………………………………………………………………………...i
Abstract………………………………………………………………………….ii
I. Introduction…………………………………………………………………...1
II. Demonstrations of Sexism in English………………………………………..2
 A. Sexism in Word-Structure and Word Choosing………………………...2
 B. Sexism in Sentence Structure and Sentence Pattern……………………3
 C. Sexism in Meaning……………………………………………………...3
 D. Sexism in Speech……………………………………………………….5
 III. An Insight to the Causes of Sexism in English……………………………...7
 A. Historical and Cultural Reasons………………………………………...7
  1. Biases against Women in the Bible and Greek mythologies…………...7
  2. Some So-Called Scientific Evidences of the Sexual Disparity Theory..8
 B. Political and Economical Reasons……………………………………...9
  1. Terms in American Constitution……………………………………….9
  2. Lack of Equal Political Rights as Men……………………………….10
  3. Work Distribution in Society………………………………………….11
C. Educational Reasons…………………………………………………..12
 1. Limited Education Women Used to Receive…………………………12
 2. Influence of the Literary Works in the Past…………………………..13
D. Physiological and Psychological Reasons…………………………….14
 1. Women’s Physical Weakness to Men…………………………………14
 2. Some Women’s Self-Indulgence to Be Subordinate………………….15
IV. Conclusion………………………………………………………………….16
Notes…………………………………………………………………………...17
Bibliography…………………………………………………………………...19