Language shapes our perceptions and understanding of the world, including the representation of women and their experiences.
The history of women's words reveals the patriarchal control over language and the changing perception of women's work.
Deep dives
The Importance of Language in Shaping Perspectives
The podcast explores how language, specifically the choice of words, shapes our perceptions and understanding of the world. It discusses how the book 'Mother Tongue' by Jenny Natter sheds light on the history of women's words and the representation of women in language. It highlights the fact that historical sources were predominantly written by men, leading to a biased and male-centered perspective. The book uncovers the vocabulary women used to describe themselves and their experiences, while also examining the influences of other discourses such as medicine and religion on language usage.
Evolution of Women's Language and Euphemisms
The podcast delves into the evolution of women's language, focusing on specific words and terms. It discusses the origins of words like 'woman' and 'girl' and how their meanings have shifted over time. It also explores euphemisms used to refer to female anatomy and the changing perception and taboo surrounding these terms. Additionally, it examines how the words used for women's bodies were often taken away from them, illustrating society's patriarchal control over language.
Women's Work and Language
The podcast explores the history of women's work and the language associated with it. It reveals that women were involved in a wide range of occupations, often performing tasks that challenged societal norms. The discussion includes words used to describe women's work, such as 'tapster' for women involved in brewing, and the suffixes used to designate female roles. It also examines the changing perception and representation of women's work over time.
Dr Jenni Nuttall talks to Michael about the words used by and about women since the beginnings of language. Including some words we should never have lost.
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