Chapter 11 Words and Gender.ppt

Unit 11
Semantic Development of Words
for Each Sex and What It Shows
1) A word once reserved for female persons in high places is generalised to refer to people of all levels in a society:
The titles of women are more likely to undergo this generalisation than the titles of men.
For instance, under the entry "lord" in Collins Cobuild English Language Dictionary (CCELD), ten meanings are listed, all associated with nobility, authority and power. However, its counterpart "lady" is not so fortunate as to be reserved specially for the females of nobility.
Lord is the title used in front of the name of British earls, viscounts, marquesses, etc.
In Britain, you address a man as “ My Lord” when he is a judge or bishop, or if he is an earl, viscount, marquess, etc.
If someone “lords it over” you, they act in a way that shows that they are better than you.
The word “lord” is also used as part of the title of certain officials of very high rank in Britain.
In former times, especially in medieval times, a “lord’ was a man who owned land or property and who had power and authority over other people.
A “lord” is a man who has a high rank in the British nobility.
The “Lords” is the House Lords; used in slightly informal British English. In the Christian church, “Lord” is used to refer to god and to Jesus Christ.
In the 19th century, e Eliot described “lady” in Silas Marner ( 1851 ) as:
" She had the essential attributes of a lady--- high veracity, delicate honour in her dealings, deference to others,and refined personal habits."
Here, the connotation of " woman of refinement " can be felt. However, now, the connotations of the word
"lady " are rather different from those of the word "lord" or "gentleman". As far as usage is concerned,"lady" is in many respects actually an equivalent to " man".