1. Key Question: How does language express and/or reflect attitudes towards gender difference?
Starter: Consider the following statements. Do you agree/disagree with them? What evidence do you have to support your view?
Boys and girls are brought up, and expected to behave in, different ways.
English is an inherently sexist language.
Typically, women are represented more negatively by the media than are men.
Women talk more than men.
Women are more “in touch” with their feelings than men.
If the world were ruled and run by women, it would be a more peaceful, and less dangerous, place.

2. Can you think of any common phrases (particularly insults) that invoke sex/gender?
What qualities/characteristics are associated with the different genders?

3. What is gender?
What do you understand the terms “sex” and “gender” to mean?
Sex: the biological differences between men and women.
Gender: the cultural expectations and understandings ascribed to sex (men and women); the differences in behaviour and roles that are a result of societal expectations.
Socialisation process – the process(es) by which individuals’ behaviours are shaped. (So, for example, the processes by which we “become” our genders.)

4. Instructor / instructress Lion / lioness Priest / priestess
- In pairs decide if there is any difference (in terms of positive/negative associations) between these terms. - Can you describe the morphological/grammatical changes that mark the terms in each list?
Master / mistress
Waiter / waitress
Instructor / instructress
Lion / lioness
Priest / priestess
Female doctor
Woman writer
Career woman
Male nurse
Male prostitute
In each list, is there a term that is the “norm” (or “standard”), and one which seems to deviate from the norm?

5. Are there any patterns of negative and positive connotations?
Courtier
Master
Host
Governor
Adventurer
Sir
Bachelor
Lord
King
god
Courtesan
Mistress
Hostess
Governess
Adventuress
Madam
Spinster
Lady
Queen
goddess

6. Courtesan: a prostitute or paramour, especially one associating with noblemen or men of wealth. Origin: 1540–50;  < Middle French courtisane  < Italian cortigiana,  literally, woman of the court, derivative of corte

7. Mistress 5. an archaic or dialect word for sweetheart
1. a woman who has a continuing extramarital sexual relationship with a man
2. a woman in a position of authority, ownership, or control, such as the head of a household
3. a woman or female personification having control over something specified: she was mistress of her own destiny
4. chiefly  ( Brit ) short for schoolmistress
5. an archaic or dialect word for sweetheart

8. Hostess
1. a woman who receives and entertains guests in her own home or elsewhere.
2. a woman employed in a restaurant or place of amusement to receive, seat, or assist patrons.
3. a woman who acts as master of ceremonies, moderator, or interviewer for a television or radio program; host.
4. a woman employed by an airline, railroad, bus company, etc., to see that passengers are comfortable throughout a trip, usually receiving and seating them, and sometimes serving them refreshments.
5. a woman who manages a resort or hotel or who directs its social activities.
(Hostess trolley?)

9. 2. Archaic . a woman who is a ruler or governor.
Governess
1. a woman who is employed to take charge of a child's upbringing, education, etc.
2. Archaic . a woman who is a ruler or governor.
(Compare “governor”: someone (male?) charged with authority over a state, institution etc.).
The fact “governess” as an equivalent to “governor” is an archaism might suggest that here we have an example of semantic deterioration.

10. Adventuress
1. a woman who schemes to win social position, wealth, etc., by unscrupulous or questionable means.
2. a woman who is an adventurer.
(Sexually promiscuous?)

11. Madam
1. ( often initial capital letter ) a polite term of address to a woman, originally used only to a woman of rank or authority: Madam President; May I help you, madam?
2. the woman in charge of a household: Is the madam at home?
3. the woman in charge of a house of prostitution.

12. Spinster
1. a woman still unmarried beyond the usual age of marrying.
2. Chiefly Law . a woman who has never married.
3. a woman whose occupation is spinning.

13. Plenary Is (the English) language inherently sexist?
Should we semantically mark for gender, or should we devise, e.g., unmarked pronouns?

14. Lady

15. Queen

16. goddess

17. Plenary
Is language sexist?