从“Three Ds”看英语中的性别歧视

"Three Ds" and Sexism in English

语言是由社会结构所决定的社会实践。受父权文化的影响,男女两性之间的地位差异和对女性的歧视在英语中有着或隐或显的反映,这些性别歧视可以用"Three Ds"加以概括,即Dismissing(指女性在语言中的"缺席"或"消失"),Defining(指女性的地位由她的职业、家庭婚姻等方面的地位而决定)和Deprecating(即语言中对女性带歧视、藐视的那些语词)。从两性差异的角度对英语做细致的分析能帮助我们了解语言与文化的现实,了解性别与性别身份是如何通过语言得到再现和确认的,从而有利于提高跨文化交际的能力与效果。

Language is social practice determined by social structures.There are covert or overt reflections of sexism in English owing to the influence of patriarchal culture.These reflections can be generalized as ＂Three Ds＂,i.e.dismissing（dismissing females by using male phrases and terms）,defining（a woman ＇ s status is defined by her place in occupations and relationships）,and deprecating（There are many terms or expressions in English referring to women in which women are trivialized and derogated）.A subtle analysis of the language from the perspective of gender can be helpful for us in understanding better the linguistic and cultural reality,and knowing how gender and identity is represented and established through language,and therefore help raise our cross-cultural performance and efficiency.