Acknowledgements

On the completion of my thesis, I wish to thank all those who have given me consistent help and great advice that have made this thesis possible.

I would like to extend my great thanks and deepest gratitude to my tutor Professor Lu Ling who gave valuable instructions. Without her patience, shrewd comments, effective advice as well as quick corrections, many of the pitfalls of my thesis would have still remained and I even could not finish my thesis. It is her who encouraged and urged me to begin my research work as soon as possible. Her kindness and advice have kept the thesis in the right direction.

I am greatly indebted to Professor Cao Lingjuan, Mr. Zeng Chuansheng, Mr. Chen chuanxian, Ms Bai Lifang, Professor Li Mengtao, Ms Li Fen and Mr. Lin Xu of School of Foreign Language of Hainan University. They have improved me in language skills and proficiency and have cultivated my great interest in English literature and western culture. During these four years, their encouragement, friendship and kindness have great impact on my study and life.

Last but not least, I should thank all the teachers and staffs who have helped me a lot during these wonderful four years of my university life.

Abstract

In the process of human development, it is common in society that man is superior to woman, which is not only in power and wealth but also in use of vocabulary. Admittedly, English develops from the society in which males occupy the lead position, therefore it is inevitable that its vocabulary tends to the discrimination against females. And what is more under the influence of Bible, quite a lot of English etymologists created words through the notion of physiology, female social role and man is superior to woman etc. which makes sex difference of vocabulary  institutionalized. Since the movement for women’s rights in 1960s, sexism in English vocabulary has always been an important issue which the feminists study on. Great effort has been done that feminists advocate to use neutral terms instead of sexism terms in order to remove the sexism in vocabulary gradually. This thesis attempts to make a study on sexism in English vocabulary through comparisons and examples, aiming at finding out those hidden differences between male and female in vocabulary, and tabling a proposal in casting aside sexism to arouse people’s awareness and give them a new understanding of language.

Key words: sexism; English vocabulary; discrimination; comparison

摘要

在人類發(fā)展的進(jìn)程里，男人高于女人一等是十分普遍的現(xiàn)象，這種現(xiàn)象不僅表現(xiàn)在權(quán)利方面，還表現(xiàn)在詞匯的使用上。無可否認(rèn)的，英語是從以男人占主導(dǎo)地位的社會中逐漸發(fā)展起來的，因此英語詞匯必然帶有歧視女性的傾向。尤其是在圣經(jīng)的影響下，許多語源學(xué)家根據(jù)人們的普遍心理，女性的社會地位，以及男人高于女人等方面創(chuàng)造詞匯， 從而使得不同性別的詞匯使用成為慣例。自從1960年的女權(quán)運(yùn)動以來，英語詞匯中的性別歧視已成為女權(quán)主義者研究的重要課題。女權(quán)主義者提倡使用中性詞匯代替性別歧視詞以達(dá)到逐漸消除詞匯中性別歧視的目的已經(jīng)取得巨大成就。本文將通過對比與舉例對英語詞匯中的性別歧視進(jìn)行剖析，意在分析詞匯中男性與女性之間隱含的不同，倡導(dǎo)消除性別歧視以喚醒人們的意識，使其對語言有一個全新的理解。

關(guān)鍵詞：性別歧視；英語詞匯；歧視；對比

Contents
Acknowledgements…………………………………………………………………( i )
 
Abstract (English)…………………………………………………………………( ii )

Abstract (Chinese) ……………………………………………………………… ( iii )

Contents……………………………………………………………………………( iv )

1.Introduction……………………………………………………………………… (1)

2.Word-formation of Common Words…………………………………………… (1)
2.1 The Definitions of Man and Woman in Dictionary…………………………(2)
2.2 Word-formation of Common Words Made by “Man” and “Woman”………(3)
2.3 Unmarked Words Referring to Male ……………………………………… (5)
2.4 Common Words Referring to Male…………………………………………(5)

3.The Manifestation of Sexism in English Vocabulary ………………………… (6 )
    3.1 Sexism in Neutral Terms……………………………………………………(6)
       3.1.1 Occupational Neutral Words are Sexualized …………………………(6)
       3.1.2 Some Neutral Words in Derogatory Sense Referring to Female …… (7 )
3.2 Meanings of Equivalents are not Peer to Peer …………………………… (8 )
3.2.1 Meanings of Twin Words are not Peer to Peer ………………………(8)
3.2.2 The Meaning of Appellation Words are not Peer to Pee r……………(9)
3.2.3 Sexism in Gender Terms……………………………………………(10 )
3.2.4 Sexism in Articles  …………………………………………………(11)

4.The Cause of Formation in Sexism …………………………………………… (11)
4.1 The Improper Location of Men and Women in Bible …………………… (11)
4.2 Political and Economic Reasons ………………………………………… (12)
4.2.1 Females Relying on Their Husbands in Economy ………………… (12)
4.2.2 Females Depending on Males in Policy …………………………… (13)

5. The Impact of Movement for Women’s Right in United States on Sexism in English Vocabulary……………………………………………………………(13)
5.1 The Background of the Movemnet for Women’s Right ………………… (14 )
5.2 The Great Impact of Movement for Women’s Right on Vocabulary………(14)
5.3 How to Take Full Advantage of the Impact ……………………………… (15)

6. Conclusion ………………………………………………………………………(16)

7.Reference…………………………………………………………………………(18)