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Forums => English & Linguistics => Topic started by: rivka on April 06, 2009, 08:10:25 AM

Title: Maybe Shakespeare was wrong
Post by: rivka on April 06, 2009, 08:10:25 AM

Fascinating! (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=102518565)

Title: Maybe Shakespeare was wrong
Post by: The Genuine on April 06, 2009, 09:25:16 AM

Indeed.

Us poor English speakers with our gender-neutral language!

Title: Maybe Shakespeare was wrong
Post by: Annie Subjunctive on April 06, 2009, 09:36:19 AM

Very cool!

Quote

Boroditsky proposes that because the word for "bridge" in German — die brucke — is a feminine noun, and the word for "bridge" in Spanish — el puente — is a masculine noun, native speakers unconsciously give nouns the characteristics of their grammatical gender.

I have ALWAYS wondered this. And it's cool to read about this study. Once I was talking to a latina friend of mine and she was explaining to me how she first learned the difference between derecho (straight) and derecha (right). "Derecho is, you know, (she jammed her fist emphatically forward) straight ahead, strong, like a man. Derecha turns to the side, you know. Gently. Like a woman."

Title: Maybe Shakespeare was wrong
Post by: Porter on April 06, 2009, 09:45:46 AM

Not surprising at all.

Personally, I detest the concept of grammatical gender.

Title: Maybe Shakespeare was wrong
Post by: Jonathon on April 11, 2009, 01:59:08 PM

Fascinating stuff, but not terribly surprising. I wonder how much of an effect there is with non-gender-neutral language in English. That would be an interesting study. Too bad I didn't think of that in time to write my sociolinguistics term paper on it.