GENDER AND LANGUAGE OF THE HOLY BIBLE IN ENGLISH: IMPLICATIONS FOR HUMAN AND WOMEN’S RIGHTS IN AFRICA
Journal Title: Asian Journal Social Sciences & Humanities - Year 2013, Vol 2, Issue 4
Abstract
Language, an instrument of communication which “sert à analyser l’expérience humaine … dans chaque communauté …” (Martinet, 1970:20), is unique to the homo sapiens. One acquires one’s first language without conscious awareness. While growing up, one expands his linguistic horizon and develops an awareness of knowledge of events, people and phenomena in his environment. This knowledge constitutes one’s culture. Since language is a non-instinctive method of self expression and of interpreting one’s environment and world-view, there exists an inseparable relationship between language and culture. The foregoing summarizes the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis which constitutes the framework of this study. Wallwork (1974:12) adds that language, a social regulator which serves in influencing people, is by that same feature also a tool for “manipulating” them. Language-use in any society therefore needs to be negotiated for mutual acceptance by its users. This study, based on the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis and the pragmatics of Wallwork, is concerned with the gender-marked language of the Holy Bible in some of it English language versions and the implications of this for human and women’s rights in Africa. The first part of this study attempts to justify the theoretical framework of the study, and this is followed by a discussion on gender and language. The third part of the paper presents instances of gender-marked language in The Holy Bible in English, while part four examines this feature in the face of contemporary gender awareness in Africa, particularly in its feminist dimension. The study concludes by highlighting the implications of this on the mental attitude of women and the society in general towards the hitherto accepted gender-marked language of the Holy Bible in English which is now being regarded and rejected as a form of oppression and human and women’s rights violation.
Authors and Affiliations
Anthonia Dickson, Mike Edung
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP141585
- DOI -
- Views 125
- Downloads 0
THE IMPACT OF BAD GOVERNANCE ON NIGERIA’S HEGEMONIC DECLINE IN WEST AFRICAN SUB-REGION
Nigeria has been acknowledged to be the West African Hegemon by both the West African countries and the western countries. The country’s economic strength in Africa as well as its military capability combined to qualify...
ENGAGING PRIMARY SCHOOL CHILDREN IN MATHEMATICAL DISCOURSE: AN EXPERIENCE OF A PAKISTANI CLASSROOM
Mathematics occupies an important position in primary school subjects in Pakistan. The National Education Policies of Pakistan has emphasized the significance of Mathematics not as a subject but also as an important dom...
DEVELOPING TOURISM DESTINATIONS IN CONSERVATION AREA OF DATARAN LINDU AT SIGI REGENCY OF CENTRAL SULAWESI
This research was aimed at describingthe potency of biological resources, natural resourcesand the uniqueness of exotic landscape along with the customary of local people in Dataran Lindu region. Dataran Lindu has a lake...
ETHICS IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS: A NEED FOR AN INDIGENOUS APPROACH
Ethics by definition are a system of moral principles. The rules of conduct recognized in respect to a particular class of human actions or a particular group, drawn from culture and religion. In today’s world in...
INDUS WATER TREATY: NEED FOR REVIEW
This paper examines the history and provisions of Indus Water Treaty (IWT) that was signed by India and Pakistan in 1960. The significance and drawbacks of the Treaty for both signatories have been highlighted and th...