Why we have to avoid sexist language, English

Assignment Help:

Avoid Sexist Language

The "he or she" problem

Most composition theorists now agree that it's unacceptable to use masculine nouns and pronouns to refer to the whole human race. A sentence like "Man's hunger for knowledge has always distinguished him from other animals" may technically include women, but do you really "see" a woman in your mind as you're reading it? Since women are just as hungry for knowledge as men, it's important to include them.

Of course, using terms that include both genders can become awkward. One of the biggest problems arises when you are trying to discuss a group of people using a singular representative. Take the following lines, for example:

When writing for a magazine, the writer should find out as much about his or her readers as he or she can. He or she should research the magazine's subscriber base, to learn what writing style he or she will have to use.

This is obviously clumsy. However, such problems don't mean that you should revert to calling the writer "he." Using "they" to refer to a singular noun is becoming more common (as in "the writer should find out about their readers") but is still technically incorrect.

 


Related Discussions:- Why we have to avoid sexist language

Explain the biography of nathaniel hawthorne, Explain the biography of Nath...

Explain the biography of Nathaniel Hawthorne? Nathaniel Hawthorne is considered one of the great masters of American fiction. His novels and stories are explore complex moral and

Essay, I need help on the language technique for ‘’The juice of it on sl...

I need help on the language technique for ‘’The juice of it on sleeping eyelids laid will make or man or woman madly dote upon the next live creature it sees’’

Why are paragraphs important, Why are paragraphs important? Paragraphs ...

Why are paragraphs important? Paragraphs are the building blocks of almost all prose writing. Whether you're writing a novel, a magazine article, or a research paper, a solid u

Composition needed, I need an english assignment for about 10 pages on a to...

I need an english assignment for about 10 pages on a topic which will be assigned by my college tutor in a week or so from today,so I want to know how much will it cost for 10 page

Read the passage and answer the questions, #questionIn recent years, bottle...

#questionIn recent years, bottled water has become a multi-billion dollar industry. Many Americans now drink bottled water exclusively. However, there are good reasons to stick wit

Expository writing , Expository Writing : The How-To Essay Writing To ...

Expository Writing : The How-To Essay Writing To Inform   Expository writing for state assessment tests focuses on your ability to explain how a process works or how to

Writing the lead : what is the summary lead, Writing the Lead The summ...

Writing the Lead The summary lead The lead, or the introduction, is the key to writing an effective news report. The way you write a lead depends on the type of report you

Write Your Message!

Captcha
Free Assignment Quote

Assured A++ Grade

Get guaranteed satisfaction & time on delivery in every assignment order you paid with us! We ensure premium quality solution document along with free turntin report!

All rights reserved! Copyrights ©2019-2020 ExpertsMind IT Educational Pvt Ltd