COMMENTS:aya muhammed ashraf

“Language and gender” is written in a very appealing and informal way. In fact, this is quite suitable for the target readers, students, as well as other categories because it is simple and attractive. The whole book is written in a practical(use a more specific word) way that invigorates the mind. It analyzes every point step by step starting with defining it to giving examples from real life. Furthermore, it is full of maps and activities that help in illustrating the point as well as making it easier to understand. For example, in Unit one, the main subject was(is) that language is not a neutral reflection of the world but “by using language, we project onto the world our own sense of ‘reality’.” Throughout the whole unit the writer tries to prove this point of view by analyzing it and giving examples from the real world. First, he proved that different languages encode objects and ideas differently. One of the examples he gave is that in English, there is 11 basic words for colors whereas speakers of some New Guinea Highland languages have two terms only: dark and light. Then from this point, he moved to prove that we project humanness and gender onto the inanimate and animal worlds. The writer believes that “human beings are essentially very lonely and insecure creatures. For it seems that we need to constantly project the idea of humanness onto the inanimate world.” Thus “we make cartoons for children where objects like brooms and spoons talk and sing.” This reason is invalid. In fact it is quite the opposite. This shows the superiority of human beings over all other kinds: everything has to look like us. In addition, people like what is familiar to them not necessarily because they are insecure and lonely but because they want to draw themselves closer to other beings in an attempt to understand them. That is why cartoons have objects singing and talking. It is an attempt to make the children understand the world around them and at the same time it attracts them by showing them something familiar. Finally the writer succeeded in producing an interesting, funny book that attracts everyone who reads it.
COMMENTS: Very good and to the point.