In the twenty-first century, women seem to be more emancipated in society than ever. However, this emancipation may be an illusion, since differences in the connotation of several English words referring to men and women still exist. This essay will examine these differences in the following word pairs: 'female/male', 'spinster/bachelor', 'witch/wizard', 'lady/lord', and 'houseman/housewife'.
The first word pair, 'female/male', implies a distinction of gender itself. In the Longman dictionary, the adjective 'male' is defined as "typical of or relating to men or boys" (male1, def. 1), whereas the adjective 'female' relates to women or girls (female1, def. 1). Both words are originally derived from classical Latin: 'male' is derived from Latin 'masculus' and female is derived from Latin 'femina' ('woman'). 'Male' and 'female' imply a stereotypical view of the sexes' behaviour, characteristics and physical appearance. This view does not necessarily have to be positive or negative because the words can be used out of both admiration and contempt for the aforementioned characteristics.
This variety in connotations does not apply to the word pair 'spinster/bachelor'. Both of these words imply an unmarried state (bachelor, def. 1; spinster), but the gender is not the only difference between the words. The male word 'bachelor' - derived from Latin 'baccalis', which is of doubtful origin, but could have been derived from Latin 'bacca' ('cow') - has a connotation of eligibility and freedom, but the same cannot be said for 'bachelor's' female counterpart 'spinster', a derivation from the verb 'to spin'. A spinster is usually an older woman, unlikely to ever get married, even if she desires to. Her lack of choice contrasts with a bachelor's wish to be single and makes the spinster an undesirable figure and someone to look down upon and pity while a bachelor is generally appealing and therefore appears superior.
Another case of apparent male superiority can be found in the word pair 'witch/wizard'. A 'witch' and a 'wizard' are both people that are supposed to have magic powers (wizard, def. 1; witch, def. 1). The positive connotation of wizard is immediately visible when one looks at the etymology of the word: 'wizard' is derived from the Middle-English word 'wys', which means 'wise', and it is therefore safe to assume that a wizard uses his magic with good intentions. A witch, on the other hand, is perceived to generally use her magic for bad purposes, as 'witch' is derived from the Old-English 'wiccian' ('witchcraft') via Old-English 'wicce'. 'Wiccian' also has a negative connotation, which is apparent in both the cultural and historical context (e.g. the witch hunts).
While the words 'lady' and 'lord' both imply prestige and importance and even authority, a difference in superiority is displayed in this word pair as well, although the definitions of the words are quite similar: both words are used as a British aristocratic title (lord1, def. 1; lady, def. 3). Yet the etymology indicates an apparently different level of importance: the Old-English words 'hláford' ('breadkeeper') and 'hlÇ£dige' ('breadkneader') do not only demonstrate that bread was significant in Old-English society, but the words also indicate that the roles of a 'hláford' and an 'hlÇ£dige', while both important, were different. Whereas the hlÇ£dige merely produced the bread, the hláford had to 'keep' it. This stereotypical male/female task division demonstrates a case of male superiority in the etymology of the words 'lady' and 'lord'.
Male superiority can easily be found in the word pair 'housewife/houseman' as well. While a housewife is a married woman who does not have a job outside the house (housewife), a houseman is "someone who has nearly finished training as a doctor and is working in a hospital" (houseman); a houseman has a quite prestigious job, whereas a housewife merely works in the household. The etymology shows that both words are compounds: house and man, and house and wife. 'Man' is a general reference to males (man1, def. 1), while a 'wife' is generally perceived as a lowly woman (OED, wife, n., def. 1a). Although the words are difficult to compare in this case - the meaning of the two words is very different compared to the other word pairs because the definitions of 'houseman' and 'housewife' are not very similar - the male counterpart seems to be superior again.
Differences in connotation in favour of the male sex can be found in all of the examined word pairs, even if the evidence of male superiority is not always as clear and is sometimes mainly demonstrated in the etymology. Although women have been fighting for equality, the different connotations indicate that the male sex is still perceived as superior to the female sex in language and that female emancipation is indeed partly an illusion.
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