[Abstract] As a phenomenon of society, language reflects all the sides of human society naturally. Sexism is a kind of discrimination by one sex against the other, especially by males against females. Applied to language, this biased representation of the sexes concerns the portrayal of men as the norm and women as the appendage or as the exception in language. Since the late 1960s, feminism as a social movement striving for the liberation of women and the equality of sexes has made a great impact on the study of language in the discipline of linguistics in a variety of ways. It has triggered the interest of some linguists in examining the different ways in which languages represent and treat women and men –a research area that became known as the study of sexism in language. Based on the theories of linguistics, especially feminist linguistics, this essay is to analyze sexism in language from three angles: morphology, syntax, semantics, aiming at foregrounding those hidden differences in the representation and treatment of women and men in language, because the differences are so prevalent within the society that they appear to be normal and commonsense to people. According to the relevant theory of linguistics from the angles of language and society, language and culture and indebted a lot to the previous research, the essay also traces the reasons for the occurrence of sexism in English from the historical, social and cultural perspectives. This essay can help to challenge this conception of ‘normality’ and raise people’s awareness, which serves as a prelude to the elimination of sexism in language. However, the elimination of linguistic sexism lies in social change. Only by changing the social structure till one day when women and men hold really equal status can language equality be truly achieved.

[Key words] gender; sexism; feminist; feminism

Acknowledgements

     I feel greatly indebted to those who have helped me during various stages of my four years’ study. Without their encouragement and support, the completion of this thesis would be impossible.

My sincere thanks go first to my respectable supervisor Sue Wills, who provides essential support, valuable advice, constant assistance, patient comments and hard work throughout. I have profited so much from her guidance with his profound knowledge, remarkable expertise and constant encouragement that my gratitude is beyond expression. She has enlightened me to make the paper into shape and polished it conscientiously. The completion of this thesis is inseparable from his strict instruction and kind help.

    Deep appreciation goes to a number of my classmates and friends who are generous with their reference books and provide me with helpful advice.

Words fail me to express my heartfelt thanks to roommates with whom I discussed many of the ideas developed in the thesis. Their encouragement meant a great deal to me.

    Last but not least, I would like to extend my profound and utmost thankfulness to my dear parents, whose unfailing support and deep love have always been my most cherished treasure.

1.Introduction

Language is an important window through which one can understand the culture and society of the people, because people’s socio-cultural behaviors and attitudes as well as thoughts are reflected in their use of the language. “Sociolinguistics is the science which studies the relationship between language and society, between the use of language and the social structures in which the users of language live. Harver C.Currie first used the term ‘sociolinguistics’ in 1952. However, it is generally recognized that sociolinguistics as an independent discipline arose in the mid 1960s”[1]. It is also the beginning of the feminism. With linguistics especially feminist linguistics as the theoretical backup, this essay is to analyze the expressions of sexism in the English language from the angels of morphology, syntax and semantics. Besides, this essay also analyzes the causes of sexism in English, explain the effects and changes caused by sexist language from the perspective of feminism. So this essay can stimulate people’s awareness of how sexism is embodied in language and daily lives, and presents some newly changes in English language.

This essay is divided into five sections. Section One starts with the basic information on relevant concepts and terms. Section Two examines the expressions of sexism in English, which is the central part of the whole essay. On the basis of the examples, the features of linguistic sexism in English are analyzed from the angel of morphology, syntax and semantics. Section Three analyzes the causes of the sexism in English from three dominant perspectives: 1) The Cultural Consciousness2) Traditional Conceptions 3) Social Economic Causes. Section Four analyzes the effects and changes caused by women’s liberation and feminism movement. Section Five draws the conclusion.