Gendered Language in Global Languages Questions Discussion

1) There has been a push to eliminate gendered language in scientific publications (i.e., using she interchangeably with he or using s/he). From what you learned about the Whorfian Hypothesis in this class, do you think that this will change the thoughts or attitudes of those who make an effort to change their use of this type of language? Be specific and be sure to back up your claims with citations. You should cite at least one class reading (articles or Harley), but there are tons of popular press articles about this topic and it’s fine to use those, too!

2) There are languages that don’t distinguish gender in their pronouns. See examples here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gender_neutrality_in_genderless_languages. Can you find anything to support the idea that cultures that speak these languages are less aware/sensitive to gender in other aspects of their society or do they seem to show the same gender biases as cultures that have gendered language? It’s OK to not be sure, but please try to find an outside source to back up any claims you make.