A.L. Kormiltseva,
Candidate of Philological sciences, Kazan Federal
University, Elabuga, Russia
kormilcevaa@mail.ru
, 89874160803
GENDER STEREOTYPES IN ENGLISH AND RUSSIAN LANGUAGES (ON
THE EXAMPLE OF PROVERBS)
The linguistic component of gender research is increasingly attracting the attention of not
only linguists, but also researchers of other scientific areas. For a long time, differences between
men and women were considered a natural consequence of a biological nature. However, the
concept of "gender" is not only a phenomenon of biological order. Stereotypes about "male" and
"female" are inextricably linked with cultural traditions, customs, and lifestyle. Research related
to the linguistic nature of gender remains an underdeveloped direction. The main task of this
direction in linguistics is to describe the cultural concepts of "femininity" and "masculinity" and
identify their components through the analysis of language structures, in particular proverbs.
Before practical consideration of proverbs and sayings notifying the gender stereotypes it’s
important to consider a number of definitions. "Gender " - one of the fundamental concepts of
modern society - needs to be understood. According to the dictionary-reference book "gender" is
"a tool for understanding social processes," this concept is constructed through "cultural norms,
roles and stereotypes adopted in society" [5. - P. 9]. The comparative novelty of the concept of
"gender" today causes some difficulties in its comprehension. The linguistic concept of "gender"
came by some transformation of the English term "gender," which once meant a grammatical
category of gender. The transition of meaning from "biological sex" happened when such branches
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of science as sociology, philosophy, etc. showed interest in this term and its meaning. According
to Russian scientists the term "gender" is based on the idea that "it is not so much biological or
physical differences between a man and a woman that are important, but the cultural and social
significance that society attaches to these differences." [10. - P. 120]. So "gender" is a kind of set
of norms of behavior (including speech) which is usually associated with male and female persons
in the society of a particular country.
The stereotype is defined mainly as a cognitive structure that carries knowledge, beliefs
and some expectations from a certain group of people (men and women). The object of the
stereotype is people and their behavior, character traits, artifacts, events, etc. [2; 4; 14]. The heart
of stereotypes about male and female is that men and women carry biological characteristics,
which make them not just different but absolute opposites. The idea that all individuals are divided
into two groups each of whom has differential features in addition to biological differences served
as the basis for more than one discussion in the scientific community.
According to the Dictionary of Gender Terms gender stereotypes are generalized ideas that
have formed in culture about how men and women really behave [17]. "Male thinking is
distinguished by a penchant for generalizations, abstractness... a man is more rational" [15. – P.
24-26]. "Male and female self-awareness has each of its distinctive features: a man is logical, full
of initiative; a woman is instinctive, prone to dedication, wise with illogical and non-personal
wisdom of simplicity and purity"[6. – P. 264-265].
The term "proverb" or "set expression" is often defined in English as "wise saying" [1. – P.
1]. They are characterized by brevity, ease of memory and playback, wide use. However, proverbs
in Russian fulfill the function of moralizing and claim the status of exponents of folk wisdom [3.
– P. 344].
When analyzing more than 200 proverbs from various sources we were able to highlight
several important points for comparative analysis. Most proverbs of both languages have an
obviously negative emotional colored meaning in relation to a woman:
1. A woman is the root of evil, the source of all problems: There is no devil so bad as а she
devil [12. - P. 325]; Всех злее злых злая жена [8. – P. 351]; Добрая жена хозяйству научает, а
злая от дому отлучает [8. – P. 378].
2. The woman is terrible in anger: The female of the species is more deadly than the male
[12. – P. 325]; Злая жена сведет мужа с ума [8. – P. 51]; Злая жена – та же змея [8. – P. 351].
3. The woman is rubbish, stubborn and unpredictable: Ехал бы прямо, да жена упряма
[8. – P. 321]; С бабой не сговоришь (не убедишь) [8. – P. 321].
4. The woman is chatty and does not know how to keep secrets: A woman’s tongue wages
like a lamb’s tail [12. – P. 224]; A deaf husband and a blind wife are always a happy couple [12.
– P. 224]; A sieve will hold water better than a woman's mouth a secret [12. – P. 224]; Где баба,
там рынок; где две там базар [8. – P. 329]; У баб только суды да ряды [8. – P. 329]; Шила и
мыла, гладила и катала, пряла и лощила, а все языком [8. – P. 329].
4. The woman is beautiful, but stupid: Women have long hair and short brains [12. – P.
145]; Women are wacky, women are vain; they'd rather be pretty than have a good brain [12. – P.
145]; С лица не воду пить, умела б пироги печь [8. – P. 33]; Красную жену не в стенку врезать
[8. – P. 33]; Красота приглядится, а щи не прихлебаются [8. – P. 33]; Женщине красота –
домостройство [8. – P. 33].
5. A woman often deserves punishment: A woman, a dog, and a walnut tree, the more you
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beat them the better they be [12. – P. 378]; Жена не стекло (можно побить) [7. – P. 98]; Хоть
бита, да сыта [9. – P. 590]; Я ее палкой, а она меня скалкой [9. – P. 459].
However, Russian-speaking proverbs sometimes advise not to use physical violence
against the wife: Как ты зол ни бываешь, свою голову в сердцах не разбиваешь, а жена мужу
и душа, и разум: кто жену бьет, себя в ад ведет [9. P. 127]; В колодец не плюй, дом
подновляй, детей учи, а бабу не забижай [9. – P. 127]; Бабу учи не кулаком, а языком [9. –
P. 127]; Бабу вразумляй не кулаком, так словом, не словом – так молчанием [9. – P. 127].
6. A woman is placed on a par with animals: A whistling woman and a crowing hen are
neither fit for God no men [12. – P. 378]; Women in state affairs are like monkeys in glass-houses
[12. – P. 378]; Кобыла не лошадь, баба не человек [8. – P. 200]; Бог сотворил три зла: бабу,
черта и козла [8. – P. 200].
7. A woman must obey to a man; her place is in the house: A woman’s place is in the home
[11. – P. 264]; A woman’s work is never done [11. – P. 264]; Жена - кабальный батрак [7. – P.
99].
But it should be noted that the stereotype of a woman as a wife and mother is viewed
positively: A good wife and health is a man's best wealth [12. – P. 400]; A cheerful wife is the joy
of life [12. – P. 400]; Мать у корзины накормит, отец у сусека заморит [13. – P. 496]; От
солнышка тепло, от матери добро [13. - P. 496]; Нет лучшего дружка, чем родная матушка
[13. – P. 496]; Был в России «бабий век», да ушел, с тех пор и горюем [7. – P. 108].
The role of women in the lives of men is especially emphasized: A good wife and health is
a man's best wealth [12. – P. 400]; Happy wife, happy life [1. – P. 13]; Муж – глава, а жена –
той главы премудрость [7. – P. 98]; В том-то и сила, чтобы жена мужа любила [7. – P. 98];
Когда женщина у власти бывала, в той стране порядка прибывало [9. – P. 144].
Proverbs and sayings about men more often show a positive assessment of their image.
Based on the results of the analysis, the following stereotypes are assigned to men:
1.
A man is a father, an example to follow, protection and support: One father is worth
more than a hundred schoolmasters [12. – P. 82]; Like father like son [12. – P. 82]; За хорошим
мужем и жена хороша [9. – P. 595]; За мужа завалюсь, никого не боюсь [9. – P. 595].
2.
The wisdom of a man is in his attitude towards a woman, a man is strong and
intelligent: Honest men marry soon, wise men not at all [12. – P. 82]; A man without a woman is
like a ship without a sail [12. – P. 82]; За мужниной спиной как за каменной стеной [7. – P.
99]; Мужик, хоть и сер, да ум у него волк не съел [7. – P. 99].
3.
The status of a man is determined by the presence of a family and a respectable
wife: A good wife and health is man’s best wealth [12. – P. 84]; A man without a wife is but half
a man [12. – P. 84]; Не женат – не человек [7. – P. 98].
4. Men like to eat: It’s ill speaking between a full man and a fasting [12. – P. 329]; The
way to a man’s heart is through his stomach [12. – P. 329]; Добрая жена да жирные щи – другого
добра не ищи [8. – P. 33].
6. Men are workable: Мужик добрый не проказник, работает и в праздник [7. – P. 99].
Despite the presented positive characteristic of a man, a number of qualities characterizing
a man negatively are enshrined in proverbs:
1. Men do not fulfill their promises: A man apt to promise, is apt to forget [12. – P. 98].
2. Men like to drink and chit non their wives: He that drinks beer, thinks beer [11. – P.
457]; Heaven takes care of children, sailors and drunken men [11. – P. 457]; У кого на уме
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молитва да пост, а у него бабий хвост [7. – P. 105]; Шёл к Фоме, а попал к куме [7. – P. 105].
3. Men are assessed by their surroundings: A man is known by the company he keeps [1.
– P. 4]; Two boys a half a boy, and three boys are no boy at all [11. – P. 440].
4. Good men are rare: good men are scarce [11. – P. 845]; A good man is hard to find [11.
– P. 845]; Бережливый мужик от двора не бежит [7. – P. 98].
Summarizing the results, it can be noted that in most proverbs of both languages a woman
is often characterized negatively. She is overly chatty, fussy, stupid. However, proverbs confirm
the idea that the inner world is important in a woman, not her appearance. The ability to conduct
a household, to be a decent wife and mother matters. It is important to note the categorically
opposite attitude towards a woman as a mother in both languages. A mother in proverbs is an
image worthy of worship and immense respect. In no case does the image of a mother have
anything to do with stereotypes about a woman such as chattiness, impermanence, anger, stupidity.
The man acts as a model and is characterized mainly positively. However, in modern proverbs,
one can find a tendency to align gender roles in connection with the democratization of society.
In conclusion we note a number of features. The first thing to pay attention to is the
tendency of androcentrism in English. The dominant and guiding role of a man in all spheres of
life is inherent in English proverbs a little more than in Russian. Both languages reflect the
suppression of a woman by a man, the use of force against her, most often for instructive purposes,
the opposition of female cunning to male strength and directness, the predominance of a woman
over a man due to her cunning. Undoubtedly in the Russian picture of the world there is also a
negative image of a woman. However, it balances the exaggeration of the biological and/or social
role of a man in comparison with the role of a woman.
A significant part of proverbs describes the image of a woman: mother, bride, wife, etc.
Some of the proverbs of the Russian language describe people regardless of their gender: Всякий
человек по делу узнается [16. – P. 231], Лошадь узнают в езде, человека в общении [16. – P.
347]. It is worth noting that the gender factor does not occupy a leading position in the total mass
of Russian proverbs and sayings. However, the Russian-speaking picture of the world as in the
English-speaking one reflects the tendency of androcentrism, in which the role of a man in almost
all spheres of life is dominant.
Thus, the stereotypical roles of a man presented in proverbs and sayings are the head of the
family, the defender of the woman, the support, the miner, the warrior, the father. The woman, in
turn, is a weak, defenseless and irresponsible, chatty creature, her emotions prevail over
intelligence.
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