Re: OT: Gender Bending Moro

Barry wrote:
<<
I was commenting on the all too common misconception that language
influences culture and gender views, when it really doesn't. I've not
really found typical Spanish Speakers to be any more aware of gender
in language than English speakers are of the lack of it.
 >>

Okay, I think I generally misread your post.  Actually, what you
said here is what I agree with.  I too have heard all the gender
arguments about language, and some I think have some weight
(e.g., the gender-neutral "he", in "Each student should be at
his desk when the bell rings", when "they" can easily be used),
but, like you, I found many to be ridiculous.  (I've never heard
the "womb + man" one before!)  So when I said that this struck
a blow for women's rights in my very first e-mail, it was simply
a flippant remark.  I didn't meant to *seriously* suggest anything
like that, or about Moro (or non-Moro) society, the way others
have since that post.

So, what Barry wrote here:
<<
What I was saying is this: Just because a language uses gender,
doesn't mean that it's necessarily swayed one way or another socially.
 >>

Is something I agree with 100%.  I think I sent another e-mail
explaining that what I know of Moro society is that there
seems to be a strict division of labor (e.g., men work and
farm, women raise the children and do all the house work),
and the society doesn't appear to be any more enlightened
than any other (not that it appears overly patriarchal, or
anything).

And, of course, one thing to point out is that when we all
found our consultant's use of "girls" for "children" fascinating,
he was confused as to why.  In other words, it was so natural
to him, that he couldn't even conceive of why it would be
out of the ordinary (even though I'm sure he doesn't refer
to children/kids as "girls" when he's speaking English).  So
I don't think it's the case that either the society has affected
this lexical choice, or that it affects the mindset of the speakers.

Also, just for clarificatory purposes, Barry wrote:
<<
I never said i thought it was "uninteresting".

I said I wasn't impressed.
 >>

Ah, sorry for the misunderstanding.  In this case, though, I
wasn't writing this e-mail to impress you.  So I'm sorry if
that was confusing.

-David
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