Grammar and Gender

by Dennis Baron

A lively history of the sexual biases that exist in our language and a fascinating account of past and present efforts to correct these biases by reforming usage and vocabulary.
“A valuable contribution to the politics of linguistics…. Fun to read.”― Publishers Weekly
“That readers’ awareness of their own opinions is sharpened constitutes one of the positive values of the book.”―Charles Sleeth, Times Literary Supplement
“Based on thorough and sound scholarship, this work should have wide appeal in the academic community.”― Library Journal
“What we learn from Baron’s insights into our words’ past meanings can help us make them say what we want them to for the future.”―Beryl Lieff Benderly, Psychology Today
“Chock full of good research on the subject that continues to be vital to all human beings. Baron’s historical treatment gives depth and perspective to readers who are interested in a dignified approach to male/female communicative interactions.”―Mary Ritchie Key, University of California, Irvine
“There are a great many books on the subject of male-female language differences but none is based on such sound historical scholarship. Grammar and Gender will become a major source for other treatments of sexist language.”―Richard W. Bailey, University of Michigan

Genres: Linguistics, Language

259 pages, Paperback

First published September 10, 1987

About the author

Dennis Baron is professor of English and linguistics at the University of Illinois and has written books on the technologies of communication; language policy and reform; language legislation and minority language rights; gender issues in language; and the history and present state of the English language. He's the author of the blog "the Web of Language". He's regularly quoted in the news and appears frequently on radio and t.v. discussing the English language and the digital revolution.

Reviews

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Exciting reading it is not but there are a few sections that are really interesting about the history of pronoun and language usage related to gender. I found some of the etymology of words I know really interesting and sometimes surprising.

[Diana Carr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting to read Chapter 10, "The Word That Failed", about the singular pronoun "they", today, haha