A Man's Language

Since the early 19th century, American history is laced with the oppression of women and their subsequent fight to reverse it. But was it always that way? Did, in ancient civilizations, women feel the same pang of inequality? Leonard Shlain, in his novel The Alphabet Versus The Goddess, suggests quite the opposite and attempts to explain in three simple words why a drastic change occurred: the written language. His thoughts seem to hover around the …

…s understanding, and reaction to, death. To explain the fall of the powerful, goddess-image of woman simply in terms of the invent of language is a far too narrow view of a complex evolution. It is, however, interesting to consider. Language is such an important part of our every day lives and frames the way we think, experience and relate. It is, therefore, worthwhile to look at the ways in which language caters to men.