Reviews, Vol. I, Issue III
Sexist
Terminology in Varied Spheres of Assamese Life: Women in
Dictionary
Karabi Hazarika’s recently published book Women in
Dictionary is a scholarly attempt to find ‘a room of one’s own’. The study
of dictionary never before emerges as a feminist discourse as it occurs in her
book. A dictionary is the confluence of both language and literature. In her
book Women in Dictionary Prof. Hazarika
attempts to analyse some women-related words from a few selected English and
Assamese Dictionaries to find out how women have been presented in a male-dominated
society over the centuries. She has included in her discourse Dr. Johnson’s A Dictionary of the English Language (1755), The Oxford English
Dictionary (1989), Oxford Advanced
Learners’ Dictionary (2010), Hemkosh(1900) , Hemkosh(2011) and Asomiya Jatiyo Abhidhan (2010-12).
In her perceptive study
of the impact of sexist terminology in various spheres of life, she excellently
observes: “Though it is claimed that the status of women in the Assamese
society is quite high in comparison to the other societies of India, the
language itself is not out of the influence of sexist terminology which are
totally biased and dominated by the male folk.” Karabi Hazarika’s book is a
kind of challenge to the patriarchal society and is more than a mere feministic
reading of lexical presentation of women and female life in varied dimensions.
“Rich in details, extremely well documented and argued, Women in Dictionary makes a challenging and pleasant reading, as
well as an engaging travel through the universe of patriarchy, where language
betrays the imposition of male supremacy”- observes Professor Elisabetta Marino
of the University of Rome, Tor Vergata, in her foreword to Women in Dictionary which is going to be one of the literary
milestones of Assamese –English literature and as well as of women literature. Her
simplicity is deceptive as she focuses on a number of complicated issues in her
study of these dictionaries. As a human being both men and women share the same
natural resources, geographical space ,
but unfortunately as a being they live
in two different worlds. The comparative
study of Hemkosh 1st and 14th edition
along with Asomiya Jatiyo Abhidhan is
quite interesting and scholarly. In every Assamese dictionary, there are many
words to explain the beauty of a woman – Aparupa,
Dhowola , Priyadarshini, Bamura,
Manjurani, Romoni, Rupoi, Lilawati, Sushismita, Shuni, Shromona Anupama
and Sundari. The detailed descriptions
of all these words reveal the deep analytical perception of the author who
probes deeper into their nuances and connotation. She observes that Assamese
language is not free from the influence of sexist terminology in various
spheres of life. She claims, ‘Though it is claimed that the status of women in the Assamese
society is quite high in comparison to the other societies of India, the language
itself is not out of the influence of sexist terminology which are totally biased and dominated by
the male folk “. She has given some
examples daini, o’soti, beisya, ardhangini,
mahimak, sotini, contrasted with words used for men, satampurushia, uttarpurush, baapatisatisaahon, jubasakti, dekasakti,
chhatrasakti, natun purush. What emerges from the study of the terms in the
dictionaries, is that cultural ideas, symbols, norms, and values play a
significant role in the creation of women’s images and the differentiation of
gender roles. Prof. Karabi in a lighter vein commented: “Like other parts of
India, Assam also followed the law prescribed by Manu.” Women have to devote
their lives from early girlhood to find a husband and to bear children for him.
Hoggs and Abrams clearly describe how the power and status relation between
groups bear on social identity: the dominant groups in society have the power and
the status to impose the dominant value system and ideology which serves to
legitimize and perpetuate the status quo. Prof. Karabi establishes successfully
that “dictionary definitions are full of notions reflecting the culture and
social climate of the time in which they were written."
Dr. Rinita Mazumder,
Asst. Prof of Philosophy & Cultural Studies, Central New Mexico Community College, University of New Mexico, in her blurb wrote
justifiably: “ This book explores the
way women are depicted in the lexical discourse , which in turn shows the
negative position of women in
culture and society”. The book has eight
valuable chapters in which two are devoted to Hemkosh (1900) and (2011).
Hemkosh is believed to the first Assamese
dictionary and here we get a brief history of the Dictionaries in Assamese
language. What is interesting is the feminist approach to Hemkosh. Word choices often reflect unconscious assumptions about
gender roles. Words related in this dictionary make it clear how women were
placed or treated during the 19th century in the Assamese society. All
social interaction is gender oriented, and gendered social interaction is
guided by status and positions people occupy and roles, the behavior associated
with a status. In Assamese society women enjoy considerable freedom compared to
the women of the other parts of the country, but here also they are denied their
deserving positions, dignity and equality. Words like Angana, Anugaman, Opeswara, Kutni, Akuti, Gabhoru or Osati reveal this impact of inequality. At
a time when “Assam was dominated by medieval conservatism, women generally
remained confined to their homes, while their spouses were free to enjoy life
without any hindrance” (P.120). Prof. Hazarika points out: “In pre-independent
Assam, all they had to do was to devote their lives from early girlhood to find
a husband and bearing children for him. There was no way she could even dream
about herself except as her children’s mother or her husband’s wife.” Here the
study of dictionary becomes a veritable social document on gender
discrimination. Elsewhere we find Prof Hazarika’s observation: “Going through
the words related to women in this latest edition of the Hemkosh, it is found that this dictionary has included some words
which are obsolete and are not used any more. The inclusion of these gender
sensitive words like Bondhura, Bare
Bhotori, Bare Motori, Bondhoki, Bonsura , Sopola or Manjika without referring to them as outdated definitely reflects the chauvinistic attitude of the compiler who represents a section of
Assamese population who are yet to develop
a positive attitude towards
women.” Thus we find that cultural ideas, symbols, norms and values play
a significant role in the creation of women’s images and the differentiation of
gender roles.”(P.145).
Many feminists argue
that the language rules are rigged and need to be reorganized and reinvigorated.
Every year new words are added to standard dictionaries, but the initial
deficit of language, it is argued, still haunts women today. Prof. Hazarika
focuses beautifully on linguistic sexism which is rooted in the real life
social inequality between men and women. It may be social in origin rather than
linguistic. In India as well as in Assam, there is hardly any debate so far
insisting on gender-neutral language. This is due to lack of gender
consciousness and awareness. It is an integral part of global problem of gender
inequality. Dictionary definitions are full of notions reflecting the culture
and social climate of the time in which they were written. According to Roland
Barthes, a myth is a part of language, a type of speech. The myth of ‘potibrata’ or ‘modesty’ reflects the
interweaving of culture and ideology. Barthes says that language is a form of
action, a performance that creates and moulds in diverse ways. This cultural
attitude towards women indicates male sexist prejudices about women and thus
the language tends to reflect this. Prof. Hazarika rightly points out that ‘it
is necessary for the lexicographer to warn the dictionary user of the
sensitivity of such words.” (P.214)
Dictionaries of modern
day with modern outlook like the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary and the Asomiya Jatiyo Abhidhan vow
to eliminate any sexist bias in their
vocabulary. Every word is under the hammer and on anvil. The great African
writer Ngugi Wa Thiongo to whom Prof.
Hazarika made a reference, says in his book Decolonizing
the Mind: “ language carries culture
and culture carries, particularly through orator, the entire bodies of
values by which we come to perceive ourselves and our place in the world. “ We live in a patriarchal
world that values men over women. Our language is a reflection of these values.
Linguistic sexism is not only an ethical problem but primarily a violation of
human rights. The book Women in
Dictionary ends with the warning: “Thus vulgarisms and offensive words
should not be entered in dictionaries and defined explicitly. We wait for a
good reception of the book by the academicians and the researchers all over
India and globally too. The book contains an impressive bibliography at the end
which enriches the content of the book. The binding and cover page deserves all
kudos and Jayant Bormudoi commands respect for his art work on the cover page.
The readers and researchers will be immensely benefitted by the publication of
this valuable book on language and literature and credit goes to the publisher Purbanchal
Prakash, Guwahati. Finally we may agree with Professor Kausik Gupta , Ex-Vice
Chancellor, West Bengal State University
and Social Scientist that: “
Prof. Karabi Hazarika’s magnificently comprehensive book Women
in Dictionary provides an authoritative
overview of the major ideas,
periods and movements iconised in the words as well as images of women over the years in Assamese literature vis a vis English literature.”
Reviewed
by Dr.Ratan Bhattacharjee, Associate Professor and
Chairperson, Post Graduate Dept of English, Dum Dum Motijheel College, West
Bengal State University, Kolkata. He is a Freelancer and regular contributor of The Eastern Chronicle, The Statesman, guest
columnist of The Assam Tribune and few
other national newspapers and journals. He is an Editor of few International
Journals and a poet as well.
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