Wordslut

Abrash, an enlightening and wildly entertaining feminist, challenges the way gendered language shapes us. With humor and playfulness, she examines words and phrases and how we use them.

“I get so jazzed about the future of feminism knowing that Amanda Montell’s brilliance is rising up and about to explode worldwide.”—Jill Soloway.

The word "bitch" conjures many images...

作者简介

Abrash,enlightening,andwildlyentertainingfeministlookatgenderedlanguageandthewayitshapesus,writtenwithhumorandplayfulnessthatchallengeswordsandphrasesandhowweusethem.“IgetsojazzedaboutthefutureoffeminismknowingthatAmandaMontell’sbrillianceisrisingupandabouttoexplodeworldwide.”—JillSolowayThewordbitchconjuresmanyimagesformanypeople,butitismostoftenmeanttodescribeanunpleasantwoman.Evenbeforeitsusagetomeanafemalecanine,bitchdidn’trefertogenderatall—itoriginatedasagender-neutralwordmeaninggenitalia.Aperfectlyinnocuousworddevolvingintoafemaleinsultisthecasefortonsmoreterms,includinghussy—whichsimplymeanthousewife—orslut,whichmeantanuntidypersonandwasalsousedtodescribemen.Thesewordsarejustafewamonghistory’smanyEnglishslurshurledatwomen.AmandaMontell,reporterandfeministlinguist,deconstructslanguage—frominsultsandcursing,gossip,andcatcallingtogrammarandpronunciationpatterns—torevealthewaysithasbeenusedforcenturiestokeepwomenandothermarginalizedgendersfrompower.Everwonderwhysomanypeopleareannoyedwhenwomentalkwithvocalfryorusethewordlikeasafiller?Orwhycertaingender-neutraltermsstickandothersdon’t?Orwherestereotypesofhowwomenandmenspeakcomefrominthefirstplace?Montelleffortlesslymovesbetweenhistory,science,andpopularculturetoexplorethesequestionsandmore—andhowwecanusetheanswerstoeffectrealsocialchange.Montell’sirresistiblehumorshinesthrough,makinglinguisticsnotonlyapproachablebutbothdownrighthilariousandprofound,demonstratedinchapterssuchas:SluttySkanksandNastyDykes:AComprehensiveListofGenderedInsultsHowtoEmbarrasstheShitOutofPeopleWhoTrytoCorrectYourGrammarFuckit:AnOdetoCursingWhileFemaleCyclops,PantyPuppet,BaldHeadedBastardand100OtherThingstoCallYourGenitaliaMontelleffortlesslymovesbetweenhistoryandpopularculturetoexplorethesequestionsandmore.Wordslutgetstotheheartofourlanguage,marvelsatitselasticity,andshedsmuch-neededlightintothebiasesthatshadowwomeninourcultureandourconsciousness.