Spot Types of Linguistic Bias
Using "nurse" for women, and "engineer" for men
What is an example of stereotypical lexicon?
Y'all
What is the South?
Certain words that reinforce traditional gender roles.
What is stereotypical lexicon?
Saying "he or she" instead of "she or he," or saying "boys and girls," instead of "girls and boys".
What is an example of word order bias?
Lawyer (LOY-er)
What is the North?
Men’s names or references tend to appear first, reinforcing male dominance.
What is word order bias?
Words such as "Mrs." vs. "Mr."
What is an example of paternalistic language?
Pecan (Puh-kahn)
What is the South?
Women's roles are often described in relation to men or infantilized (e.g., calling women "girls").
What is paternalistic language?
Using the word "mankind" instead of "humankind".
What is an example of androcentric language?
Crayfish
What is the North?
Masculine forms are often used as generic references, making men the default.
What is androcentric language?
Using nouns like chairman, policeman, or fireman. Using verbs such as lead, dominate, and command to describe a man.
What is an example of grammatical prominence?
Freeway
What is the West?
Masculine role nouns and agentive verbs are more frequently associated with men, reinforcing male agency.
What is grammatical prominence?