SEXIST LANGUAGE IN WITI IHIMAERA’S NOVEL THE WHALE RIDER

Irene Kerubo Osano, Jane Ombati, Janet Omwancha

Abstract


This article critically analyses sexist language in Witi Ihimaera’s novel The Whale Rider, focusing on how gender is represented through character utterances and narrative voice. Using Social Dominance Theory and Critical Discourse Analysis, the study explores how traditional gender roles and patriarchal ideologies are reinforced or challenged in the text. Findings reveal that despite a strong female protagonist, sexist attitudes are deeply embedded in the speech of certain male characters, highlighting the tension between cultural tradition and gender equality. The article concludes that The Whale Rider both critiques and reflects existing gender dynamics, offering a rich site for examining how language shapes and maintains power hierarchies.

 

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Keywords


sexist, gender, equality, language

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References


Fairclough, N. (2001). Language and power (2nd ed.). Longman. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315838250

Ihimaera, W. (2003). The Whale Rider. Harcourt. Retrieved from https://books.google.it/books/about/The_Whale_Rider.html?id=EFFBLreZ-_8C&redir_esc=y

Lakoff, R. (1975). Language and woman’s place. Harper & Row. Retrieved from https://web.stanford.edu/class/linguist156/Lakoff_1973.pdf

Sidanius, J., & Pratto, F. (1999). Social dominance: An intergroup theory of social hierarchy and oppression. Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781139175043

Tannen, D. (1990). You just don’t understand: Women and men in conversation. William Morrow. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Josep-Maria-Cots/publication/46314186_Tannen_D_1991_You_just_don't_understand_Women_and_men_in_conversation/links/54e70b1b0cf2b19906093ea9/Tannen-D-1991-You-just-dont-understand-Women-and-men-in-conversation.pdf

van Dijk, T. A. (1993). Principles of critical discourse analysis. Discourse & Society, 4(2), 249–283. https://doi.org/10.1177/0957926593004002006




DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.46827/ejals.v8i3.652

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