| Popis: |
This study examines the traditional linguistic worldview of Woman in the Czech language. Concerning its methodology and theory, it follows principally modern Polish ethnolinguistics, i.e. a discipline focusing on the examination of language in relationship with culture which uses the term “linguistic worldview” as a concept reflecting the way in which values and experience of a particular society have been engraved into its language. The aim of the study is to discover the linguistic worldview (the stereotype) of Woman in the Czech language and to reveal the structure of its stereotypical characteristics, both in language and culture, focusing primarily on the traditional worldview formed in the centuries before the dramatic social changes which occurred in modern times together with the changes of women's role. The analysis of Czech vocabulary (including phraseology), folksongs and other folktexts, as well as Czech literature revealed four specific manifestations of the linguistic worldview of Woman, formed by three principal aspects (profiles) – Age, Appearance and Social role. These manifestations are: Young girl (Maiden), Wife, Mother and Old woman. Each of them has its own specific features, some characteristics, however, apply to all four manifestations of the Woman stereotype. In agreement with other Czech works from the fields of cultural history, ethnology and sociology, this study highlights both the important role of the female body (in relation to sexuality and fertility) and the mutual influence of biological and cultural factors in constituting the traditional worldview of the Woman. The description of traditional linguistic stereotypes related to Woman – which in many aspects could not avoid mentioning complementary stereotypes related to Man – is also the key to understanding current stereotypes. |
