Mother tongue : the surprising history of women's words
(Book)
Author
Published
[New York, New York] : Viking, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, 2023.
Format
Book
Edition
First United States edition.
ISBN
9780593299579, 0593299574
Physical Desc
292 pages ; 22 cm
Appears on list
Status
Description
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Copies
Location | Call Number | Status |
---|---|---|
Bernards Township Library - Adult Nonfiction - New | 422 NUT | Available |
Chatham Borough-Chatham Township Library - Adult Nonfiction - New | 422 NUT | Available |
Hunterdon County Library Headquarters - Adult Nonfiction - New | 422 Nuttall | Available |
Morris County Library - Adult Nonfiction - New | 422 NUT | Checked Out |
Morristown-Morris Township Library - Adult Nonfiction - New | 422 NUT | Available |
More Details
Published
[New York, New York] : Viking, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, 2023.
Edition
First United States edition.
Language
English
ISBN
9780593299579, 0593299574
Notes
General Note
Place of publication from publisher's website.
Bibliography
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Description
"An enlightening linguistic journey through a thousand years of feminist language--and what we can learn from the vivid vocabulary that English once had for women's bodies, experiences, and sexuality. So many of the words that we use to chronicle women's lives feel awkward or alien. Medical terms are scrupulously accurate but antiseptic. Slang and obscenities have shock value, yet they perpetuate taboos. Where are the plain, honest words for women's daily lives? Mother Tongue is a historical investigation of feminist language and thought, from the dawn of Old English to the present day. Dr. Jenni Nuttall guides readers through the evolution of words that we have used to describe female bodies, menstruation, women's sexuality, the consequences of male violence, childbirth, women's paid and unpaid work, and gender. Along the way, she challenges our modern language's ability to insightfully articulate women's shared experiences by examining the long-forgotten words once used in English for female sexual and reproductive organs. Nuttall also tells the story of words like womb and breast, whose meanings have changed over time, as well as how anatomical words such as hysteria and hysterical came to have such loaded legacies. Inspired by today's heated debates about words like womxn and menstruators--and by more personal conversations with her teenage daughter--Nuttall describes the profound transformations of the English language. In the process, she unearths some surprisingly progressive thinking that challenges our assumptions about the past--and, in some cases, puts our twenty-first-century society to shame. Mother Tongue is a rich, provocative book for anyone who loves language--and for feminists who want to look to the past in order to move forward"--,Provided by publisher.
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Citations
APA Citation, 7th Edition (style guide)
Nuttall, J. (2023). Mother tongue: the surprising history of women's words (First United States edition.). Viking, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC.
Chicago / Turabian - Author Date Citation, 17th Edition (style guide)Nuttall, Jenni, 1975-. 2023. Mother Tongue: The Surprising History of Women's Words. Viking, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC.
Chicago / Turabian - Humanities (Notes and Bibliography) Citation, 17th Edition (style guide)Nuttall, Jenni, 1975-. Mother Tongue: The Surprising History of Women's Words Viking, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, 2023.
MLA Citation, 9th Edition (style guide)Nuttall, Jenni. Mother Tongue: The Surprising History of Women's Words First United States edition., Viking, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, 2023.
Note! Citations contain only title, author, edition, publisher, and year published. Citations should be used as a guideline and should be double checked for accuracy. Citation formats are based on standards as of August 2021.
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