Language as a Power Positioning Tool: National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) English Course Materials as Genderised Examples

Autor/in	Daniel, Iyabode Omolara Akewo
Titel	Language as a Power Positioning Tool: National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) English Course Materials as Genderised Examples
Quelle	In: Journal on English Language Teaching, 3 (2013) 3, S.7-15 (9 Seiten) PDF als Volltext (1); PDF als Volltext kostenfreie Datei (2) Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	2231-3338
Schlagwörter	Language Usage; Foreign Countries; Gender Issues; Gender Bias; English; Discourse Analysis; Form Classes (Languages); Writing (Composition); Political Issues; Graphs; Charts; Sex Fairness; Power Structure; Social Bias; Comparative Analysis; Higher Education; College Students; Instructional Materials; Nigeria + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Sprachgebrauch; Ausland; Geschlechterfrage; Geschlechterstereotyp; English language; Englisch; Diskursanalyse; Analytischer Sprachbau; Schreibübung; Politischer Faktor; Grafische Darstellung; Diagram; Diagrams; Diagramm; Tabellarische Überischt; Tabelle; Sexualaufklärung; Hochschulbildung; Hochschulsystem; Hochschulwesen; Collegestudent; Lehrmaterial; Lehrmittel; Unterrichtsmedien
Abstract	Language is a means of identity formation, definition and construction. This study investigates the language of NOUN course materials for gender neutrality. The English course materials randomly selected across subject areas in the English programme are used as data source. The theoretical base of corpus linguistics within the frame work of Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) is used to investigate the phenomenon of gender based choices of NOUN course writers to the end of determining their unconscious political stance in the gender politics. Frequency count of the occurrences of the gender pronouns "he, she and they" are analysed in twenty-three course materials. Line graph and pie charts are constructed based on the collected data. It was found that the gender pronoun "she" is subsumed to the gender pronoun "he" in terms of frequency of usage. Even where it appears that attempts have been made to employ gender sensitivity through a wide usage of the gender neutral "they", it is found that many of the writers that seem to do this are also those that used the male pronoun the most, thus leaving a state of identity indeterminateness in terms of power positioning. It is recommended that NOUN needs to enforce the actualisation of its policy statement on the issue in order to undermine the hegemonic tendencies through determined inclusiveness. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	i-manager Publications. 3-343 Hill View, Town Railway Nagar, Nagercoil 629001, Tamil Nadu, India. Tel: +91-4652-276675; e-mail: info@imanagerpublications.com; Web site: http://www.imanagerpublications.com
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2020/1/01