Mother Tongue: The surprising history of women’s words -‘Fascinating, intriguing, witty, a gem of a book’ (Kate Mosse)
£9.60£10.40 (-8%)
A rich, provocative and entertaining history of women’s words – of the language we have, and haven’t, had to share our lives.
‘Fascinating, intriguing, witty, a gem of a book’ KATE MOSSE
‘Full of interesting observations … Entertaining’ PHILIP HENSHER, SPECTATOR
‘This superb book teems with historical marvels and their 21st century resonances.’ REBECCA WRAGG SYKES, author of Kindred
So many of the words we use to articulate the experiences women share feel awkward or alien. Medical terms are accurate but antiseptic. Slang often perpetuates stereotypes. Where are the plain, honest words for women’s daily lives?
From the dawn of Old English to the present day, Dr. Jenni Nuttall guides readers through the evolution of the words we have used to describe bodies, menstruation, sexuality, the consequences of male violence, childbirth, paid and unpaid work, and gender.
Along the way, she argues that, paradoxically, as women have made slow progress towards equality, we’ve lost some of the most expressive and eloquent bits of our vocabulary.
Inspired by Nuttall’s deep knowledge of the English language as well as conversations with her teenage daughter, this is a book for anyone who loves language – and for feminists who want to look to the past in order to move forward.
‘One of the wittiest and most insightful books of the year … A must- have for any lover of language, history or women’ BUZZ MAGAZINE
‘There is a nugget of joy and wisdom on every single page’ VICTORIA WHITWORTH, historian and author of Daughter of the Wolf
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Additional information
| Publisher | Virago (2 May 2024) |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Paperback | 304 pages |
| ISBN-10 | 0349015317 |
| ISBN-13 | 978-0349015316 |
| Dimensions | 12.6 x 2.2 x 19.8 cm |
by Mrs. K. A. Wheatley
A fascinating foray into the world of language, specifically around where the language we use to talk about women and describe their worlds comes from. This is broken into chapters that focus on things from the basics of why women are called women to their bodies, their jobs and their relationships. Nuttall uses her expertise as a lecturer in early languages and her own experiences as a woman and mother to give a rounded, thoughtful and engaging exploration of how language shapes our world and our world shapes our language.
by Hwaet
Perfect for anyone with a slither of interest in language. Timely and engaging.
by Ian Pinfold
Bought this book for my daughters birthday.
As anEnglish teacher herself I thought she would be really interested in it, but I really didn’t want to part with it myself!
It’s a fascinating insight in to the history of some of our language.
by Matt
This is a fascinating look at words related to women with their roots in old English. But then showing how these words and the implications of them get to us now. I have no previous knowledge of this vocabulary but the book leads you through supported by a diverse selection of modern day reference points. Brilliant read.
by Helen Frost
An absolute gem of a book this is a treasure trove on a number of levels.
It is a very comprehensive guide to what is is to be a woman through the historical ages giving sympathetic, accurate and honest accounts of the various life stages, triumphs and obstacles. This alone makes a compelling and thought provoking read but the examination of the words used in relation to women is eye opening and fascinating and the derivative and function of such language gives even greater insight into how women were viewed over time in a, perhaps surprisingly, non linear journey into enlightenment and modern times.
I can’t really do this justice enough so I urge you to read it yourself, this will stay with me for a long time.
by Sara Black
Fascinating, thoroughly researched, and very readable analysis of the language used by women and about women through the ages, to describe the reality and cultural expectations of our everyday lives