Language and Gender: An Analysis of English Textbooks Produced by Punjab Textbook Board for Elementary Level in Pakistan

Abstract

Language is one of the strongest medium to represent gender ideas. The present study examined what sort of gender images were portrayed in the language of English textbooks produced by Punjab Textbook Board in Pakistan for elementary level. The study exclusively aimed at analyzing gender ideas in following four areas of language at words level: generic constructions, paired noun/ pronoun, adjectives and semantic roles. Using a mixture of quantitatively and qualitatively approaches; data was collected, tabulated (wherever possible) and analyzed. The findings of this study quite clearly revealed that language used in these texts was not free of gender biased ideas. All areas of language selected for this study, especially adjectives and semantic roles, represented males with typically accepted gender colours. Consequently, this study recommended that textbooks being used in Pakistani schools at all levels should be re-evaluated and revised for gender ideas manipulated through language with a strong vision to accomplish gender parity in education.

Key words:Language, gender, textbooks, Pakistan, adjectives, semantic roles