Language, Gender and Power Relations: A Study of Power Structure in Dholuo Dirges

Abstract

This paper examines the image of women emanating from the Luo dirges and their implications in gender relations. It identifies the expressions and idioms used in Luo dirges, describe the gender biased expressions in these linguistic items and show how the terms both reflect and structure power relations between the females and males in the said community. It provides a case study of the relationship between language and gender in dholuo by providing linguistic evidence of sexist ideology reflected in the vocabulary and expressions associated with women. It, in particular, aims to demonstrate the role that language plays in the social categorization and cultural evaluation of power in Luo community, and the extent to which patterns of language use is reflective of Luo social structure, cultural values of inequality and oppression, and sustenance of the existing gender arrangements. It will achieve this through an analysis of the imagery embodied in the language used in Luo dirges. The hypothesis underlying the study is that language has been used to project a negative image of women and sustain patriarchy. This paper provides data on gender discrimination in language and how language reflects social structures and patterns in the society. It shows the impact of language in the society and how it can promote discrimination as well as mirror the injustices in our societies. It shades light on how language in literature plays a major role as far as structuring patterns in the society and socialising members of a society in to the structure is concerned.

Keywords: Luo, Dirges, Gender, Language