Robin Lakoff's “You Are What You Say”: Critique

Robin Lakoff's “You Are What You Say”: Critique

In her article “You Are What You Say,” Robin Lakoff (1991) uses several examples to argue that there is no such thing as "women's language"; it is the way people interpret it. She argues that whenever a word is used by women or used to describe women, it becomes derogatory. Starting the article out with the tag questions that women often use, Lakoff explains that by using the tag questions, speakers show the lack of confidence. Then, Lakoff provides examples of euphemism that described women demeaningly. Moreover, she comments on the pair words that fully illustrate the double standard between men and women. She concludes that since between men and women there is always a double standard, women need to speak up for themselves. Lakoff has provided well-supported evidences that help the readers to realize the oppression and double standard that women face although her reason of women's tag questions of being uncertain of themselves is a bad approach.

Lakeoff's discussion of lady as a euphemism helps her readers to realize that the term actually degrades women. Lakoff draws upon the example illustrating that word usages describing women are also demeaning. Lakoff notes that the euphemism lady doctor or lady atheist is condescending because no one will ever address man as a gentleman doctor. Though the word lady seems as if it is a polite term at the beginning, Lakoff aims to show that the “implications are perilous: they suggest that a lady is helpless, and cannot do things by herself” (296). Because of Lakoff's presenting of this example, readers can better understand that women face the oppression of how once a word is used to describe them, the word becomes derogatory.

In addition to the word lady, Lakoff also presents the euphemism girl, which helps the readers to furthermore understand the double standard between women and men. Lakoff examines that once a man is passed the adolescence age, he will not be...