Jenni Nuttall’s Mother Tongue will easily be one of the wittiest and most insightful books of the year: an analysis of the way language has been shaped by society’s perception of women’s bodies, minds, and identities, and, in turn, the way that the words we use have changed the way we see femininity.
Not simply a comment on the history of the words themselves, Nuttall deftly analyses societal norms, and the way historical decisions still have an impact on the present. Her discussion is witty and playful, and you often find yourself outraged and amazed by things you never even knew you could care about. I am still not over the fact that we could be calling the inner labia nymphs right now.
The only caution I will note is that there are no sub-headings: this may not be that bothersome to many, but I am a lover of the sub-heading, and consider them to make reading much more digestible. Particularly as the chapters lend themselves to separation into easily digestible chunks, this inclusion would have been beneficial. Overall, though, Mother Tongue is a must-have for the collection of any lover of language, history or women: it is a joy.
Mother Tongue: The Surprising History Of Women’s Words, Jenni Nuttall (Virago)
Price: £16.99. Info: here
words HARI BERROW
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