Language of Subjugation; Patriarchal Constructs in English and Urdu Proverbs: A Cross-Cultural Analysis of Gendered Proverbs

Abstract

This research offers a comparative critical discourse analysis concerning the cultural and ideological representations of women as depicted in American English and Pakistani Urdu proverbs. This research employs Fairclough’s Three-Dimensional Model to analyze the rhetorical devices and linguistic strategies that sustain gender stereotypes, subjugation, and patriarchal norms. This study examines 28 proverbs, with 14 sourced from each language, to elucidate the ways in which societal attitudes and power dynamics are manifested within proverbial discourse. The results underscore the manner in which proverbs shape the identities of women as subordinate, marginalized, and objectified, frequently depicting them as passive homemakers or duplicitous characters. The aforementioned proverbs serve to reinforce prevailing cultural biases, thereby constraining the roles of women within both personal and public domains. The research highlights the importance of language in influencing societal norms and stresses the necessity of deconstructing gendered ideologies within linguistic practices. This research endeavors to confront these biases, thereby promoting a more equitable representation of gender within cultural narratives.