Muted Group Theory - A Feminist Dictionary

A Feminist Dictionary

Kramarae states that in order to change muted group status we also need to change dictionaries. Traditional dictionaries rely on the majority of their information to come from male literary sources. These male sources have the power to exclude words important to or created by women. Furthering this idea, Kramarae and Paula Treichler created a feminist dictionary with words they believed Merriam-Webster defined on male ideas. For example, the word 'Cuckold' is defined as 'the husband of an unfaithful wife' in Merriam Webster. However, there is no term for a wife who has an unfaithful husband. She is simply called a wife. Another example Kramarae defined was the word 'doll.' She defined 'doll' as 'a toy playmate given to, or made by children. Some adult males continue their childhood by labeling adult female companions "dolls." The feminist dictionary includes up to 2,500 words to emphasize women’s linguistic ability and to give women words of empowerment and change their muted status. (p. 461)