Okay, so I'll admit that "fragrant jewel" is a little much, at least for me, as I don't go in for elaborate metaphors all that much, and it seems to me that maybe "woman" is getting equated a little too much with "feminine" or perhaps "femininity" as classically defined -- refined, elegant, frilly, etc.
On the other hand, I actually rather like the idea of a woman's language, because everything--everything--is bound up in the patriarchy. The thing is, since right now we live in a patriarchal world, everything is influenced by it--even languages that are created to escape the patriarchy, or subvert it, are still influenced by the patriarchy. *wry* So I don't think there can actually be a true women's language until we live in a post-patriarchal world (whatever that's going to look like), and at that point... will we need one? I hope not.
I haven't actually read Elgin's books, mind you, so this is all off-the-top-of-my-head reaction. *shrug*
Feminist, getting more radical every day, checking in.
On the other hand, I actually rather like the idea of a woman's language, because everything--everything--is bound up in the patriarchy. The thing is, since right now we live in a patriarchal world, everything is influenced by it--even languages that are created to escape the patriarchy, or subvert it, are still influenced by the patriarchy. *wry* So I don't think there can actually be a true women's language until we live in a post-patriarchal world (whatever that's going to look like), and at that point... will we need one? I hope not.
I haven't actually read Elgin's books, mind you, so this is all off-the-top-of-my-head reaction. *shrug*