The Effect of Genderism on the Process and the Product of Translation

Many studies have been made and still concerning the field of translation. Since the mid-90's a considerable amount of researches has tackled the problem of gender and its effect on the process and the product of translation. Simon (1996, p 508) points out that when comparing women and men as translators and writers through history, women seem to be the weaker side. This paves the way to feminist movements which produce prominent studies concerning gender as a concept and translator's gender as practice on the quality and the accuracy of the translation. Flotow (in Meschia, 2012, p 1-4) outlines several issues that can be examined concerning gender and translation, these are historical studies, theoretical contemplations, translator's identity, post-colonial questions, and cultural questions. This research deals with two aspects of identity, i.e. gender: the gender of the translator (and its effect on the translation if there is any) and the gender of the evaluator of the translated text (and its effect if there is any). The aim of this paper is to find out whether there is any negative influence of the identity on the process and the product of translation. For this purpose, 40 students from the Department of Translation at Al-Ma'moon College University, in addition to 20 postgraduate, have been asked to assess and analyze through a questionnaire (that tackles the identity of both translator and evaluator) and an assessment of Shakespeare's Sonnet (no. 18) and four translated versions of it. The study remarkably shows that the gender-bias effect of the identity of the translator and the evaluator have an influence on students with 12.5% for undergraduate and 5% for postgraduate students. The majority of 87.5% and 95% believe that gender does not affect. This proves the research's hypothesis that there is a difference in the language of the two genders, yet it will not affect the gender of both of the translator and the evaluator.

Perpetuating Gender Bias in Children’s Cartoons: Portrayal of Female Characters in Shin Chan and Doraemon

This paper will study the portrayal of female characters in cartoons with special reference to Shin Chan and Doraemon. Through a feminist critique, the paper would discuss how gender bias is perpetuated through the gender roles assigned to the characters in these shows. Gender discrimination is perpetuated by such external factors and consolidated by the children’s communication with their friends and classmates. This paper endeavours to examine how different stereotypes of gender are pushed through the veil of “child entertainment” via the cartoons and how these issues can be addressed.

Gender Representation in Education: Critical Discourse Analysis of Urdu Textbooks used in Primary Government Schools in Punjab

This research aims to explore the gender equality or lack thereof in the Urdu textbooks taught in Punjab, Pakistan. Gender bias in textbooks is an important but almost invisible and overlooked problem. Five Urdu textbooks taught in primary government schools in Punjab were selected for critical discourse analysis. Both qualitative as well quantitative research methods were adopted. The number of female and male characters, portrayal of domestic and professional roles by both genders, and cosmetic bias was taken into account. In all five books analyzed, 28% characters were women whereas remaining were male characters. Female characters were mostly found in domestic situations with insignificant roles in the stories who did not have a name or an identity except being mothers. The text was highly biased towards the male characters associating valor and strength with men only. Since textbooks play a crucial role in the development of the children, it is important to remove the concealed gender bias in textbooks and acknowledge the changing roles of women in the Pakistani society in order to create a society that treats men and women equally.