The Use of Feminine Components of Language in Two Books, My Bird and Autumn is the Last Season of the Year, Based on the Linguistic Approach of Sara Mills

The growth of women's literary creations in recent years underscores the importance of recognizing these works to foster their qualitative development. This article reviews two books of selected women's novels featured in national festivals, assessing the frequency of fifteen components related to feminine expressions in language, as identified by scholars and the authors themselves. The analysis is framed within Sara Mills' linguistic approach, focusing on both linguistic structure and the structure of thought and content. These components can significantly enhance the theoretical critique of women's literature, particularly in the realm of novels. In the twelve years following the publication of the two books, the application of these components has revealed notable changes in linguistic structure. The use of attributes, such as color and gender of objects, has increased, while the use of feminine words has significantly decreased. Additionally, there has been a marked reduction in attention to women's issues, a weakening of emotional relationships among family members, and a strengthening of feelings of despair and hopelessness. These trends are significant and suggest that, beyond the individual circumstances of the author, various societal conditions may have influenced these changes. Cultural authorities should take these factors into account.
Introduction:
The literature of any nation is a rich collection of poetic and prose works that reflect the identity, customs, beliefs, history, and aspirations of its people. Over time, various events significantly influence this dynamic landscape. Analyzing the works of literary creators is essential for understanding, evaluating, and diagnosing literary genres. The structure and form of a story possess a remarkable capacity to capture important and sometimes transformative events and moments. Through analytical reading of a novel, one can uncover interests, tendencies, needs, talents, and even underlying motivations that may be concealed within the deeper layers of society. Consequently, the novelist, through narrative storytelling, presents a snapshot of society. Conversely, women's speech in any linguistic community exhibits characteristics that distinguish it from men's speech to some extent. The growth of women's literary contributions in recent years underscores the importance of focusing on these works to enhance their qualitative development. In recent decades, the active presence of women in the realm of literary creation and the expression of their concerns has become increasingly prominent, leading to the emergence of a feminine writing style that shapes an identity encompassing relationships, roles, differences, and other female-related issues. This identity, through character portrayal and the actions of the novel's protagonist, serves as a representation of feminine social identity.
Methodology:
The statistical population of this study comprises selected novels by female authors featured in prestigious national festivals within a specified timeframe. The research sample includes two books: "My Bird" and "Autumn Is the Last Season of the Year," which received recognition at festivals twelve years apart. The research employs a descriptive-analytical and library-based methodology. The analysis of the works is grounded in Sara Mills' perspective, focusing on the frequency of feminine elements across three categories: morphological structures, syntactic structures, and themes and content. This frequency is calculated relative to the number of pages in each book and presented in statistical and comparative tables as percentages. The statistical results of the two books are compared, leading to a final conclusion.
Results and Discussion:
Over the twelve-year interval between the publication of the two books, the analysis of linguistic structures revealed an increase in the use of adjectives related to color and texture. Conversely, there was a significant decrease in the use of feminine vocabulary. In terms of content, a marked decline in attention to women's issues was noted, along with a weakening of emotional bonds among family members and a growing sense of despair and hopelessness. These changes, coupled with the individual circumstances of the authors, may also be influenced by various societal factors and should be taken into account by cultural authorities. The characteristics that define the works of female authors can serve as essential criteria for critiquing these works and can contribute to the theoretical advancement of women's literary criticism, particularly in the realms of fiction and novels. Furthermore, these criteria can be utilized in the evaluation of works submitted to various literary festivals.
Conclusion:
In this article, we examine two selected novels by women featured in national festivals to assess the frequency of fifteen components of feminine language features, as suggested by scholars or perceived by the author. This assessment utilizes Sara Mills' linguistic approach, focusing on both linguistic structure and thought and content structure. These components can significantly contribute to the theoretical development of women's literary criticism, particularly in the realm of novels. The study aims to answer the following questions: What are the indicators of a feminine style in the language used by the authors of these two books? Is there a significant difference in the application of feminine linguistic style features between the two books? Additionally, considering the twelve-year gap between their selection, what changes have occurred in the application of feminine components in these novels, particularly in light of the evolving cultural, political, and social conditions of the country in the areas of "linguistic" and "thought and content"?
Sara Mills, a stylistic analyst, linguist, writer, and research professor at the School of Cultural Studies at Sheffield Hallam University in England, who has conducted extensive studies in the fields of feminism and linguistics, believes that posing specific questions provides a systematic approach to linguistic analysis. Mills argues that by systematically addressing these questions, researchers can track the various ways aspects are encoded and identify the gender indices that may be embedded in the text's logic. The value of this research lies in examining the diverse perspectives of women, considering their linguistic applications and distinct writing styles, to foster mutual understanding, and contribute to a better world. It is essential that, alongside the quantitative growth of women's fictional works, attention to critique and diagnosis of this literary genre paves the way for the qualitative development of women's narratives. The findings of this study can facilitate the recognition of feminine language features and their application in women's literature, both linguistically and thematically, significantly enhancing the critique of these works and promoting the technical and academic advancement of this literary genre