Thoughts and Questions on Language

1. Share your thoughts as a knower on one specific concept or example from the readings; name the reading, and give a page number for any part more than one page.
One specific section of the second packet, "The case of the disappearing languages" that really caught my attention was the excerpt entitled, "Language and gender: 'Nu Shu', China's secret female language. After reading this section from pages 86-87, I was very intrigued. I found it fascinating how the women in China created their own language, which only they could understand. I am familiar with some of the history of China and how women were often thought of as secondary to men, not respected, and often ignored. Women were basically nothing but servants for men. As the article mentions, "one of the longest-lasting forms of inequality relates to gender." The fact that the women in China defied this and created their own language is inspiring. Those women did not just stand idly by and let men be the only literate gender, they took matters into their own hands and created their own language, one which men could not understand. Nushu liberated them from illiteracy and gave them the courage to stand up for themselves and to take control of their own lives. 

2. Write two ‘good TOK questions’ that develop from the concept or example you choose; you may write your own questions or you may borrow or adapt (with citation), questions found in the TOK subject guide (knowers, WOK, AOK, linking questions).
What is the role of language in creating and reinforcing social distinctions, such as class, ethnicity and gender? (Taken from "Language in the TOK Guide" http://www.englishb-inthinking.co.uk/language-and-tok/tok-and-language-1.htm) 

In what ways can learning a new language or creating a new language define a person? Does gender really make a difference?