Wordslut: A Feminist Guide to Taking Back the English Language

By Amanda Montell

A brash, enlightening and wildly entertaining feminist look at gendered language and the way it shapes us.

English is scattered with perfectly innocuous words that have devolved into insults hurled at women. The word “bitch” originally meant male or female genitalia. “Hussy” was simply a housewife, and “slut” was an untidy man or woman.

Feminist linguist Amanda Montell explains why words matter and why it’s imperative that women embrace their unique relationship with language. Drawing on fascinating research, and moving between history and pop culture, Montell deconstructs language – from insults and cursing to grammar and pronunciation – to expose the ways it has been used for centuries to gaslight women. Montell’s irresistible intelligence and humour make linguistics not only approachable but downright enthralling.

Wordslut gets to the heart of our language, sheds light on the biases that shadow women in our culture and shows how to embrace language to verbally smash the patriarchy.

‘An academic’s rigour meets a columnist’s wit, Wordslut is a romp of an introduction to sociolinguistics. This book will have you seething with feminist rage at the way words have been used against women for centuries, but it also gives you the tools to take them back then next time you’re at a dinner party or a political podium. Montell leads the charge for feminist reclamation and declaration.’ —Bri Lee

‘I get so jazzed about the future of feminism knowing that Montell’s brilliance is rising up and about to explode worldwide.’ —Jill Soloway

‘Montell sets a high bar … Just the kind of sharp, relevant scholarship needed to continue to inspire the next generation of feminist thought.’ —Kirkus

‘Blends academic study with pop-culture attitude … At its heart, this work reflects a tenet of sociolinguistic study: language is not divorced from culture; it both reflects and creates beliefs about identity and power.’ —Library Journal

‘An astute and witty dissection of the relationship between feminism and linguistics.'––Emma Harvey, Good Reading

• Language: English
• Publisher: Black Inc. Books
• Release date: Jun 4, 2019
• ISBN: 9781743820957

Amanda Montell

Amanda Montell is a writer and reporter from Baltimore with bylines in Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, Woman's Day, The Rumpus, Byrdie.com, and WhoWhatWear, where she is the staff features editor. As a pop linguist, Amanda's insights have been featured in Glamour, Bustle, Refinery29, Hello Giggles, and Bust Magazine. Amanda graduated from NYU with a degree in linguistics. She lives in Los Angeles. Find her on Instagram @amanda_montell.

Reviews for Wordslut

[lynnb_64 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A brilliant and so necessary look at how the English language, implicitly or otherwise, under-values, insults, judges or ignores women. A times, it will make you angry; it will also make you laugh. Especially interesting, to me, was how marginalized groups use slang for safety and to build community. The author explores gendered insults, the language of sex and gender, how women talk when men aren't around, and swearing.A great read.

[spinsterrevival · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Really fascinating and fun book, and I enjoyed listening to the author reading it too (as it seemed like she was also having fun). It presented a great history on gendered language and how we use it along with a lot more. Being the massive potty mouth that I am, I loved the chapter on swearing.

[meggo_2 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved how this book deconstructs language from insults, speech patterns, grammar, and how language reinforces power structures. A must-read for language nerds.

[mickyfine · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Amanda Montell explores studies in sociolinguistics that explore how the very language we use supports the default system of patriarchy and how as everyday users we can try to be more proactive in how we use English as feminists.I adored this book from the opening introduction. While the linguistics studies Montell is unpacking are rigorous and academic, she makes them clear and understandable for a general audience while being smart and funny and entertaining. Whether she's exploring the swears we use, the euphemisms we use for genitalia, or how women talk amongst themselves, everything is well explored and clear for the non-expert. Highly recommended for all feminists but also for those who are just curious about how English really works.