Abstract
Taking insights from Feminist Critical Discourse Analysis, this study has focused on Punjabi proverbs mentioning the theme of ‘talk’ and ‘silence’ with reference to male or female speakers. Data is collected through purposive quota sampling from the collections of Punjabi proverbs. Women have been designated as loquacious in contemptuous terms as an indication of their ‘empty brains’. Their argument has been assumed to be meaningless as compared to the one offered by some male speakers. The metaphor of ‘hen’ has been used to refer to women talk in derogatory terms. Silence in women has been appreciated as a chief trait of a socially acceptable character. On the other hand, men’s talk has been glorified as an essential trait of Manliness. Men are explicitly advised neither to act upon their wives’ suggestions nor to share their secrets with them. To conclude, it can rightly be said that we have to be aware of the negative effects of such discourses on silencing the feminine voices for their rights and giving vent to their creative talents. A conscious effort should be made by the media and academia to spread more positive and constructive discourses to make women an active and productive part of the social dialogue. 

Lubna Akhlaq Khan, Muhammad Ajmal Khan, Aadila Hussain. (2021) The Good Woman is the Silent One: A Feminist Critique of Proverbial Stance on Gendered Talk, Pakistan Journal of Applied Social Sciences, Volume 12, Issue 1.
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