I was dismayed! Besides the obviously offensive, backward and narrow-minded elements in the headline, I was also struck by that which others might overlook. Breastfeeding was spelled as two words, not one, not even hyphenated.In terms of grammar, words composed of two individual words joined together (like sandpaper and flowerpot) are called compound words. Often new formations will be spelled as two separate words or hyphenated until they gain sufficient acceptance within the culture or native speaking population to no longer be considered either slang or a new coinage. Consider email for instance. Email began as electronic mail, became e-mail and finally email, indicating its widespread use and acceptance.
Spelling breastfeeding as two words does two things:
- draws the eye to the word breast, as if highlighting subconsciously that the real issue is the breast rather than how we choose to feed our children
- makes a subtle point that breastfeeding is still not culturally acceptable to consider it as a single word (or at the very least, a hyphenated compound).
The title of the story as posted on MSNBC (where you are directed when you click on the MSN link) is Food or Lewd? Breast-feeding reveals divide. Why we get so worked up about how women feed their babies.The story uses breast-feeding (with the hyphen) consistently and encourages widespread acceptance of breastfeeding, citing that it is the healthiest choice for babies and drawing attention to the ridiculousness of calling breastfeeding lewd (see the section on Las Vegas, for instance).
The piece is attempting to explore just that: why we get so worked up about how women feed their babies. Good question. However, food or lewd? - this question isn't even worth asking. Women have breastfed their babies for thousands of years. Formula as an option for feeding babies has only been around since the mid-1800's. Clearly, the answer is food.
As to the relative lewdness of breastfeeding, here is a photo of Selma Hayek at this year's Golden Globes. She looks fabulous. Her dress is pretty low cut. In fact, she's showing more of her breasts than the two women breastfeeding in the article's photo and more than most of the women I know who breastfeed.
Breastfeeding mothers tend to make an effort to be discrete and modest, especially when nursing in public. Notice how this mom is turned toward her baby, her shoulder turned in, her shirt pulled down and her hand covering skin as she helps baby latch. The posture is partly functional but also an attempt at some privacy. She's not just sitting down and whipping out her breast. There is nothing lewd about either of the women in this photo.Granted babies are sometimes hard to latch, they wriggle and want to see what's happening. We sometimes have wardrobe malfunctions and occasionally, a nipple may make it's appearance. Usually extremely briefly. If this makes you uncomfortable, avert your eyes. It's a small occupational hazard. It doesn't make the act of feeding one's child lewd.
Essentially those who find breastfeeding objectionable do so presumably because they think it is gross or too sexual. Is this the Victorian era? Are we supposed to be ashamed that we have breasts at all? Breastfeeding is not a private act between mother and child because it is not an intimate sexual moment. It is a building block of human growth, development, attachment...and life. Furthermore, breastfeeding is not simply about feeding. It is about giving your child the best possible food. It is one of the most important decisions you can make regarding your child's health.
There is NO question about whether breastfeeding is food or lewd. Even putting that question in the title of an otherwise supportive article does a great disservice to mothers and babies everywhere because it implies that the question is up for debate. It is not. Health officials are united in saying that breastfeeding is the best choice for infants. They are unanimous about the health benefits. The only people who are still struggling with the concept are the 30% (as cited in the article) who need to get over their hangups.
Just as it is unethical to debate whether or not smoking or anorexia are bad for your health, it is unethical to call into question whether or not breastfeeding is acceptable. A piece about society's attitudes on the subject is a welcome way to get people thinking but it's time to leave out the sensationalism and get on with the educating.
Read the article.
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The use of two words is still the correct way to say breast feeding. There is no hidden meaning by leaving the two words separated. The word Breast is a noun and the word Feeding (in this instance) is a verb. To clarify the difference, the word Sand is a noun and the word Paper is a noun as well. The word Flower is a noun and Pot is a noun. The word Electronic is a noun and the word Mail is a noun. Hope that helps.
ReplyDeleteYou are correct in the explanation that the compound is made up of a noun and a verb and I appreciate the clarification. However, you are incorrect in saying that the use of two words is the correct way to spell (or say) breastfeeding. The Oxford English Dictionary, which is internationally recognized as the authority on the English language, writes breastfeed as one word.
ReplyDeleteNewer constructs like breast implant and breast pump are still listed as two words.
Here is an explanation from wikipedia:
Also common in English is another type of verb-noun (or noun-verb) compound, in which an argument of the verb is incorporated into the verb, which is then usually turned into a gerund, such as breastfeeding, finger-pointing, etc. The noun is often an instrumental complement. From these gerunds new verbs can be made: (a mother) breastfeeds (a child) and from them new compounds mother-child breastfeeding, etc.
You know, you are absolutely right! It always urked me when someone spells (or says) breast feeding. And yes, you can SAY breast feeding, and it's different than saying breastfeeding. Actually, I don't even say breastfeeding anymore, I say nursing. My mom still says breast feeding, but she only brestfed for 3 weeks. When my daughter was under a year, I said breastfeedings. Now that she's older, I say nursing. I actually cringe when I hear someone saying breast feeding! You know, there was even a Hathor the Cowgoddess comment about the difference between breast feeding, breastfeeding, and nursing (or maybe it was breast milk, breastmilk, and milk!) Found it! One Word comic
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