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Language and Gender Differences between male and female speech noticed some time ago Not studied systematically until recently Some are very obvious – pronouns Other differences are discovered by sociolinguistic research
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Language and Gender Differences between male and female speech noticed some time ago Not studied systematically until recently Some are very obvious –

Mar 27, 2015

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Aidan Drake
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Page 1: Language and Gender Differences between male and female speech noticed some time ago Not studied systematically until recently Some are very obvious –

Language and Gender

Differences between male and female speech noticed some time ago Not studied systematically until recentlySome are very obvious – pronounsOther differences are discovered by sociolinguistic research

Page 2: Language and Gender Differences between male and female speech noticed some time ago Not studied systematically until recently Some are very obvious –

Some gender differences

Reports of different male and female languages usually exaggerated differences in language shift different dialects or accents marrying out

Page 3: Language and Gender Differences between male and female speech noticed some time ago Not studied systematically until recently Some are very obvious –

Japanese

Japanese

different phonology, morphology and vocabulary

supposedly reflect the role of women as polite, gentle, passive

Page 4: Language and Gender Differences between male and female speech noticed some time ago Not studied systematically until recently Some are very obvious –

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Women’s form -- men’s form (traditional Japanese)

Otoosan oyaji (father)

Onaka hara (stomach)

Taberu kuu (eat)

Page 5: Language and Gender Differences between male and female speech noticed some time ago Not studied systematically until recently Some are very obvious –

Hlonipha

Hlonipha

Xhosa-speaking women must avoid syllables in their in-laws’ names

replaced with deletions, paraphrase, loan words

Page 6: Language and Gender Differences between male and female speech noticed some time ago Not studied systematically until recently Some are very obvious –

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Respect for husband’s family

inferior status of women

Result – a lot words used only by women

Page 7: Language and Gender Differences between male and female speech noticed some time ago Not studied systematically until recently Some are very obvious –

Language and gender in English

English – differences less obvious --phonologicalLinked to social class studies of language and social class also showed gender differencesApplies in many places in UK, US, Australia, new Zealand

Page 8: Language and Gender Differences between male and female speech noticed some time ago Not studied systematically until recently Some are very obvious –

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In NYC women used post-vocalic /r/ more oftenNorwich – women used –ing, men used –in more often Tyneside men used glottalised –p more often

Page 9: Language and Gender Differences between male and female speech noticed some time ago Not studied systematically until recently Some are very obvious –

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Verbal duelling – typically masculineYo momma – white chicksRap battles – Eight MileTurkish rhymed insultsEnglish football chants

Page 10: Language and Gender Differences between male and female speech noticed some time ago Not studied systematically until recently Some are very obvious –

Gender and Language change

Studies of linguistic change in Norwich, Engliand and Belfast, N Ireland

Men lead change from below

vernacular forms spread upwards – glottalisation in British English

Page 11: Language and Gender Differences between male and female speech noticed some time ago Not studied systematically until recently Some are very obvious –

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Women lead change from above

Introduce standard forms

Mrs Hall rather than Mizall in Leeds

Page 12: Language and Gender Differences between male and female speech noticed some time ago Not studied systematically until recently Some are very obvious –

Language and networks

Belfast – women worked outside community – introduced new forms from outside

Similar pattern among African Americans in South Carolina islands

Page 13: Language and Gender Differences between male and female speech noticed some time ago Not studied systematically until recently Some are very obvious –

Language and Identity

Language used to express identity but gender variation“Jocks” and “Burnouts” in Detroit suburban high schoolsidentified with suburbs and cityGender differences

Page 14: Language and Gender Differences between male and female speech noticed some time ago Not studied systematically until recently Some are very obvious –

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Burnout girls adopted urban rather than suburban forms but less than boysOccasionally used taboo words in single sex groups Boys frequentlyJock boys used taboo words in SSGs but not in front of women

Page 15: Language and Gender Differences between male and female speech noticed some time ago Not studied systematically until recently Some are very obvious –

Explanations of gender difference

Attempt to acquire social status by using standard forms – probably true of NYCWomen forced to use distinctive forms as a sign of inferiority –XhosaWomen as guardians of cultural values –unlikely to explain interaction with children

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Standard forms are considered polite – politeness is not required of superior groupsExpression of machismoGender sorting at a young age – differences appear at 6 in some casesProbably all true in different degrees in different places

Page 17: Language and Gender Differences between male and female speech noticed some time ago Not studied systematically until recently Some are very obvious –

Language and discourse

Men talk more than women, especially in publicMen interrupt women more than vice-versaWomen are more supportive of other speakers

Page 18: Language and Gender Differences between male and female speech noticed some time ago Not studied systematically until recently Some are very obvious –

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Women more likely to use hedgesMen more likely to use boostersWomen more likely to use compliments But problems of method and bias

Page 19: Language and Gender Differences between male and female speech noticed some time ago Not studied systematically until recently Some are very obvious –

Language and Discourse

Why is there no ‘K’ in J.K. Rowling’s birth certificate

Page 20: Language and Gender Differences between male and female speech noticed some time ago Not studied systematically until recently Some are very obvious –

Sexist language

Masculine gender to include womenNegative connotations of feminine wordsMaster -- mistressWorking girlSir – madamWizard – witchMany words for sexually promiscuous womenBut rent boy, toy boy

Page 21: Language and Gender Differences between male and female speech noticed some time ago Not studied systematically until recently Some are very obvious –

Non-sexist language

Movement especially in USHe becomes he or she Fireman – firefighterPoliceman – police officerMrs/miss becomes ms

Page 22: Language and Gender Differences between male and female speech noticed some time ago Not studied systematically until recently Some are very obvious –

Explanations

Physical – may explain intonation but not much elseGenetic – unpopular until recently --but research by Baron-Cohen – differences in male and female brains – systems vs relationships

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Social/ cultural Will explain many cases – group identity, social mobility, discriminationbut why so widespread?