Language and Gender

Women swear just as much as men

Men turn take in same sex convo, women speak simultaneously.

power = dominance (courtroom research).

diversity model = social background dictates language

diversity model = more differences between the same gender.

Norwich - men use covert prestige, women use overt prestige.

Deficit model = female language is unfinished/avoid complex syntax

Dominance model

Women's language - deficit model - women regarded as weaker sex

referential / affective tag questions - men more referential

Difference model - men and women brought up in different environments

division of labour - women work harder in conversation

difference between men and women is close to zero

men are dominant

men interrupt more

interruptions might mean support rather than dominance

women in same sex talk more collaborative. Women use positive politeness / men less supportive

men's rugby team. insults a sign of solidarity. men don't worry about saving face

female comedy comments on blog - common women's themes are bras, period, chocolate and Weightwatchers

feminine style of speech used for social control - women carefully monitor behaviour to ensure that it's appropriate

Synthetic personalisation - making it sound like you are speaking to an individual when addressing a mass audience e.g. "see you after the break"

people ask questions to demonstrate power

men speak for longer

men take longer turns / joke more, argue more, direct more

compliments flow from those of higher rank to those of lower rank

email discussion - 5 women, 30 men took part, even though women nearly 50% of members. Men's messages twice as long. women use personal voice, men assertive

women managers more likely to negotiate consensus than males - take more time to make sure everyone is in agreement

women use just as much humour as men, and for same functions, although they are more likely to encourage supportive and collaborative humour

shift from work talk to personal talk always initiated by highest ranking person in the room

role playing delivering criticism to co-worker about errors in business letter. men showed more concern for feelings of person they were criticising when in subordinate role, while women showed more concern when in the superior role