Gender

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The four gender views
Dominant, deficit, difference, diversity,
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Dominant view
Differene in language is due to a social power difference. Men are more dominant in society so their language holds more power. Women's language shows they hold no power.
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Deficit View
Women's language is inferior to men, so are therefore seen as intellectually inferior.
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Difference view
Men and women have different purposes in conversation, so both use language differently. (cooperative/competitive)..
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Diversity view
Gender is only one aspect in identity.
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Lakoff
Dominance view. Women are inferior and not taken seriously through: hedges, super polite forms, indirect speech, tag questions, apolegetic requests. Gives the impression that women are weaker and less certain than men.
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Examples for Lakoff
Hedges: 'sort of'. Superpolite forms: 'if you don;t mind, please may you...' Indirect speech: 'I'm really thirsty' Apologetic requests: Sorry, could you...?'
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Lakoff's politeness principal
1) Don't impose/formal (negative face), e.g. apolegetic requests - 'I'm sorry to bother'. 2) Give options/deference - not having control. e.g. 'It's up to you'. 3) Making receiver feel good/Camaraderie. (P) E.g. 'What would I do without you?'
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Argument against Lakoff
Language could be affected by the context the women is in, e.g. if talking to her boss the language will not be dominant.
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Tannen
Difference view. Men more concerned with status and resist being dominated (interupt more, give orders, want facts and solve problems). Women are more interested in bonds (talk less, polite indirect orders, offer support than solutions).
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Examples for Tannen
Men use direct imperatives: 'switch on the light'. Women use proposals and superpolite forms: 'lets...' 'would you mind if...?'
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Jesperson
Deficit view. The language of man is considered the norm, women should change their language to the norm.
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Jesperson's method
Considered women to be dumb through: Observing they use smaller vocabulary, reading easier novels, high use of 'pretty' or 'nice'.
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Argument against Jesperson
Not conclusive as no research was conducted, just his opinion and observations.
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Cameron
Diversity view. Gender is only one factor affecting language use. Just as much similarities and difference/variations within each gender as between men and women. Due to socialisation and context.
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Holmes
Difference view. Women are more polite and use tag questions. Men use language to give and obtain information, women use it to maintain relationships. Talks about negative/positive oriented politeness.
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Negatively/Positively oriented politeness
Men: Negatively oriented politeness. Women: Positively oriented politeness. Women regard compliments as positive so pay/receive more of them. Men see it as less positive so use less compliments.
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Examples for Holmes
'I love your hair' - Women, clear compliment to make connection. 'Nice car' - Male, more of a judgement than making a connection.
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Holmes' study of staff meeting
Showed turn taking, speaking times, and interuptions. Findings: Men on average talked for longer and interupted more. Men's average speaking time: 24.8%, women's average: 9.95%.
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Fishman
Difference view. Common characteristic in a women's speech is tag questions, e.g 'you know/isn't it'. Women use questions to gain conversational power - have to do 'Conversational shitwork'. Women try hardest to keep conversation going.
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O'Barr and Atkins
Dominance view. The difference of language is not due to being a woman but to be powerless. Language differences are situation-specific. E.g a man interviewing a woman would seem more confident as he has more authority in that circumstance.
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Trudgill
Norwich study showed that women used the non-standard 'n' (runnin) variant less frequently, showing gender has an affect.
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Milroy
Belfast study showed that men used a higher vernacular and belonged in a close knit social network.
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Cheshire
Reading study showed similar results for boys and girls, showing that gender does not have an effect.
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Unilever (owner of Dove and Lynx) research
Only 2% of ads showed intelligent women. 3% were in a managerial, leadership or professional roles but - 'disproportianately' represented in these roles. Only 1% showed women as being funny.
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Verbal aggression
Men commit 76.9% of physical aggression, whereas women commit 23.1%. Men commited 37.2% of social aggression (gossiping, exclusion), whereas women commited 62.8%.
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

Differene in language is due to a social power difference. Men are more dominant in society so their language holds more power. Women's language shows they hold no power.

Back

Dominant view

Card 3

Front

Women's language is inferior to men, so are therefore seen as intellectually inferior.

Back

Preview of the back of card 3

Card 4

Front

Men and women have different purposes in conversation, so both use language differently. (cooperative/competitive)..

Back

Preview of the back of card 4

Card 5

Front

Gender is only one aspect in identity.

Back

Preview of the back of card 5
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