enhancing ao1 gender Flashcards
What is back-channeling?
feedback given while someone else is talking to show interest, attention and/or willingness to keep listening
e.g. ‘uh-huh’ or ‘mhm’
Examples of back-channeling from the transcripts:
- AMBER HEARD CASE = ‘[nodding] yes (.) thats’s effectively what happened yeah’ - female
- MADE IN CHELSEA = ‘[makes noise] you’ve got a funny way of showing that’ - male
Which theories link to back-channeling?
- Deborah Tannen = women seek support in conversations and will therefore show interest in the speaker
- Jennifer Coates = all female talk is cooperative
- Keith and Shuttleworth = women support each other in conversation
What is a discourse marker?
words or phrases that help connect or structure speech and writing
e.g. anyway, right, okay, I mean, etc
Examples of discourse markers from the transcripts:
- MARRIED AT FIRST SIGHT = ‘right the winner gets the tricep trio to do whatever they want them to for 24 hours’ - female
- MADE IN CHELSEA = ‘okay(.)right what you’ve gotta understand now…’ - male
Which theories link to discourse markers?
- Otto Jespersen = women have a less sophisticated vocabulary than men
What are fillers?
used to give the speaker time to think, express uncertainty or make something awkward feel less awkward
e.g ‘um’, ‘ah’, ‘hmm’, ‘like’
Examples of fillers from the transcripts:
- LOVE ISLAND = ‘you’re just I just feel like you just need to like think about things’ - female
- MADE IN CHELSEA = ‘…she was there and erm he was chatting with her’ - female
- AMBER HEARD CASE = ‘uh I’m not quite sure what part of the night she saw’
Which theories link to fillers?
- Otto Jespersen = women’s language is less sophisticated than men’s
What is hedging?
a word or phrase used in a sentence to express ambiguity, probability, caution or indecisiveness
e.g. ‘maybe’, ‘almost’ or somewhat
Examples of hedging from transcripts:
- LOVE ISLAND = ‘it’s about the whole thing the whole thing and how you seem bro (.) maybe like I said maybe I’m wrong’ - male
- MADE IN CHELSEA = ‘look I think maybe we should leave you guys to it cos you guys have stuff to talk about’ - female
Which theories link to hedging?
- Robin Lakoff = women use hedging, and it is a sign of weakness and uncertainty
What are false starts?
sentences and words that are cut short before completion and often occur when a person has misspoken and has corrected themselves or from interruptions
Examples of false starts from transcripts:
- MARRIED AT FIRST SIGHT = ‘I don’t know what it is I don’t know what I’ve do-’ - male
Which theories link to false starts?
- Otto Jespersen = women fail to finish sentences because they haven’t thought through what they are going to say
What are repairs?
a speaker recognises a speech error and repeats what has been said with a correction
Examples of repairs from the transcripts:
- MARRIED AT FIRST SIGHT = ‘all I’m saying is I’ve met Ive seen Ella in social situations’ - male
- MADE IN CHELSEA = ‘I’ve stay I’ve stayed so out of your way’ - male
Which theories are linked to repairs?
- Otto Jespersen = women’s language is less sophisticated than men’s language
What is a topic loop?
a topic is started but goes off track and is brought back again
- ‘anyway’ is a common indicator of this
Which theories are linked to topic loops?
- Otto Jespersen = women’s language is less sophisticated
What is a tag question?
when a small question is attached to the end of a sentence -> often used to ask for confirmation
Examples of tag questions in the transcripts:
- ## SECRET LIFE OF 4/5 YEAR OLDS = ‘this is fun, isn’t it?’ - female
Which theories link to tag questions?
- Pamela Fishman = women frequently use tag questions to gain conversational power
- Robin Lakoff = tag questions are a sign of weakness
What are non-fluency features?
voice fillers, pauses, mispronunciations, interruptions, overlaps and failures to hold the floor
Example of non-fluency features in the transcripts:
- MADE IN CHELSEA = ‘no no no no no I can speak as well Inga’ - male
Which theories are linked to non-fluency features?
- Zimmerman and West = men deny equal status to women as conversational partners and they engineer female silence
- Geoffrey Beattie = men and women interrupt at the same frequency
What are paralinguistic expressions?
body language, gestures, tone and pitch
Which theories link to paralinguistic expressions?
- Robin Lakoff = women speak in italics, exaggerated intonation
What is a direct imperative?
most direct form of the imperative and it is formed by using the infinitive of the verb without the ‘to’
Examples of the direct imperative in the transcripts:
- LOVE ISLAND = ‘just listen’ - male to female
What is an expletive term?
a swear word that is let out when someone is startled or mad
Which theories are linked to an expletive term?
- Keith and Shuttleworth = men swear more and insult each other more frequently
What is an empty adjective?
adjectives that have meaning that indicate the speaker’s approval or admiration for something
e.g. divine, charming, cute
Which theories link to empty adjectives?
- Jespersen = women use empty or weak adjectives
What is a euphemism?
polite expression to refer to things that may be upsetting or embarrassing
Examples of euphemisms from the transcripts:
- MADE IN CHELSEA = ‘I never once thought our relationship was on the rocks until now.’ - female
Which theories link to euphemisms?
- Lakoff = women are more indirect
What is a modal verb?
used with a main verb to express possibility, ability, permission or neccessity
Examples of modal verbs in the transcripts:
- LOVE ISLAND = ‘I don’t think you should do that’ - female
- THE APPRENTICE = ‘Ben should be fired’ - female
Which theories link to modal verbs?
- Lakoff = women use more modal constructions
- Tannen = women are more likely to make suggestions than men who make demanda
