Gender Flashcards
Dominance Model
The idea that gender differences in language reflect men’s dominance and women’s subordination
Jennifer Coates
Theorist who suggested all-female talk is essentially co-operative, with participants working to negotiate discussions and support each other’s rights as speakers. Studies used the difference approach. [1989]
Robin Lakoff (1975)
she wrote Language and the Women’s Place in which she discussed many features of females’ language e.g. hedge phrases, empty adjectives, tag questions
her overall idea was that women are weaker and so use less direct langauge
Deborah Tannen
Stated that the difference model sees women and men as belonging to sub-cultures who are socialised differently from childhood, which results in them having different problems when communicating in adulthood.
Deborah Cameron (1995)
Said that language can be affected by many factors other than gender: diversity model
Intensifiers/qualifiers
increase the intensity of the adjectives and other adverbs they modify (ex. awfully, extremely, kind of, more, most, pretty, quite, rather, really, somewhat, sort of, and too)
Imperatives (commands)
A verb or statement whose primary purpose is to give orders e.g “go”
Semantic derogation
Semantic shift that results in a word acquiring more negative associations or meanings e.g. mistress
Otto Jespersen
Said that women talk too much, have a smaller vocabulary than men, and that women use half-finished sentences because they speak before they have thought about what they will say
Gender
the socially constructed roles and characteristics by which a culture defines male and female
Coates
Theorist who suggested all-female talk is essentially co-operative, with participants working to negotiate discussions and support each other’s rights as speakers. Studies used the difference approach. Men’s talk is competitive and seeks status. Difference model.
Zimmerman and West (1975)
found 96% of interruptions were made by men, suggesting male dominance in conversation.
Deficit Model
Recognised that features of women’s language reflects women’s inferior social status, and the language that they use makes them seem weak.
Hedges
words and phrases which make statements sound more tentative
Hyper correct grammar and pronunciation
Being overly correct in what is being said to show overt prestige, often said to be used by women
Typical male language: difference model
Concerned with status and independence, giving direct orders, don’t mind conflict, interruptions, factual information.
Typical female language: difference model
interested in forming relationships and bonds, polite, indirect orders, avoiding conflict, compromises and support.
Difference Model
Tannen’s (1990) theory about gender and conversation which states that men and women have different objectives when they interact.
Diversity Model
Takes into account other influences that may affect language choices such as audience, context and purpose of the conversation.
Fillers
‘Um’, ‘Ah’, ‘Er’ - sounds for thinking time
Overlapping
When people cut into conversations with no intention of dominance
Indirect requests
An implied influence attempt that involves suggesting or hinting without ever making a direct request.
Marked terms
Words that reveal a persons gender e.g policeman.
Unmarked terms
Words that do not reveal a person’s gender e.g police officer
Lexical asymmetry
Pairs of words which seem to be equal (eg sir/madam) often are not, with the female term having been degraded in some way.
Fishman
Women do the ‘conversational shitwork’
O’Barr and Atkins (1980) ‘Powerless Language’
Deficit - O’Barr and Atkins challenged Lakoff’s conclusion. Found context specific power was more important than gender.
Tag questions
a question added onto the end of declarative statement
