Gender and Language

Question 1

Explain Peter Trudgill’s theory on gender and language, and in what year did he hypothesise?

Answer 1

Trudgill, 1974, looked at gender differences in language in Norwich. He concluded that men seek a lower prestige form (covert prestige) to make them seem tough and careless. Whereas women seek a higher prestige form in language (overt prestige), sometimes resulting in hypercorrectness.

Question 2

Explain Robin Lakoff’s theory on gender and language, and in what year did she hypothesise?

Answer 2

Lakoff, 1975, found the following things:

• Women use ‘hedge’ phrases (kind of, sort of)
• Women use super polite forms (would you mind, I’d appreciate it if)
• Women use more ‘tag’ questions
• Women speak less frequently than men
• Women tend to avoid crude/expletive language
• Women tend to apologise more
• Women tend to hypercorrect their grammar and punctuation

Question 3

Give a criticism of Robin Lakoff’s findings

Answer 3

Lakoff’s work was based on no numerical research, but on opinion and her own ‘findings’

Question 4

Explain Zimmerman and West’s theory on gender and language, and in what year did they hypothesise?

Answer 4

Zimmerman and West, 1975, looked at the frequency of interruptions in conversations between men and women. Men interrupted in 46 times and women 2, over 11 different conversations. They suggest this shows men trying to dominate in conversation.

Question 5

Give a criticism of Zimmerman and West’s theory, suggested by another linguist…

Answer 5

Geoffrey Beattie, said that the interruption measurements could of been skewed by a particularly disruptive group of males in the trial, and that interruption doesn’t necessarily mean dominance.

Question 6

Explain Deborah Tannen’s theory on gender and language, and in what year did she hypothesise?

Answer 6

Tannen, 1990, represents male and female language in six contrasting principles, these are:

• Status vs. Support
• Information vs. Feelings
• Advice vs. Understanding
• Orders vs. Proposals
• Independence vs. Intimacy
• Conflict vs. Compromise

MEN - Report
WOMEN - Rapport

Question 7

Explain both of Pamela Fishman’s theories on gender and language (entitled THE WORK WOMEN DO and CONVERSATIONAL INSECURITY) - and in what year did she hypothesise these?

Answer 7

THE WORK WOMEN DO - 1983

• Conversations between the sexes often fail, not because there are any inherent differences, but because of how men respond or don’t respond.

CONVERSATIONAL INSECURITY - 1990

• A challenge on Lakoff’s view that women ask questions to show insecurity. Fishman argues rather it shows POWER.