Gender Glossary

Question 1

Covert prestige

Answer 1

Status and prestige gained from using a non-standard variety of English

Question 2

Gender

Answer 2

Behavioural characteristics brought about by a socialisation process and cultural influences

Question 3

Gender exclusive language

Answer 3

When the male pronoun is applied to an unspecified individual (e.g “If anyone would like to apply, he may do so inside”)

Question 4

Gender inclusive language

Answer 4

When both male and female pronouns are used to refer to an unspecified individual (e.g. “If anyone would like to apply, he or she may do so inside”)

Question 5

Genderlect

Answer 5

The particular language used by men and women according to their gender

Question 6

Gender neutral terms

Answer 6

Words or phrases that avoid bias towards a particular gender (e.g. one, they and them, xer)

Question 7

Gender paradox

Answer 7

The phenomenon that women use more prestigious standard forms of English than men but that they also lead language change by adopting new forms of everyday English

Question 8

Hegemonic masculinity

Answer 8

Behaviours and language associated with the idealised male group that is seen as having the most power and status in society

Question 9

To hold the conversational floor

Answer 9

To speak until the speaker is either finished with what they have to say or are interrupted

Question 10

Hypercorrection

Answer 10

The use of higher status variants in formal styles by lower status groups in a linguistic community, more frequently than the higher status groups

Question 11

Lexical asymmetry

Answer 11

A power imbalance between two apparently matched terms e.g. bachelor vs spinster

Question 12

Linguistic determinism

Answer 12

Representations of gender create stereotypes

Question 13

Linguistic reflectionism

Answer 13

Representations of gender reflect stereotypes

Question 14

Marked term

Answer 14

The non-standard form of a term, often shown by an additional suffix (e.g. priest > priestess)

Question 15

Material verb process

Answer 15

Verbs associated with actions and doing

Question 16

Mental verb process

Answer 16

Verbs associated with thinking and feeling or perception

Question 17

Overt marking

Answer 17

Marking a word through a modifier or affix (e.g. Lady doctor, male nurse)

Question 18

Overt prestige

Answer 18

Status and prestige gained by speakers using the “standard” or “correct” way of speaking

Question 19

Performativity

Answer 19

The ability to use speech and other methods of communication to construct or perform an identity

Question 20

Reclamation

Answer 20

The cultural process of removing negative associations with a particular term that has been used by a dominant group against a specific, less powerful group

Question 21

Sex

Answer 21

The biological difference between men and women

Question 22

Social constructivism

Answer 22

When importance is placed on social interaction as constructing identity and people coming together to form a shared construction of the world

Question 23

Unmarked term

Answer 23

The regular or usual form of the term

Question 24

Uptalk

Answer 24

Where declarative statements end in a raising intonation

Question 25

Vocalfry

Answer 25

A vocal effect produced by slow vibration of the vocal chords: characterised by a creaking sound and low pitch

Question 26

Valley girl

Answer 26

The colloquial dialect associated with Californian English, specifically the stereotype of adolescent or younger women who use this