gender theorists

Question 1

what is Zimmerman and West’s (1975) theory?

Answer 1

in mixed conversations, men try to dominate and interrupt
men interrupt women 96-100% of the time

Question 2

what is Lakoff’s (1975) theory?

Answer 2

claims females are inferior in speech
hedge - phrases such as ‘sort of’
super polite
tag questions
empty adjectives
apologies more
lack sense of humour
indirect request
speak less frequently
declarative statements

Question 3

what is Eakins (1976) theory?

Answer 3

conducted a study of ‘verbal turn-taking’ by faculty members in a meeting focused on gender and interruptions
found the chairman was interrupted least of all and women interrupted the most and men also had more time to talk

Question 4

what is Fishman’s (1980) theory?

Answer 4

women use three times more tags to keep a conversation going

Question 5

what is Miller and Swifts (1980) theory?

Answer 5

women are often presented in the press described by age and elements of physical appearance whereas men are described based on success

Question 6

what is Tannen’s (1990) theory?

Answer 6

men and women come from two different ‘cultures’ and grow up with different ideas
status vs support
independence vs intimacy
advice vs understanding
information vs feelings
orders vs proposals

Question 7

what is Butler’s (1990) theory?

Answer 7

‘gender trouble’
believes gender is often ‘performative’

Question 8

what is Blake’s (2006) theory?

Answer 8

women swear twice as much in a single-sex conversation

Question 9

what is Cameron’s (2008) theory?

Answer 9

language is ‘genderless’, seeing it as a conscious choice and as something we ‘do’