Language and Gender

Question 1

Whats a Larynx?

Answer 1

The part of speech that determines pitch

Question 2

Whats biologically different between men and women in pitch?

Answer 2

Men have larger larynx = lower pitch

Women have smaller larynx = higher pitch

Question 3

What are linguistic advantages for women?

Answer 3

Less likely to stutter
Less likely to acquire aphasias (speech disorders)
Less likely to have reading disabilities

Question 4

Difference between the way women and men use variants in society:

Answer 4

• Women prefer more socially favoured variants
• Men often use socially disfavoured variants.

(remember Trudgill with the [-n] verb ending.

Question 5

Why do women use social standard forms more than men?

Answer 5

• The position of women in UK and American societies makes it more necessary for them to secure social status linguistically.
• Women are usually rated socially on how they appear, so speech is more important for them.

Question 6

Politeness mechanisms:

Answer 6

• Minimal responses (mhmm)
• Turn-taking
• Interruptions
• Hedging

Question 7

Sexuality and gender linked:

Answer 7

Language is used amongst different groups of sexualities:

• To indicate membership
• To create differences from other groups
• To show an identity often hard fought for

Question 8

Examples of change from above?

Answer 8

The adoption of the post-vocalic /r/ in NYC, dropping it was the norm until the change was made from above.

Question 9

Examples of change from below?

Answer 9

Vowel fronting in speakers in Philadelphia.

Question 10

What is the European Feudal System:

Answer 10

• Where land owners gained social prestige

Question 11

Minimal responses:

Answer 11

Very brief, supportive comments from the receiver of an interaction.

Question 12

Gender stratification:

Answer 12

Where there is a patriarchy in society in which women and men are unequal in regards to social wealth, power and privilege.

Question 13

What does it mean for men to “lead the way” ?

Answer 13

Historically, women have conformed to the language changes that are made by men.

Question 14

Labov’s principles on Gender

Answer 14

• Principle l: in sociolinguistic stratification, men use more nonstandard forms than women.
• Princple la: In change from above, women favour the incoming prestige.
  Principle ll: In change from below, women are most often innovators.

Question 15

Zimmerman and West of minimal responses:

Answer 15

For men, minimal responses are an act of agreement, rather than active participation.

Question 16

Zimmerman and West on interrupting

Answer 16

On a case study they found that men interrupted 46 times whereas a woman only interrupted twice.

Question 17

Holmes on language and gender:

Answer 17

Women use more standard speech forms than men because they are more aware of the fact that their language signals their social class or social status.