Media: Gender - Theorists

Question 1

Deborah Cameron

Answer 1

Diversity Model: Any contrasts between each gender are due to dominant societal expectations. EG. Way in which women and men think they are supposed to speak is called ‘Verbal Hygiene’

Question 2

Dale Spender

Answer 2

Argued that social world is described using language biased against women. She says how men are the ones who have made the rules of language and that’s why we have terms such as ‘Mankind’

Question 3

Dale Spender 2

Answer 3

Language changes with perception of the world

Question 4

O’barr and Atkins

Answer 4

Features of ‘uncertain speech’ aren’t based on gender but power relations.

Question 5

Robin Lakoff

Answer 5

Women deploy a distinct ‘Woman’s speech’ using:
- Hedges, empty adjectives, super-polite forms, tag questions, indirect requests, apologising more, speak in italics, hyper-correct grammar and speak less frequently

Question 6

Zimmerman and West

Answer 6

Men interrupt more, proved through investigation see notes

Question 7

Zimmerman and West

Answer 7

Dominance theory: ‘women have an inferior position in social society and that men dominate women’. And that men deny equal status as women in conversation, feeling a need to lead

Question 8

Paul Baker

Answer 8

Found that over time found there had been a reduction in amount of male-orientated terms but a steady number of female marked terms being used to put women down. Eg ‘girl’ in contrast to ‘boy’

Question 9

Jennifer Coates

Answer 9

Theory that a woman’s language was more supportive and thus women use hedges in order to express epistemically modality in an attempt to respect face needs

Question 10

Jennifer Coates

Answer 10

When men introduce topic accepted but when women usually rejected. Male topics usually typical: politics, sport etc.

Question 11

Deborah tannen

Answer 11

Difference Theory - Difference starts in childhood where parent use more words about feelings to girls and used more verbs to boys.

Question 12

Deborah Tannen - Status v Support

Answer 12

Men grow up in a world where conversation is competitive and strive to ensure they dominate the conversation but women use it to gain support

Question 13

Deborah Tannen - Independant v Intimacy

Answer 13

Claims men are more focused with status therefore they focus more on independence. Whereas women think in terms of intimacy seeking support and closeness to find a connection

Question 14

Deborah Tannen - Advice v Understanding

Answer 14

Men like to find solutions whereas women like to give understanding and support

Question 15

Deborah Tannen - Information v Feelings

Answer 15

Men communicate and exchange information quick and effectively however women will spend hours talking about feelings and emotions

Question 16

Orders v Proposals

Answer 16

Men make orders using direct imperatives whilst women suggest things in more indirect ways

Question 17

Conflict v Compromise

Answer 17

Men are more likely to voice their opposition to a suggestion in the workplace or home and women are less likely to object and assert themselves