Variation by Gender

Question 1

How does gender differ from sex linguistically?

Answer 1

Sex is biological, only influencing pitch

Ling differences are mediated through social factors, not biological

Question 2

What kind of difference is their between genders?

Answer 2

Statistical: features are used by both in different proportions

Question 3

What is the main difference between genders?

Answer 3

In stable variables, women use more standard forms than men of the same age and class

Question 4

Explain women as innovators

Answer 4

Women use more incoming variants, below the level of conscious awareness
These appear first in the vernacular

Question 5

How is gender related to class?

Answer 5

Women’s role as innovators are introduced by ‘interior groups’
central on the social hierarchy - UWC and LWC

Question 6

Give an example of an experiment proving women as innovators

Answer 6

Chamber and Hardwick

development of fronting led by women in Toronto and Vancouver