Gender Theory Flashcards
Robyn Lakoff 1975
Under the defect model he stated that:
Women are inherently weaker in language than men
Assumption of non-equivalents
Context changes all the time ie outdated
Published a set of ASSUMPTIONS
Spender
States than male language is better and is the norm because we live in a patriarchal society where men are seen as in charge
Reflects the hang ups of a very patriarchal rule
Links to mont gomery and male privilege
Jane Pikington 1992
Stated that women in sake sex talk are more collaborative than men in male talk
Aim for more positive politeness strategies but men are less complimentary and supportive in male talk
Kenradd Kuiper 1991
Men are less likely to pay attention to the need to save positive face and use insults as a was of expressing solidarity
High masculine performance- toxic
Taps more into inherent ideology of men insulting more + gender performativity
Limited data
Howard Giles- Accommodation theory
Convergence: closer to context- change lang to fit in
Divergence: identity- move lang further away
Beattie
Studied 96 hours of mixed gender conversation
Finds LITTLE difference
Included a much wider social spectrum= more merit
Jenny Cheshire
Studied language in a group of boys in a playground context ie socialisation
Boys used non-standard forms more often than girls
Suggests boys are more competitive social networks
Deborah Jones 1990
Studied woman’s oral culture and categorises them in these ways:
House talk
Scandal
Bitching
Chatting
An assumption only women do this
Tanner- difference theory
Examined difference in cross cultural communication
Independence vs intimacy Advice vs understanding Status vs support Info vs feelings Orders vs proposals Conflict vs compromise
Nutshell: men and women are socialised differently
Some MERIT: context of production and reception
Janet Holmes 1992
Suggests tag questions may not suggests uncertainty, but may maintain a discussion to be polite
‘Hedges’ and ‘fillers’ may act as a politeness boosting device
Mint Gomery
“The english language is systematically skewed to present women as 2nd class citizens”
ie lang privileges men- not a one fit all system
Mulvey- male gaze
Women are over sexualised objects of male desire
Lakoff’s politeness principle
Rules that should be used in conversations to ensure it is cooperative and successful
Don’t impose
Make receiver feel good
Give opinions
*positive face
Zimmerman and West- dominance theory
Upon a study of mixed gender interactions, 96% of interruptions were men and 4% were women (weaker gender)
LIMITED data set Just focuses on white middle class men
11 small segments of convo
Fish man- defect model
Stated that men speak twice and much as women in mixed sex conversation
“Conversational shitwork” ie women work hardest to maintain convo- feel pressure
Inherent socialisation
Men will break positive face and politeness rule
Some MERIT
