Deficit model

Question 1

Describe the deficit model

Answer 1

Men’s speech is the standard that all language is measured by
Women’s speech falls short and weak

Question 2

Which studies support the deficit model?

Answer 2

-Jesperson 1922
-Lakoff 1975

Question 3

Describe what Jespersen wrote in 1922.

Answer 3

-his views on the differences between language in gender

-stated female activities demand no deep thought

-women link sentences with and because they are emotional, not grammatical
-women use half-finished sentences because they do not think before they speak

Question 4

How was Jespersen’s writing criticised and what is it now considered as?

Answer 4

-His work was criticized in the feminist movement in the ’60s however his writings reflect the language used in his time

-It’s now considered as a folk linguistic as many of his points are flawed and based off unreliable evidence rather than reliable research

Question 5

Describe Lakoff’s study in 1975

Answer 5

-looked at American, white, middle-class, educated women.
-She thinks women’s language falls short when compared to men

Question 6

What were Lakoff’s results?

Answer 6

-They apologize more (I’m sorry but i think that)
-Use indirect commands (its cold in here, not please close the window)
-Use more intensifiers (im SO glad you came)

Women’s language is holding them back from being properly respected and is causing them to be inferior to men

Question 7

How could we criticise lakoff’s study?

Answer 7

She used a limited sample therefore we cannot generalize the results to all women as it may not be representative

Lakoff claimed that findings were based on her own intuition not empirical evidence

Question 8

What did Lakoff suggest would be the reasoning for this difference in language between genders?

Answer 8

-Genders using different language wasn’t biological but instead was because boys and girls were brought up to socialize differently when young which affects the difference in language they use now

Question 9

Give 2 limitations of Lakoffs reasoning for the difference in language between genders

Answer 9

-explanatory bias, biological sex doesnt mean you’ll definitely speak a certain way and not all women speak the same

-methodological design- based on her intuition rather than quantitative research

Question 10

Explain the difference between Lakoff’s and jepersons study

Answer 10

Jepersons- womens language is deficient relative to the male norm

lakoff- Women’s language is holding them back from being properly respected and is causing them to be inferior to men