language and gender

Question 1

briefly describe the deficit model

Answer 1

-men’s speech is the standard that all language is measured by
- women’s speech falls short and is weak

Question 2

briefly describe the dominance theory

Answer 2

men have traditionally more power in society and women have been used to subservient

Question 3

briefly describe the difference theory

Answer 3

these are differences between men and women’s speech but neither are superior nor inferior

Question 4

briefly describe the diversity model

Answer 4

• gender is one of many factors that influence language
  -there may be more differences between how two women speak compared to how a man and women speak

Question 5

what was Robin Lakoff’s argument regarding the deficit model

Answer 5

• Lakoff argued that women’s language use reflected their comparative lack of status compared to men

Question 6

lakoff claimed that women…

Answer 6

• speak less than men
• use more polite forms
• apologise more
• hedge
• diminitives
• use tag questions

Question 7

what are diminitives

Answer 7

words that create meaning of small/little
eg: cutie, sweetie

Question 8

what are tag questions

Answer 8

when a statement gets turned into a question
eg: its hot today, isnt it?

Question 9

describe the dominance model

Answer 9

• female is seen as subordinate group
• female speech is a reesult of male supremacy/patriarchy
• in mixed sex convos men are most likely to interrupt

Question 10

the dominant model focuses on how men are more dominant in speech through…

Answer 10

• speaking more
• inyerrupting
• holidng the floor
• initiating and shifting topics

Question 11

describe the study done by Zimmerman and West regarding the dominance theory

Answer 11

• recorded small sample of conversation
• found that in 11 conversations between men and women, men used 46 interruptions whereas women only 2
• conclude that since men interrupt more, they are dominating or attempting to do so

Question 12

who came up with the difference model?

Answer 12

deborah tannen

Question 13

describe the difference model

Answer 13

• acknowledges that men and women use language in specific ways, this is becaused they are socialised differently
  –> men and women are socialised differently = difference model
• language differences are because men are have more power, but because men and women want different things out of the conversation

Question 14

who came up with the six contrasts?

Answer 14

deborah tannen

Question 15

what are the six differences discussed by Tannen

Answer 15

1 independence vs intimacy
2 advice vs understanding
3 status vs support
4 orders vs proposals
5 conflict vs compromise
6 information vs feelings

Question 16

describe independence vs intamacy

Answer 16

• women want closenes and support
• men (concerned with status) focus on independence

Question 17

describe advice vs understanding

Answer 17

• for men, a complaint is a demand for a solution
• women see it as a request for sympathy

Question 18

describe status vs support

Answer 18

• men grow in a world where convo is competitive –> they seek to achieve upperhand
• for women, convo is a way to gain support for ideas

Question 19

describe orders vs proposals

Answer 19

• women phrase things as questions
  eg: ‘‘why dont we…’’
• men more likely to use a direct imperative

Question 20

conflict vs compromise

Answer 20

• women will prevent fighting by saying they agree with something even if they do not
• however, this can lead to resentment and issues further down the line

Question 21

information vs feelings

Answer 21

• men communicate facts and information rather than ‘filler’
• women are more overt about how they feel

Question 22

describe Tannen’s report vs raport

Answer 22

• suggested that mens talk can be categorised as report whilst women’s is raport

Question 23

define sociolect

Answer 23

variation in language use associated with membership of a particular social group

Question 24

define lavender language

Answer 24

the special dialect and language of the gay community

Question 25

define intersectionality

Answer 25

all variabales are impactful