Language and Gender! Your views?

[Thalui89]

Hi all,

I've made this post to try and discuss how gender affects peoples use of language. In around 4 weeks time i'll be sitting an exam in this subject. Although i know a large portion of the topic i need to learn, i am interested in other peoples views about the subject. This will enable me to write about the views of others AND my own views in the exam.

So heres the question: Do you think Gender influences peoples use of language? If so, discuss.

I'd appreciate some healthy discussion ^_^

Thanks,

Thalui =P



<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Thalui89 on 2007-04-19 15:17 ]</font>

[Polly]

I don't think it's entirely gender-based. There may be a bit of that in there, but I don't really see gender being a huge part of it at all. I see it as more of an environmental thing. Your parents, where you grow up, your firends and their habits.

[Solstis]

How can you take an exam on gender?

Children's media pretty much defines gender these days. Girls! Play with dolls! Be emphatic! Boys! Desensitize yourself to be strong!

[astuarlen]

It's an interesting topic and quite a broad one. And my views on your topic are somewhat dependent on whether you're using gender in its particular sense or as a substitute for sex. But, anyhoot, I'll sum up my views for you:

Men, women, boys, and girls all use language.

I've read and heard a bunch of crap-science and anectodal "evidence" on the subject, but I have yet to see any rigorous experiments or studies which reveal significant evidence of a gender or sex difference in human language usage patterns. If there are inherent differences between men and women, I will bet big beans they're dwarfed by variation between individuals in general. Feel free to point me towards solid scientific studies to the contrary (really, I'm soliciting the infos, 'cause language is a minor interest of mine).
If anyone is interested in reading some linguists' opinions of a particularly infamous book claiming cognitively based male-female differences in language, search www.languagelog.org for posts including the word "Brizendine".

Good luck with your exam, dude. :3



<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: astuarlen on 2007-04-19 19:52 ]</font>

[concussionman]

I have noticed that some language, especially profanity, can lean one way or the other. Women in my age group (17-21) use profanity, that is more specific to their gender (b*tch, who*re, etc....), where males in the same age group use profanity that relates more to males.

Although alot of language is dependent upon the individual, it can be influenced by the group that they are exposed to. ie. Newfoundlanders have the unique ability to make you speak like them after you've been around them for a while. (Lard tunderin' jesus buy)

Good luck with your exam.

[BlueDagger]

On 2007-04-19 17:48, Solstis wrote:
How can you take an exam on gender?

Children's media pretty much defines gender these days. Girls! Play with dolls! Be emphatic! Boys! Desensitize yourself to be strong!



*gasp* Its all part of the governments evil plot to rid the world of homosexuality!

[Thalui89]

How can i take an exam on Gender?

Well its simple really, in order to understand ones language more effectively it is essential to know aspects that make up our language such as Gender, for instance Males use language more aggressively (they are more likely to interpret the speaker in a conversation etc).

keep debating! ^_^ every little helps http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_razz.gif

[Solstis]

On 2007-04-19 22:29, BlueDagger wrote:

On 2007-04-19 17:48, Solstis wrote:
How can you take an exam on gender?

Children's media pretty much defines gender these days. Girls! Play with dolls! Be emphatic! Boys! Desensitize yourself to be strong!



*gasp* Its all part of the governments evil plot to rid the world of homosexuality!



Huh? I was talking about gender, not sexuality.
...

I meant that it seems odd to take an exam on something that is being analyzed theoretically. It's like taking an exam on metaphysics, because philosophy majors/instructors are trying to legitimize their field with science. People discussing theory should write papers. Papers are discussion of a subject, an exam supposes some concrete knowledge of gender (there's a lot of studies, and still a lot of things not covered/contradicted).

Oh shoot, it's a written exam. D'oh! http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_razz.gif


<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Solstis on 2007-04-20 14:12 ]</font>

[Blitzkommando]

Well now it sounds more like behavioral patterns during speaking rather than the language itself. That's an entirely different question from my standing because it's not a question of language but the way one acts while communicating.

Men tend to not look each other in the eye while speaking and instead are more often looking around and not necessarily at the person with which they are speaking. Women on the other hand, based on my observations, are more comfortable of looking at each other while both speaking and listening. Also from my experience, women tend to use more hand jestures than men, but both are prone to hand jestures the further south you go. Men also tend to change subjects rather dramatically and without warning only to change back to the original right where it was left off. Women on the other hand tend to gradually change subjects. Obviously, none of what I've mentioned is scientific but simple observations that I've seen in my own experiences.

[Thalui89]

http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif nice stuff norvekh. Thats pretty similar to what were learning so discussion like that is really quite intereesting (atleast to me, but am an English nerd XP)