Chapter 7
Vive La Difference?
Gender Role Stereotyping….
More Gender Stereotyping….
Homework
Watch for examples of gender variation
Bring some stories to class ‘tomorrow’
Women gossip more than men
Whaddya Think?
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Gender is not a pool of attributes
possessed by a person, but
something a person does ~paraphrased from
Wardhaugh 1990
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What does this mean?
How does it relate to what our text says?
Whaddya Think?
Women are more statusconscious than men
Gender in Early Studies
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Arawak Tribe
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Trudgil’s conclusions (status-consciousness)
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1665 – Reported M&W: distinct language
Refuted in 1922 by Jesperson
Section 7.3
Moral – Beware bias in research
Sex Exclusive Forms
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Mandatory Grammatical Distinction
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Vocabulary
Verb forms
Phonology
Pronouns

(Arawak:
(Koasati:
(Xhosa:
(Japanese:
West Indies)
Native American)
South African)
…….. Japan )
Also verb forms & some vocabulary
In Other Languages

Relationships indicated in word choice

Japanese, for example:
“I”
Super Formal
Formal
Normal
To subordinate
Men
watakushi
watashi
boku
ore
Women
watakushi
watakushi
watashi
xxx
Which of the following is false?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Gender most often affects language choice
indirectly
Gendered language often both reflects &
reinforces distinctions
Gender defines how we can expect an
individual to respond in any given situation
Much attention in gendered language study is
paid to who tends to dominate conversation
None of the above (they are all true)
Whaddya Think?
The Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis is relevant
to language & gender studies
Which of the following affects how
likely one is to use a vernacular?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Working Class
Masculinity
Local Community Identity
Social Network
All of the above
Female // Male Differences
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Amount of Talk
Interruptions
Hypercorrection
Conversational Support
Tentativeness
Compliments
How do these features relate to “Power”?
Language & gender
differences are the result of:
Bio-genetic
make-up
A mix
of both
Culture
Hierarchical Relations
Inherent
Cultural
What should // can be done about inequity?
(gender, race, socio-economic, etc)
Same Coin?
Cultural
Differences
Deficit
Model
¢
¢
Relative
Power
Oppressiveness
Model
Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis applicable here…?
- cf. Coates…
Whaddya Think?
Women are more statusconscious than men
Tag questions

Uncertainty

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I’m not happy, got it?!?
Facilitative
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I told you read the chapter, didn’t I?
Challenging

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(M>F)
You’ve been to Spain, haven’t you?
Softening

That wasn’t too bright, was it?
(F>M)
Negotiating Meaning
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“… the functions or meanings of any
utterance (are) highly fluid and context
dependant.”
“Meanings are not simply ‘in the
language’ but are negotiated between
speakers.”
Gender By Choice
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School kids
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Girls: “We’re boys!”
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Bid for selection
Could boys do the same?
Teacher’s response…
p. 239
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Moral(s) of the story?
Which of the following is not
indicative of ‘gay language’ ?
A. Prosodic qualities
B. Code words
C. Double meanings
D. Structural features
E. All of the above are
indicative of ‘gay language’
Doing Gender
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Varying meanings
Meanings shift on retroflection
‘Boy’ & ‘Girl’ may not be parallel terms
Gender borders are blurred
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are not secure…
Gender is experienced:
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by different people
in different ways
Hierarchical Masculinities
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“… are those forms of masculinity able
to marginalize and dominate not only
women but also other men, on the
grounds of, say, class, race and/or
sexuality.”
Whaddya think of the definition?

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Value of this definition?
Implications of overt bias?
Research Indications

Limited value in Social Category study

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Explore relations instead
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Class, Race, Sex
Between men & women
‘Types’ of men & women
Situationally based
Whaddya think?

Difficulty, Value, & Danger…
Any Thoughts/Questions…
…before we move on?
IText

Electronic Communication
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(Information Technology Text)
Everyday types…?
Versus F2F (face to face)
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Similarities
Differences
Gender relevant issues
IText: Your Experience

Level of expertise with electronic talk?
Types of electronic talk they use?
Norms of Interaction & Interpretation?
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Identity Online
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Identity switching?
Gender manipulation?
(self &/or others)
IText: Homework

Ask a friend (or 5 friends…)

Level of expertise with electronic talk?
Types of electronic talk they use?
Norms of Interaction & Interpretation?

Identity Online

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Identity switching?
Gender manipulation?
(self &/or others)
Whaddya Think…
“More often than not… women’s ideas
(online) are simply met by silence from
men and women alike…”
Whaddya Think…
“More often than not… women’s ideas
(F2F) are simply met by silence from
men and women alike…”
Research Says…

Cyber-masculinity

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Men ‘talk’ more
Take authoritative stance
Ignore or demean women’s thoughts
Harass or intimidate women
For Women-Only

Listservs & bulletin boards

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Construct oppositional gender
Supportive
Collaborative
Politeness & respect
“…explicitly reinforced by participants”
Whaddya Think…
Women-Only listservs and discussion
groups exhibit more politeness and
respect because of:
Bio-genetic
make-up
A mix
of both
Culture
Value, Difficulty, Danger?

Variationist vs. Interactional

Impartiality vs. Declared Interests
Ponderable
If women’s speech is supportive,
collaborative, polite & respectful, why
is male speech dominant in today’s
‘kinder, gentler’ society…?
Coming Soon
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(in this order…)
Chapter 5: Codeswitching
Chapter 9: Pidgins & Creoles
Chapter 11: Language & Education
If time permits further study,
we will come back to Chapter 10…
IText: Homework

Ask a friend (or 5 friends…)

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Level of expertise with electronic talk?
Types of electronic talk they use?
Multiple identities?

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Simultaneous identity switching?
Gender manipulation?
Norms of Interaction & Interpretation?