Gendered Verbal
Communication
Chapter 5
Expresses Cultural
Views of Gender
Language is most complex
symbol system
Language reflects and reinforces
cultural views and values
Male Generic
Language
Male generic language erases
women
Research shows generic language
leads many to assume only males
included
Male Generic
Language
Evidence male language not
perceived as generic
Major dictionaries and
newspapers now avoid it
Writing manuals caution against
its use
Male Generic
Language
For tips on how to use inclusive
language:
◦ http://www.marquette.edu/wac/
neutral/NeutralInclusiveLanguag
e.shtml
Male Generic
Language
Discourage spotlighting
◦ Highlighting a person’s sex
Lady doctor
Language Defines
Men & Women
Differently
Women defined by appearance or
relationship with others
Men defined by activities or
positions
Language Defines
Men & Women
Differently
Coverage of women’s sports
◦ Focuses more on women’s
appearance than skill
Coverage of rape or abuse
◦ Irrelevant descriptions of
victims
Language Defines
Men & Women
Differently
Language reflects social views of
women as passive and men as
active in terms of sexual activity
◦ Men expected to initiate
Language makes that seem
acceptable
Language Defines
Men & Women
Differently
Language reflects view women
defined by relationship with others
◦ News includes personal
information about women
◦ On TV, women depicted in
interpersonal contexts
Language Defines
Men & Women
Differently
In past, American unmarried
women called spinsters or old
maids
In Mexico – me vale madre
In Japan - leftover, underdog,
parasite single
Language Defines
Men & Women
Differently
Alternatives to traditional ways of
naming ourselves:
◦ Some women choose to retain
birth name when marry
◦ Some men and women adopt
hyphenated names
Language Defines
Men & Women
Differently
Alternatives to traditional ways of
naming ourselves:
◦ Some countries use both
mother’s and father’s family
names
Language Defines
Men & Women
Differently
Alternatives to traditional ways of
naming ourselves:
◦ Renaming to reflect matriarchal
lineage
Still reflects male lineage –
mother’s father
Language Shapes
Awareness
Naming is important
Previously sexual harassment not
named
◦ Not visible, making difficult to
stop
◦ When coined public recognized
as unwanted behavior
Language Shapes
Awareness
Women raped on date had no
way of naming
◦ Now, with date rape, women
have language to deal with
violation
Language Shapes
Awareness
Language not static
Change language to change
understandings
◦ We reject terms
◦ We create new ones
As modify language, we change
our world
Language Organizes
Perceptions
Stereotype is generalization
about entire class of phenomena
Relying on stereotypes lead us to
overlook important qualities of
people
Language Organizes
Perceptions
Women:
emotional and
weak
Men: rational
and strong
Language Organizes
Perceptions
Women who use assertive speech
described as rude
Men who employ emotional
language described as wimps
Language Organizes
Perceptions
English language encourages
polarized thinking
◦ Conceiving of things as absolute
opposites
Queer performative theory
challenges polarized language
Language Evaluates
Gender
Language reflects cultural values
Powerful influence on perceptions
Language Evaluates
Gender
Language devalues females by
trivializing women:
◦ Immature, juvenile
◦ Equate with food, animals
◦ Diminutive suffixes
Language Evaluates
Gender
Language devalues females by
trivializing women:
◦ Calling women girls
◦ Sexually active called
derogatory names
Language Allows
Self-Reflection
Name and evaluate ourselves
Reflect on ourselves from
society’s perspective
◦ Live in a celebrity culture
Tempting to compare ourselves
Language Allows
Self-Reflection
Alternative to sex-typing is
androgyny
Androgynous people possess
masculine and feminine qualities
Language Allows
Self-Reflection
Androgynous people:
◦ Communicate in range of ways
– flexible
◦ Higher self-esteem – better
adjusted
◦ More effective in workplace
◦ Happier marriages
Gendered Styles of
Verbal Comm.
Language - primary means to
express gendered identities
Gendered styles, not sex-based
styles
Some perform genders other than
two conventionally recognized
Gendered Speech
Communities
Langer – culture possible only to
extent people share symbol
system
Consistent with symbolic
interactionist and cultural
theories
Gendered Speech
Communities
Labov – speech community =
group of people who share
communication norms
Less apparent when use language
in different ways
Gendered Speech
Communities
Males and females socialized into
different speech communities
Discussing general differences
and not absolute ones
The Lessons of
Children’s Play
Sex-segregated
groups remain
norm for
children in U.S.
The Lessons of
Children’s Play
Children as young as 2-3 show
preference for same-sex
playmates
The Lessons of
Children’s Play
Boys’ games:
◦ Large groups
◦ Competitive
◦ Clear goals
◦ Rough play
◦ Organized by rules and roles
The Lessons of
Children’s Play
Boys’ communication rules:
◦ Use communication to assert
ideas
◦ Use talk to achieve something
◦ Use communication to attract
attention
◦ Use communication to compete
for talk stage
The Lessons of
Children’s Play
Girls’ games:
◦ Pairs or small groups
◦ No preset goals and roles
◦ Not highly structured
◦ Spend more time talking
The Lessons of
Children’s Play
Girls’ communication rules:
◦ Use communication to create
relationships
◦ Use communication to establish
egalitarian relationships
The Lessons of
Children’s Play
Girls’ communication rules:
◦ Use communication to include
others
◦ Use communication to show
sensitivity
The Lessons of
Children’s Play
Girls engage in more cooperative
play
Boys engage in more instrumental
and competitive play
Communication rules for men and
women versions of those learned
in childhood
Feminine Speech
People socialized in feminine
speech communities use
language to foster connections
Establishing equality important
◦ Match experiences for
symmetry
◦ Interactive pattern
Feminine Speech
Support for others
◦ Express emotion
◦ Attention to relationship level
◦ Intensive adverbs
◦ Questions probe for
understanding
Feminine Speech
Conversational maintenance work
◦ Efforts to sustain conversation
◦ Maintains interaction
◦ Opens door to others
Feminine Speech
Responsiveness
◦ Eye contact, nod, tell me more
◦ Affirms other person
Encourages elaboration
Feminine Speech
Personal, concrete style
◦ Details
◦ Personal disclosures
◦ Anecdotes
◦ Concrete reasoning
◦ Cultivate personal tone
Feminine Speech
Tentativeness
◦ Verbal hedges
◦ Qualify statements
◦ Tag questions
Seen as representing
powerlessness
However, reflect desire to keep
conversation open
Masculine Speech
Masculine speech communities
regard talk as way to:
◦ Accomplish concrete goals
◦ Exert control
◦ Preserve independence
◦ Entertain
◦ Enhance status
Masculine Speech
Effort to establish status and
control
◦ Asserting ideas and authority
◦ Telling jokes
◦ Challenging others
◦ More I-references
◦ Avoid disclosing information
◦ Give advice
Masculine Speech
Instrumentality
◦ Problem-solving efforts
Women feel men don’t care
about feelings
Men think supporting woman
by suggesting solution
Masculine Speech
Conversational command
◦ Talk more often – greater length
◦ Reroute conversations
◦ Interrupt more frequently
Masculine Speech
Direct and assertive
◦ More forceful and authoritative
◦ Tentative forms used less
frequently
Masculine Speech
More abstract
◦ General terms
◦ Distanced from personal feelings
Masculine Speech
Less emotionally responsive
◦ Minimal response cues
May be perceived as lack of
involvement
◦ Lack of self-disclosure,
expressed sympathy
May be seen as vulnerable
Gender-Based
Misinterpretations
Showing support
Troubles talk
Gender-Based
Misinterpretations
The point of the story
Relationship talk
Public speaking
Gender-Based
Misinterpretations
Many can improve relationships
by understanding and using both
feminine and masculine
communication styles
Less likely to misread motives
Gender-Based
Misinterpretations
Become more gratifying
conversational partners
Enhance quality of relationships
