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Chapter Five: Gendered Verbal Communication
Copyright © 2005 Wadsworth
Chapter Five:Chapter Five:
Gendered Verbal CommunicationGendered Verbal Communication
gendered lives
““The tongue has the power of The tongue has the power of life and death.”life and death.”
~ Proverbs 18.21~ Proverbs 18.21
Copyright © 2004 Wadsworth
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Chapter Five: Gendered Verbal Communication
Copyright © 2005 Wadsworth
Verbal Communication - Verbal Communication - Cultural Views of GenderCultural Views of Gender
• Communication is Symbolic Behavior
• Not All Symbols are Linguistic
• Symbols Allow Us to Define, Organize,
and Evaluate Phenomena
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Chapter Five: Gendered Verbal Communication
Copyright © 2005 Wadsworth
Language Defines GenderLanguage Defines Gender• Male Generic Language Excludes Women
Businessmen, Chairmen, Mankind “Generic” He
• Language Defines Women and Men Differently
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Chapter Five: Gendered Verbal Communication
Copyright © 2005 Wadsworth
Language Defines GenderLanguage Defines Gender
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Chapter Five: Gendered Verbal Communication
Copyright © 2005 Wadsworth
SpotlightingSpotlighting
• Highlighting the Sex of a Person
Sandra Day O’Connor is an outstanding
lady judge.
He plans to be a male kindergarten teacher.
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Chapter Five: Gendered Verbal Communication
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Chapter Five: Gendered Verbal Communication
Copyright © 2005 Wadsworth
Language Reinforces Language Reinforces Cultural StereotypesCultural Stereotypes• Women Defined by Appearance or
Relationships Miss or Mrs. Designates Marital Status
Prevalent Tradition is that a Wife
Adopts Husband’s Name
• Men Defined by Activities,
Accomplishments or Positions
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Chapter Five: Gendered Verbal Communication
Copyright © 2005 Wadsworth
Language Names What ExistsLanguage Names What Exists
We Notice what We Name
• Sexual Harassment Once Named,
Got Attention
• Date Rape Similar
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Chapter Five: Gendered Verbal Communication
Copyright © 2005 Wadsworth
Language Organizes Language Organizes Perceptions of GenderPerceptions of Gender
• Stereotyping is a Broad Generalization
• Polarized Thinking Involves Conceiving of
Things as Opposites
Language and Gender Resources
http://www.linguistics.ucsb.edu/faculty/bucholtz/lng/
Language and Gender Resources
http://www.linguistics.ucsb.edu/faculty/bucholtz/lng/
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Chapter Five: Gendered Verbal Communication
Copyright © 2005 Wadsworth
Language Evaluates GenderLanguage Evaluates Gender
• Women Often Trivialized by Language
Baby Doll, Cupcake, Girlie
• Language Sometimes Trivializes
Women’s Accomplishments
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Chapter Five: Gendered Verbal Communication
Copyright © 2005 Wadsworth
Language Evaluates GenderLanguage Evaluates Gender
• Women Deprecated by Language that
Devalues Them
Topics of Interest Marginalized
Diminutive Suffixes Used
• Suffragette, Majorette
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Chapter Five: Gendered Verbal Communication
Copyright © 2005 Wadsworth
Language Enables Language Enables Hypothetical ThoughtHypothetical Thought
• Hypothetical Thought is Important
in Gender Identity.
Each Must Decide what it Means
to be a Woman or a Man.
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Chapter Five: Gendered Verbal Communication
Copyright © 2005 Wadsworth
Language Allows Language Allows Self-ReflectionSelf-Reflection
• People Reflect on Cultural
Views of Gender
• Can Decide They Don’t Want
to Limit Themselves
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Chapter Five: Gendered Verbal Communication
Copyright © 2005 Wadsworth
Language is a ProcessLanguage is a Process
• We Continuously Change Language to
Reflect Understandings
• As We Modify Language, We Modify
How We See Ourselves and Our World
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Chapter Five: Gendered Verbal Communication
Copyright © 2005 Wadsworth
Gendered Interaction: Gendered Interaction: Masculine and Feminine StylesMasculine and Feminine Styles
• Gendered Speech Communities
Language Sustains Cultural Life
Common Understandings of Communication
• Lessons of Childplay
Boys’ Games
Girls’ Games
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Chapter Five: Gendered Verbal Communication
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Chapter Five: Gendered Verbal Communication
Copyright © 2005 Wadsworth
Feminine SpeechFeminine Speech
• Centers on Relationships
• Used to Equalize Status
• Supports Others
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Chapter Five: Gendered Verbal Communication
Copyright © 2005 Wadsworth
Feminine SpeechFeminine Speech
• Invites and Includes Others
• Verbally Responsive to Others
• Often Includes Intimate Self-Disclosure
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Chapter Five: Gendered Verbal Communication
Copyright © 2005 Wadsworth
Women’s Communication Women’s Communication is Tentativeis Tentative• Hedges: “I kind of feel”
• Qualifiers: “I’m probably not the best judge . .”
• Tag questions: “. . .don’t you think”
Is this Powerless? OR Inclusive?
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Chapter Five: Gendered Verbal Communication
Copyright © 2005 Wadsworth
Masculine SpeechMasculine Speech
• Used to Establish and Maintain Status
• Used to Accomplish Instrumental Objectives
• Used to Dominate the “Talk Stage”
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Chapter Five: Gendered Verbal Communication
Copyright © 2005 Wadsworth
Masculine SpeechMasculine Speech
• Stated in Fairly Direct, Assertive Ways
• More Abstract and Less Concrete
• Less Emotionally Responsive to Others
Gender-Based Gender-Based MisinterpretationsMisinterpretations
Men tend to feel if a relationship is okaythere is no needto talk.
Women tend to view relationships as a process that should be discussed and examined.
Men tend to express themselves in a linear fashion.
Women tend to embed stories with people and events.
Men tend to solve problems.
Women tend to listen and match experiences.
Chapter Five: Gendered Verbal Communication
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Chapter Five: Gendered Verbal Communication
Copyright © 2005 Wadsworth
Does society devalue women’s style of public speaking?
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Chapter Five: Gendered Verbal Communication
Copyright © 2005 Wadsworth
Women’s CommunicationWomen’s Communication
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Chapter Five: Gendered Verbal Communication
Copyright © 2005 Wadsworth
Does society value men’s style of public speaking?
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Chapter Five: Gendered Verbal Communication
Copyright © 2005 Wadsworth
gendered lives