27th January 2012: Language and gender

 My notes from the lesson

In our class the majority are studying arts or humanities. Only one person studies science and two maths (one of which is the only boy). However we cannot generalise based on this alone.

Nature vs. Nurture is the big debate. Is it inevitable that we fulfil stereotypes due to our environment or is it in our genetic makeup? Is there such a thing as masculine or feminine speech? Society reflects the language that we use, for example political correctness means that we no longer use ‘marked’ terms like headmaster, instead we use head teacher. It’s no longer deemed acceptable to denote someone based on gender, society has changed.

Stereotypes have changed, there is no specific definition but how genders are reflected in the media has an effect on our ideals. It has become acceptable for women to have plastic surgery. Women try to stay looking young and are treated negatively for aging whilst a man is a ‘silver fox’. There is not the same amount of pressure for men, is this due to the lack of females in power? Stereotypes are still created and enforced.

Spoken language; men tend to use less descriptive and more direct language, and are more likely to talk in imperatives. Women have more of a range or reactions for different situations.  Men use language in a completive/ comparative nature to assert dominance whilst women are more collaborative.

“Duels and duets” The Times

‘Verbal disputation seems to be something that few men seek or expect to enjoy” John Locke Women use language to be inclusive, men to exclude. Women don’t like to debate as much as men.

“Men’s talk is claimed to be adverse, goal directed and focused on factual information...differing from women’s cooperative, interpersonal and emotional use of language”. Article suggests that language is biological as hormones have an effect on our empathy level, women have more maternal instincts, me have more sexual dominance role and have traditionally held more power, and does this cloud our view?

Simon Baron-Cohen states that women’s nature has evolved from a pre historic need “for survival rates of children and coordinating efficient food gathering”. Men are dominant so that they can be sexually successful.