Language & Gender Theory

Dominance Theory

This theory is that in conversation involving both genders that the male participants are more likely to interrupt than female speakers. A study done by Don Zimmerman and Candace West of the University of California in 1975 on determined that in 31 pieces of conversation male participants made 46 interruptions to the female participants 2. The study concluded that as men interrupt more often that they are/trying to dominate the conversation.

Gender, Social Class and Speech Sounds

Peter Trudgill researched the language differences between men and women based on social class in the 1970’s.  His study observed how each gender pronounced suffixes and which gender shortened suffixes (dropping the ‘g’ off of words ending ‘-ing’). The study found that women were more likely to use the prestige pronunciations of words, aiming for a higher social class than they had been entered as. In contrast, men were more likely to use low prestige pronunciations and seek covert prestige by seeming more ‘down to earth’.

Deborah Tannen and difference

Deborah Tannen summarised the language differences between male and female by 6 contrasts:

• Status v Support
• Independence v Intimacy
• Advice v Understanding
• Information v Feelings
• Orders v Proposals
• Conflict v Compromise

Status v Support

This contrast indicates that men seek to achieve dominance or prevention of dominance in conversation whereas women seek confirmation/support for their ideas. Men see the world as a place to gain and keep status whereas women see the world as a network of connections seeking support.

Independence v Intimacy

Because men seek to gain and keep status, they tend to focus on independence whereas women tend to focus intimacy.

Advice v Understanding

Men tend to seek a solution to a problem whereas women seek understanding and support in dealing with the problem.

Information v Feelings

Men tend to be blunt and to the point whereas women tend draw out conversation/discuss more marginal things.

Orders v Proposals

Women often suggest things in an indirect way whereas men are more likely partial to use direct imperatives.