Chapter 12: Gender, Politeness, and Stereotypes PDF

4.3. Gender, politeness, and stereotypes D r. P h u o n g N g u y e n https://www.free-power-point-templates.com/ FPPT.com  How does societ...

4.3. Gender, politeness, and stereotypes D r. P h u o n g N g u y e n https://www.free-power-point-templates.com/ FPPT.com  How does society relate to the fact that women’s speech is different? How does society relate to different linguistic choices used by men and women? https://www.free-power-point-templates.com/ FPPT.com  4.3.1. “Women’s language” and confidence 4.3.2. Interaction 4.3.3. Gossip 4.3.4. The linguistic construction of gender identity 4.3.5. The linguistic construction of sexuality https://www.free-power-point-templates.com/ FPPT.com  4.3.1. “Women’s language” and confidence Lakoff (1975) stated that women’s speech reflects their subordinate status the language women use, the language used about them. linguistic features in “women’s language” - expressed uncertainty and lack of confidence https://www.free-power-point-templates.com/ FPPT.com  4.3.1.1 Features of “women’s language” Lakoff - women’s speech was characterized by linguistic features a) Lexical hedges or fillers b) Tag questions c) Rising intonation on declaratives d) “Empty” adjectives ??? e) Precise color terms ??? Expressing insecurity, f) Intensifiers such as just and so lack of confidence g) “Hypercorrect” grammar ??? h) “Superpolite” forms i) Avoidance of strong swear words j) Emphatic stress https://www.free-power-point-templates.com/ FPPT.com  4.3.1.1 Features of “women’s language” Problems with subsequent research: ignoring “functional coherence, and simply listing any forms that produced a statistical difference between women and men, without providing any satisfactory explanation for why these differences might have arisen”. Further: inadequate methodology: Artificial recording environment; Artificial constraint (for example, a screen); Assigned topics; Lack of linguistic expertise https://www.free-power-point-templates.com/ FPPT.com  4.3.1.1 Features of “women’s language” Lakoff’s linguistic features relevant to the coherent function may be divided into two groups: hedging devices explicitly signal lack of confidence -reducing the strength of the utterance boosting devices express the speaker’s anticipation that the addressee may remain unconvinced and therefore supply extra reassurance. - intensify the strength of the utterance ?? Lakoff: Women use more hedging and boosting devices than men à do NOT always express uncertainty! https://www.free-power-point-templates.com/ FPPT.com  4.3.1.2 Lakoff’s linguistic features as politeness devices Tags may have several functions: Express uncertainty - focuses on the referential meaning– the accuracy of the information Express affective meaning - facilitative or positive politeness device. Facilitates conversation Soften a directive or a criticism Confrontational and coercive devices - strengthen the negative force of the utterance that women and men used them more often for different functions. Women - more emphasis on the polite functions of tags Men- more for the expression of uncertainty https://www.free-power-point-templates.com/ FPPT.com  4.3.1.2 Lakoff’s linguistic features as politeness devices other so- called “hedges” used differently in different contexts mean different things according to stress and intonation position in the utterance what kind of speech act they are modifying who is using them to whom for what purposes and in what context. used as politeness devices. women could be considered facilitative and supportive conversationalists Mayan community in Mexico- women used more politeness devices the language spoken in Madagascar, Malagasy - men qualify and modify their utterances, use less direct language. Samoan personal narratives – status and social identity were more important than gender - positive politeness devices. https://www.free-power-point-templates.com/ FPPT.com  4.3.2. Interaction 4.3.2.1. Interrupting behavior Studies show that in same gender interactions, interruptions are evenly distributed between men and women; in cross-gender interaction, most interruptions were from men. soundproof booths in a laboratory - male interruptions decreased to 75% female senators were systematically interrupted by male senators parents and children - fathers did most of the interrupting, and daughters were interrupted most microaggression - Brief and commonplace daily indignities, often (though not only) verbal, whether intentional or unintentional, that communicate hostile, An Asian-American student derogatory or negative attitudes to the target person or community. Any is complimented by a social group can be the target of such behavior, which often goes unnoticed professor for speaking by those who are not the target. Even when unintended, such negative verbal perfect English, but it's and discursive behavior can cause discomfort or anger. actually his first language. https://www.free-power-point-templates.com/ FPPT.com  An Asian-American student is complimented by a professor for speaking perfect English, but it's actually his first language. E.g. Belief that all Asians are good at Maths Specific acts or comments, can be subtle or overt. E.g. Race-Based Bias: Assuming that a person of a particular race is more likely to engage in criminal activity, even without evidence. https://www.free-power-point-templates.com/ FPPT.com  Microaggression in the classroom Video https://www.free-power-point-templates.com/ FPPT.com  4.3.2. Interaction 4.3.2.1. Interrupting behavior https://www.free-power-point-templates.com/ FPPT.com  4.3.2.2. Conversational feedback Women give more encouraging conversational feedback than men! One New Zealand study - women gave over four times as much of this type of supportive feedback as men. American studies of informal speech - women typically provide significantly more encouraging and positive feedback than to challenge them. Women - cooperative conversationalists, whereas men tend to be more competitive and less supportive of others. https://www.free-power-point-templates.com/ FPPT.com  4.3.2.3. Explanations for gender differences in interaction Interruptions: women’s subordinate position in a male-dominated society. Women’s cooperative conversational strategies - the influence of context and patterns of socialization The norms for women’s talk may be – small group interaction in private contexts goals are solidarity stressing – Agreement is sought and disagreement avoided The norms for male interaction – public referentially oriented interaction. contradiction and disagreement compete for the floor and for attention Different socialization and acculturation patterns. https://www.free-power-point-templates.com/ FPPT.com  4.3.3. Gossip Gossip describes the kind of relaxed in-group talk that goes on between people in informal contexts. In Western society - “idle talk” and considered particularly characteristic of women’s interaction. function for women to affirm solidarity and maintain the social relationships Focuses on personal experiences and personal relationships, and on personal problems and feelings. male reaction - label it two- faced mistake its purpose which is often to relieve feelings and reinforce shared values Women provide a sympathetic response - focusing on the affective message https://www.free-power-point-templates.com/ FPPT.com  4.3.3. Gossip Characterized by the linguistic features of “women’s language” Propositions - express feelings are often attenuated and qualified, or intensified. Facilitative tags - encouraging others to comment and contribute. Complete each other’s utterances Agree frequently provide supportive feedback. Male equivalent of women’s gossip -difficult to identify. Topics- tend to focus on things and activities Long pauses were tolerated frequently disagreed with or challenged provide conflicting, argue, criticize change topic abruptly. https://www.free-power-point-templates.com/ FPPT.com  4.3.3. Gossip For men mock- insults and abuse– expressing solidarity and maintaining social relationships – as compliments and agreeing for women. that women and men belong to different cultural groups. à miscommunicate. rural Malagasy women take more confrontational roles - more direct speech women handle the bargaining women deal with family arguments and disagreements. Men’s speech - indirect and circumlocutionary. Men hold the positions of power - indirect allusive speech highly valued https://www.free-power-point-templates.com/ FPPT.com  4.3.4. The linguistic construction of gender identity Gender identity: constructive rather than fixed. a social construction a contested category with permeable borders Constructing gender identities instead of considering it as a given category through their narratives of personal experience approaching as a process Examples: women in the police force – use features index masculinity men in hairdressing salons – use features index femininity Linguistic stereotypes: conscious characterization of a certain social group with regard to the speech expected from members of the group. Every time we speak, we are either reinforcing existing norms or we are challenging them. https://www.free-power-point-templates.com/ FPPT.com  4.3.5. The linguistic construction of sexuality relationship between language and sexuality how people construct their sexual identity – as gay, heterosexual, lesbian or bisexual, for instance. how people use language to learn about sex, talk about sex and desire, and engage in sexual activities. linguistic features to index gender make normative choices - constructing themselves as “feminine” or “masculine” draw on additional linguistic resources – rhetorical strategies - “Camp talk” Intimate talk – breaks taboos in expressing sexuality and sexual desire https://www.free-power-point-templates.com/ FPPT.com  Sexist language Can a language be sexist? Sexist language - the way a culture or society transfers its values from one group to another and from one generation to the next. Sexist attitudes - stereotype a person according to gender encodes stereotyped attitudes to women and men. concerned with the way language expresses both negative and positive stereotypes of both women and men. English is a sexist language. involves behavior which maintains and reinforces social inequalities between women and men. English language discriminates against women the semantic area – metaphors https://www.free-power-point-templates.com/ FPPT.com  Sexist language Can a language be sexist? Animal imagery refers to men - some positive component Food imagery - women dehumanizing and insulting Terms that were originally neutral or affectionate à negative connotations - refer only to women, meanings focus on women as sexual objects. Less food imagery appropriate for referring only to men à insulting terms used to abuse girls or boys! Many words reinforce a view of women as a deviant, abnormal or subordinate group. The male form is the unmarked form - implicitly the norm. use of an additional suffix to signal à that women are deviant or abnormal. https://www.free-power-point-templates.com/ FPPT.com  Sexist language Can a language be sexist? Generic structures – The English language marginalizes women and treats them as abnormal. Generic forms forms are also used - “third person singular male subject pronoun” and “male human being” man as a generic à no longer acceptable to many English speakers àthe term man is firmly established as meaning “male”. he à challenging problems àintroducing a new pronoun can be traced back à 80 gender non-specific pronouns Using he and she in alternate – Using they Some institutions - “preferred gender pronouns” (PGPs) assigning she/ her or he/ him pronouns when the person concerned considers the relevant pronouns are they/ them may cause discomfort and could be perceived as a microaggression. https://www.free-power-point-templates.com/ FPPT.com  Discussion 12 Give 1 example where politeness norms might be used to perpetuate gender inequality or discrimination. Such as “Women are expected to talk more softly, indirectly, and politely than Men” How can we address and change these norms? https://www.free-power-point-templates.com/ FPPT.com  Class Discussion 12 1 2 3 Go to your class Complete Don’t forget to Padlet include your Discussion 12:30 -15:00 name and 12 tasks student id. 15:10-17:40 https://www.free-power-point-templates.com/ FPPT.com  Homework Complete Class Read Chapter 13 Discussion 12 https://www.free-power-point-templates.com/ FPPT.com  THANK YOU https://www.free-power-point-templates.com/ FPPT.com