Gendered Verbal Communication Chapter 5 Expresses Cultural Views

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/Neutral. Inclusive. Languag 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