Deborah Tannen and Gender in Language

1. Deborah Tannen and Gender in Language

2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awYZgt-9kV8 • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnBaU0fxREk&feature=related • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFqwwvvorJ0&feature=PlayList&p=0089460A755426AC&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=8 • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfLARzXUwUw&feature=fvw

3. Female Language Use Women speak to show closeness and relationship Women do not care as much about the content of conversation, they care about being in relationship through language Women talk along with each other and support each other’s speech content with lots of commentary Women interrupt to take over the conversation less often than men Women face one another when engaged in conversation Women see conversation as a way to make a connection with others Women speak less than men in public settings and more than men in private settings

4. Male Language Use • Men talk to compete for social status • Men talk to communicate specific information and do not like conversation that does not do this “Get to the point” • Men allow others to speak without commentary, but interrupt others to take over the conversation more often than women • Men sit side by side, turning their heads ocassionally to look at each other while talking. They generally do not sit facing each other • Men speak less in private settings where they are not competing for status • Men speak more in public situations where status is important

5. Questions • Are male and female differences innate or learned? • Do these differences occur in all societies? • Is it possible to change these differences? • How do gender differences in speech patterns relate to what we know about gender differences in other aspects of human life?