Gender and Language

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Table of contents:
I. II. Introduction Language, Identity and Gender
1. 2. 3. Gender and the effect of stereotyping Development of a different language Gender variation in speech
3.1 3.2 3.3 Women‟s language Men‟s language (C)overt prestige – a case study

S. 3 S. 4
S. 4 S. 5 S. 5
S. 6 S. 8 S. 9

4.

(Mis)communication between men and women

S. 10

III. Conclusion IV. Bibliography

S. 13 S. 14

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I. Introduction
Language is undoubtedly the most important method of communication and can be described as a system of finite arbitrary symbols combined according to rules of grammar for the purpose of communication. Individual languages use sounds, gestures and other symbols to represent objects, concepts, emotions, ideas and thoughts.1

The branch of sociolinguistics, which can be seen as a mixture of linguistics and sociology, deals with the relationship between one‟s identity and one‟s language usage, or, more precisely, how these two features of the human being influence each other. In the last few years there was much research done in this field and many articles has been published. Of particular interest was the relationship between gender and language usage, which offers a great deal of secondary literature, including many case studies. Most of the researchers here are concerned with the question if women and men talk differently and, in case they do, how this is reflected in their speech. To answer these questions is the purpose of this paper, which is structured in the following way: First of all it is necessary to define what gender is in opposition to sex and which role stereotyping plays in this discussion. Afterwards it is explained why men and women developed a different language, with regard to the social background. The third chapter deals with gender variation in speech, including typical features of the so called women‟s language in comparison to men‟s language, and a case study about how men and women try to gain

Bibliography: Coates, Jennifer. 1993. Women, Men and Language. A sociolinguistic account of gender differences in language. London & New York: Longman. Eckert, Penelope & Sally McConnell-Ginet. 2003. Language and Gender. Cambridge: University Press. Edelsky, Carole & Karen Adams. 1990. „Creating inequality: breaking the rules in debates”. Journal of Language and Social Psychology 9: 171-190. Edwards, John. 2009. Language and Identity. An Introduction. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Ernst, Andreas. 2003. Sex specific communication. Grin. Ervin Goffman. 1977. “The Arrangement Between the Sexes”. Theorie and Society 4 (3). Holmes, Janet. 1998. Women’s Talk: The Question of Sociolinguistic Universals. In: Jennifer Coates (ed.). 1998. Language and Gender. A Reader. Oxford: 461-483. Jespersen, Otto. 1922. Language: Its Nature, Development and Origin. London: Allen & Unwin. Kaiser, Marco. 2004. Text and Discourse. Gender and Speech. Grin. Köhler, Alexandra. 2009. Gender and Language. Grin. Kramer, Cheryl. 1977. “Perception of Female and Male Speech”. Language Speech 20: 151-161. Oppermann, K. & E. Weber. 1995. Frauensprache – Männersprache. Die verschiedenen Kommunikationsstile von Männern und Frauen. Zürich: Onell Füssli. Schanel. 1999. Frauensprache – Männersprache. Grin Simon During (ed.). 1999. The Cultural Studies Reader. London: Routledge. Tannen, Deborah. 1990. You just don’t Understand. Women and Men in Conversation. New York: William Morrow. Trömmel-Plötz, Senta. 1984. Gewalt durch Sprache. Die Vergewaltigung von Frauen in Gesprächen. Frankfurt a. M.: Fischer. Weatherall, Ann. 2002. “Gender, Language and Discourse”. Women and Psychology. USA: Routledge: 54-61. 14 Wenzl, Astrid. 2004. Gender and Power Relations in Discourse – Locating Instances of Gender Bias. Grin. http://www.medpsych.uni-freiburg.de/OL/Kommunikationsmodell http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/language 15