Friday, March 6, 2009
question2/chapters 3&4
There are no innate characteristics that make men and women use language differently but rather the social construct, gender, plays an important role in the different use of language among men and women. Overall women and men are socialized in ways that have a real impact on the language used by each group. If the stereotypical man is self assured, aggressive and competitive, women are the opposite: passive and group oriented. This in turn has an impact on the language choices of each group and the social dynamics found among the groups. The example used in the text suggests that girls playing with one another place emphasis upon everyone getting a turn and a fairly non competitive environment whereas when boys play the group infrequently suggest fair play for everyone and is generally involved in competitive type sports. The gendered language difference between men and women is exemplified by a women's willingness to reach out and ask for help when lost whereas many men maintain an independent stance and try to find their way without asking someone for help. Oftentimes women will ask more descriptive details from an encounter whereas men are at a loss because they did not notice the details being asked of them.
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Hello nyp! Have you ever experienced a group, culture or observable interaction where the characteristics of men and women were quite different than what you have outlined here? If so, where?
ReplyDeleteAlso, since you mentioned that there are no innate characteristics to force men and women use language differently, do you think that it is possible to raise children in a neutral environment?
i actually feel as though many of the women i know possess characteristics that fall outside of the sterotypical gender roles for women. and i would even include myself in that. i feel as though gender roles are more permeable than the way in which the text explains them. i understand the gender roles american society expects of me, and depending upon the situation, i can conform to those expectations but overall i tend to be fairly self assured and yet enjoy group dynamics because i find it a more efficient way of getting things done.
ReplyDeleteunfortunately, i don't think its possible to raise a child in a neutral environment because of the influence of the outside world. i think it's possible for parents to be aware of their gender biases but one isn't able to shelter children from the world we live in. in addition, children are pretty observant and pick up on gendered differences between their parents such as their mother cooking and their father fixing things around the home.
I like your example of women playing together and men playing together. It seems in our society it is not always looked well on women when they talk and act in competition. But, men are more assertive and direct in how they act because they seem to be more accepted in that type of language and personality.
ReplyDeleteI find this ironic because women can be the most competitive when it comes to socializing or competing with other women. Yet when genders are mixed the females tend to back off their competitiveness and fall into the traits the book explains.
But, when two females are in competition with one another look out because there language seems to be critical but, in a backhanded or more subtle fashion. Where men are more direct.
I agreed in my post that it is the way women and men are socialized that really affects how they communicate. I don't believe there is any innate characteristic that leads to specific language styles. As much as we hate to stereotype I'm sure many of us agreed with the examples in the book. That women engage in more private conversations and men engage in more public ones. Also I found that the book pointed out things i had never noticed about specific gender communication styles. For example, I was talking to my brother and I found that I am very detailed when i speak to him, and he is very vague.
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