Language and Gender - created from Mind Map

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Dominance Approach

Difference Approach

Otto Jespersen (1922)

Men are naturally more dominant than women

Theory also suggests that when men dominate, women accept and submit

Thru speech patterns or behavior towards/around women

Both M + F 's lifestyles are represented as different

M are fundamentally diff 2 W in communications + other interactions

Thus they use language 4 diff outcomes

Women talk a lot more, use half-finished sentences bc they speak before thinking about what they'll say

W link sentences with 'and' because they emotional rather than 'grammatical'

W use adverbs frequently and tend towards hyperbole

Pair adjectives such as 'nice' and 'pretty' with the intensifier 'so' often

W have smaller vocabulary than M

Novels written by W are easier 2 understand bc they use simpler words + terminology

W, by virtue of their gender, "shrank from course and gross expression"

W had a "preference for veiled and indirect expressions" = not as effective as men

Called the "indispensable change in language"

W know this smaller vocab so well TF they are more fluent than men who search 4 the right word in their bigger vocab