Theories of gender and power differences: A discussion

Early studies on gender differences in conversation focused on differences between male and female conversational styles. For nearly all of these issues of stylistic and conversational differences, there are many some contradictory findings, and it seems that one must look closely at the nature of...

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Main Author: Jariah Mohd. Jan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Universiti Malaya 2017-07-01
Series:Journal of Modern Languages
Online Access:http://borneojournal.um.edu.my/index.php/JML/article/view/3786
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author Jariah Mohd. Jan
author_facet Jariah Mohd. Jan
author_sort Jariah Mohd. Jan
collection DOAJ
description Early studies on gender differences in conversation focused on differences between male and female conversational styles. For nearly all of these issues of stylistic and conversational differences, there are many some contradictory findings, and it seems that one must look closely at the nature of the circumstances in order to predict how men and women will behave verbally. This paper discusses the theories of gender and power differences namely deficit, dominance and sub-cultural as proposed by researchers in the field of language and gender. Most recent research into gender and language challenges the dominant sex-difference oriented approaches. which maintain that women are different from men, whether essentially or by socialisation (e.g., Coales, 1986). This sex-difference view either condemns women's different speech as socially dysfunc- tional and deficient (e.g., Lakoff, 1975), or embraces it as a 'different but equally valid' culture (e.g., Tannen, 1990). the 'different and deficient' approach is criticised for implying that, to improve their social status, individual women should transform their style, and adjust themselves to men's linguistic nouns. Nevertheless, in principle, it is clear that in many circumstances, women and men have access to the same set of linguistic and conversational devices, and tend to use them differently but for the same purposes. Apparent differences in usage reflect differences in status and in goals.
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spelling doaj-art-b5023e4f0b0f4897a509eab45bfafd362025-08-20T01:52:38ZengUniversiti MalayaJournal of Modern Languages1675-526X2462-19862017-07-01151Theories of gender and power differences: A discussionJariah Mohd. Jan0University of Malaya, Malaysia Early studies on gender differences in conversation focused on differences between male and female conversational styles. For nearly all of these issues of stylistic and conversational differences, there are many some contradictory findings, and it seems that one must look closely at the nature of the circumstances in order to predict how men and women will behave verbally. This paper discusses the theories of gender and power differences namely deficit, dominance and sub-cultural as proposed by researchers in the field of language and gender. Most recent research into gender and language challenges the dominant sex-difference oriented approaches. which maintain that women are different from men, whether essentially or by socialisation (e.g., Coales, 1986). This sex-difference view either condemns women's different speech as socially dysfunc- tional and deficient (e.g., Lakoff, 1975), or embraces it as a 'different but equally valid' culture (e.g., Tannen, 1990). the 'different and deficient' approach is criticised for implying that, to improve their social status, individual women should transform their style, and adjust themselves to men's linguistic nouns. Nevertheless, in principle, it is clear that in many circumstances, women and men have access to the same set of linguistic and conversational devices, and tend to use them differently but for the same purposes. Apparent differences in usage reflect differences in status and in goals. http://borneojournal.um.edu.my/index.php/JML/article/view/3786
spellingShingle Jariah Mohd. Jan
Theories of gender and power differences: A discussion
Journal of Modern Languages
title Theories of gender and power differences: A discussion
title_full Theories of gender and power differences: A discussion
title_fullStr Theories of gender and power differences: A discussion
title_full_unstemmed Theories of gender and power differences: A discussion
title_short Theories of gender and power differences: A discussion
title_sort theories of gender and power differences a discussion
url http://borneojournal.um.edu.my/index.php/JML/article/view/3786
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