Investigating Language Differences between Men and Women

AbstractInvestigating Language Differences between Men and WomenPrevious research regarding differences between men's and women's language is inconsistent, and the impact of language on gender perception remains unexamined. Literature is unclear on whether to incorporate language into transgender communication therapy. This study aimed to understand language differences between men and women as well as the relationship among language and perceptions of gender and femininity/masculinity. Frequency of 15 linguistic variables was counted in 40 spoken narratives about an illness and compared between genders, then 40 readers judged the gender and femininity/masculinity of the typed narratives. Language of men and women was generally indistinguishable. Men had statistically significantly longer T-units and more T-units, dependent clauses, and personal pronouns; however readers' judgments of gender and femininity/masculinity were unrelated to the linguistic variables. Although language may not be a valuable goal in transgender therapy, further studies are needed to determine consistency and accuracy of these results.

Author

• Wilder, Holly

Language

• en

Date created

• 2010

Type of Work

• Master's Thesis

License

• All rights reserved

Rights statement

• In Copyright

GW Unit

• Speech and Hearing Science

Degree

• M.A.

Advisor

• Hancock, Adrienne

Committee Member(s)

• Siegfriedt, Linda
• Mahshie, James

Persistent URL

•  https://scholarspace.library.gwu.edu/etd/5m60qs07b