Language and Gender Speech

Annotation: In this article, the differences between genders in speech and conversation, stereotypes, types of stereotypes, their impact on people`s lives, differences in the speech of women and men in mass media were highlighted.


INTRODUCTION
The study of gender and language is often discussed in both socialinguistics and gender studies.In this research, differences of gender speech will be analyzed deeply.
The study of language and gender speech has developed rapidly in 1970s.Since that time, several English linguistics and scholars like Deborah Tannen, Penelope Eckert, Janet Helmes, Deborah Cameron made a great contribution to the development of this study.The 1995 edited Volume Gender Articulated Language and Socially Constructed Self is of referred to as a central text on language and speech.Some scholars problematize both the dominance and the dual cultures.For example, Deborah Cameron, one of the well-known scholars, notes that throughout the history of scholarship on language and gender have been seen as the unmarked norm form which the female deviates.

MAIN BODY
Throughout history, a woman`s role in society has been closely associated with her status.However, men have been played a crucial role and seen as a dominance all the time.Stereotypes are a common bias or a widely accepted judgement about people which are generally considered equal or fair in societies.In this case, there are 4 main types of stereotypes that believed by many people as a truth in life.First one is that, personality traits, women are often expected to be more accommodating and emotional, while men are usually expected to be self-confident and aggressive.Second type of bias is that, domestic behaviors , women must take care of children, cook, clean, do household chores at home, while men should take care of finance, do house repairs and work to feed his family.Next stereotype is that about occupation, certain professions or roles are more suitable for one gender over the world, based on language and speech patterns.For example, police officers should be only men, whereas teachers are always accepted as women.The last type of stereotype is about personal appearance.Women are expected to be thin and graceful, while men considered masculine and tall.
When It comes stereotypes in both women and men`s speech , women tend to use similar vocabularies and words, use more false starts and unfinished endings because of speaking before considering the situation.Women are indirect as well as they are emotional.In feminine speech we may find more adverbs and adjectives that are less in men`s speech.
One of the widespread stereotype is that women have a tendency to talk more than men.They try to express their feelings using various emotions.Feminine speech is more gentle while men are somehow tough and assertive in conversation.Every culture, every ethnic groups or even every societies have their own gender role expectations, which can be differ from group to group.For example, in the USA pink considered as a masculine color, while blue considered feminine.
A common stereotype is that expecting women to use more polite and deferential language, while men are encouraged to be more direct and authoritative in their speech.To exemplify this situation, women are accepted as polite and respectful, they attempt to talk in indirect ways to others.
When it comes to different language uses in gender, it should be mentioned that, the way we use language can convey authority, influence, and control over others.One way language can convey power is through the use of formal and technical vocabulary.This implies that, if we try to add more appropriate words and vocabularies in conversation, we will be able to gain power of speech and get attention of others.Furthermore, the tone and delivery of speech can also seen as a power.A confident and assertive tone produces an authority and influence, while a hesitant and uncertain tone may decrease the speaker`s perceived power.
Understanding the usage of a language in various places or various situations is crucial because of making a fluent conversation with others.Thus, gendered language use in media can be seen as a part of community.The reason is that, most Mass Media usually shows common stereotypes that appears between men and women in their everyday lives and attempt to find some solutions, encourages community to change their notions towards gender bias.
Women can also be passionate about programming, but rarely does it express itself as an intense and myopic focus at the exclusion of health and relationships as it sometimes does in men.Women are generally better at language tasks.And men on average are a little bit better at organizing things in space.But really there"s much more variability within the sexes than there is between the sexes.But that starts to change when you look at the brain.Here, there are clear differences.The most obvious one is that men on average have a 10 percent larger brain by volume.But women have about 15-30 percent thicker cortical grey matter --and that"s the good stuff.Women"s brains seem to be fairly balanced between the left and the right hemisphere … whereas men seem to rely far more heavily on the right side of their brains.And it does not stop there.There are differences in the places where we process rewards and emotions.Growing up, boys and girls are often segregated, restricting them to socialize solely with individuals of their own gender, learning a distinct culture as well as their gender"s norms.This results in differences in communication between men and women, inclining both genders to communicate for contrasting reasons.For example, men are more likely to communicate as a way to maintain their status and independence, while women tend to view communication as a path to create friendships and build relationships.
Nonverbal communication is integral to how we communicate.But each gender uses different nonverbal cues when communicating.Our faces can demonstrate more than 10,000 facial expressions.But men overall use fewer facial expressions than women.Men also smile less.Women tend to rely heavily on facial expressions, including head nodding and eye contact because, as children, they were taught "more appeasement body language" according to Science of People.Defined as "the nonlexical component of communication by speech, for example intonation, pitch and speed of speaking, hesitation noises, gesture and facial expression," paralanguage is used by women much more than men.This includes gesturing noises such as "mhm," "ah" and "oh," as well as head nodding.These gestures are a way to convey, "I am listening and understanding what you"re saying," without actually saying it.Men also use paralanguage during communication, but do so less frequently, and it is usually just to confirm someone"s comment or to say, "I agree".Men are much more likely to command and use personal space than women.Men often prefer face-to-face communication, with the opportunity to shake hands or pat someone"s shoulder.Women are usually comfortable speaking with someone side by side and are more comfortable being in close proximity with other women.
While there are some differences between how men and women communicate through physical touch, there are plenty of similarities because of our genetic makeup.Usually, men use pats, back slaps and shoulder touches as a way to display dominance.Men will use an introductory handshake to set the tone for communication to come.Women, on the other hand, may reach out and touch someone"s arm or offer a hug to build a connection and show support.Men typically have wider postures and stand with their arms farther away from their bodies and legs apart.Women are more likely to keep their arms closer to their bodies and cross their legs.Women typically use more direct eye contact during communication in order to make a strong connection and develop a relationship.Men, however, use eye contact most commonly as a challenge of power or position.The communication process is complex, and adding gender differences into the mix only complicates it more.However, that does not mean we cannot better understand how we communicate.
Women are different from men as a result of belonging to different subculturesand vice versa.When one gender understands the other"s subcultures and reasons for expressing themselves in certain ways, communication can be improved.
The purpose of gender communication is not to change another"s communication style but to understand and adapt to it.Not everyone fits into the generalizations about men and women.Whether it is your genetic makeup or the environment you were raised in, many factors can dictate how you act.People may vary widely from the norms.Understand that men and women have different communication styles.Do not be offended when a person of the opposite gender responds or acts in a way different from what you were expecting.Note that you may be subconsciously pushing stereotypes and biases that stifle open communication between genders.Learn about the different styles of communication used by men and women and seek to understand the context for both genders.Do not be be afraid to recognize differences and adapt your style of communication to someone else"s.With your knowledge of the differences in communication between genders, you can effectively manage and work in a diverse environment and create lasting relationships that will help you along the way.
Depending on what men and women like to talk about on social media, their platform of choice may also vary.Female users generally prefer visual platforms.Men, on the contrary, like more textoriented ones.
Due to gendered roles, norms and expectations, men and women often do not share the same opportunities, resources and positions in society.Men tend to be seen as the "standard", while women, and the contributions they make to society, can be invisible.
Gender equality means that women and men enjoy the same levels of respect and status in society.It also means people of all genders have the same entitlements to human rights, access to opportunities and abilities to make choices about their lives.
Ultimately, promoting gender equality means transforming the power relations between women and men in order to create a more just society for all.Gender inequalities that are present across many aspects of society are reflected in the media.Media can perpetuate gender inequalities, but also have the power to address and challenge them.There is an enormous potential for media to show more balanced, inclusive and diverse portrayals of gender, thereby contributing to a more just society.This guide is dedicated to exploring the relationships between gender and media, and the crucial role that media practitioners and organisations play in working towards gender equality.