Explaining How is language related to gender

The most significance difference between human beings is the gender difference. So people of different genders from either physiology or psychology in the use of language will have their own gender characteristics, which leads to the gender differences in language. In different contexts, men and women have differences to a degree in phonology, vocabulary, grammar and syntax options. Because of the traditional social factors, men have higher social status, thus leading to their privileges in speech.

Gender differences in language phenomenon are not accidental; they have the profound social root. Gender differences are the fundamental facts of social life and human differences. It reflects that there is a long historical origin in language difference phenomenon. Men and women have different status and play different roles, thus they have different duties and different rights. Researchers engaged in sociolinguistics explain different phenomenon of language gender difference from the perspective of social structure, consistency and rights. They think the formation of language difference is due to the unequal status of males and females. For one thousand years, the traditional concept of ‘’men outside, women inside’’ has dominated people, and men are seen as the dominators of the status and power. They govern the external world and go out to earn money for the family, women were considered to be weak and only do activities in the family.

Females are mainly engaged in domestic work in the past life, thus their social status are not recognized. Therefore, they are forced to use other methods to get a higher position and using the appropriate language is a kind of good way. Socio cultural factors have inestimable influence on a person’s mentality, behaviors, ideological actions, religious beliefs and values. From the cultural concepts of region or country, people have different recognition and expect for different gender roles and behaviors. Thus, in traditional concepts, women’s language is kind and polite while men’s is relatively simple, arrogant and firm. Inherent social expect will automatically become a powerful social stress and drive people to restrain their behavior according to their gender mode. When a child is born, society will make different effects on boys and girls. First, they will be given a gender specific name so that they will develop in the expected direction to satisfy their physiological factors and social roles. Society expects the boy to become a true man, who can overcome dependence, fear and passivity and build a more positive, independent and adventurous character. Speeches show manhood, so boys’ speaking rudely or speaking with rude keynotes are accepted and acquiesced by the society even their talking is incoherent and clueless. On the contrary, girls usually keep clean, tidy, and quiet to become gentle, virtuous, and kind-hearted ones. So they talk like elegant ladies with standard pronunciation and correct grammar. There cannot be taboos and spells in their words. From this, we can see there are high requirements for girls’ discourses and they should pay attention to every aspect of their manners especially their speech. During this process, different gender roles will get different social and gender approval. Gender role identity and culture circle have positive correlation.

Normally men usually talk eloquently in all kinds of competitive topics like sports while women’s topics are usually about family life individual and emotional. So the dialogues showing directly one’s inner lives are more from women, on the contrary, men are inclined to hide their feelings. What men mainly talk about are working conditions, sports news and other related topics, while women mainly talk about family and family members. It’s mainly related to males’ and females’ mentalities: women prefer to harmonize and soften interpersonal relationship while men just think about showing their leading roles and assert their dignities.

Women’s pronunciations are more correct and concise. Usually, the upper class and the educated do better to pronounce correctly. Perhaps men are not eager to show their high position in this aspect.

So this was my today’s note. Hope this matter is clear to everyone who read it. Because it is clear to me.