Gender in American English: How women are socially muted through speech

Rachel M.

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Gender in American English: How women are socially muted through speech

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Abstract

This paper will explore the theory that women as a minority group are socially muted through the prevalent use of masculine and male created language in American English to describe common activities at home, work place and in the society. The research was started with the question, "How does word choice in American English support a masculine society and effectively mute women, both in speech and in social context?"

Abstract
The differences in the way men and women communicate
A popular communication theory
The the gender difference in communication styles
The situation in work place
The situation at home
Examples
Conclusion
Bibliography

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[...] The more women use these terms to describe their activities in multiple gender situations, the less feminine speech is used, effectively muting the feminine voice. Uneven male/female language is not only seen in crossover terms. Consider the terms used to describe a sexually active female: promiscuous, generous, slut, whore, ho, tramp, and slag. (Weinberg, 2009) Compare those terms to the words used to describe a sexually active male: stud, player, Romeo, and ladies' man. The terms commonly used for woman are derogatory, while those reserved for men are most often received as compliments. [...]

[...] Language, used in this way, gives the impression that being a man is more advantageous than being a woman, that men possess better qualities than women, and that it is better for a woman to defer to a man in important matters. The results from this language-given impression, are that women are less likely to use feminine language in mixed gender situations and that men are less likely to accept feminine language and ideas as a general rule. Women are coerced into [...]

[...] Whereas in the workplace, women are muted by coerced adaptation of the masculine voice in pursuit of success, specific vocabulary is used to mute women in roles at home. Consider these terms available to describe a wife: old lady, consort, little lady, housewife, homemaker, ball and chain, wife.” Old lady, consort, and little lady carry a connotation of being less than something. Housewife and homemaker, when used to describe a wife, confine a woman's talents activities directly related to the home. [...]

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