Sociolinguistics and Pragmatics. Social Sciences Essay

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Subject and Section
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May 14, 2020
Questions
Part A
2.
Understanding the similarities between society and languages is an important part of any sociological process. The difference in speech is, of course, in the realm of sociolinguistics, a product both of societal and cultural norms. However, some are influenced by culture more than the other. For example, gender differences in speech are more likely determined by culture and societal expectations, compared to the difference between child and adult speech, which may have more to do with psycholinguistics and developmental psychology than social factors.
In this short essay, the author will first discuss the differences within gendered speech, followed by that of child and adult speech.
Ever since the roaring era of the 70s academia, scholars of the field have pointed to gender-specific characteristics of speech. This refers to its character, which is somehow related or associated with particular sex or genders, which gives it a somehow distinctive appeal.
Lakoff, for one, even identified what she called the “women’s register.” This register was more “polite” and less aggressive compared to men’s speech, specifically by using more tag questions, less aggressive directives, and using empty adjectives. In further researches, men were also found to be more likely to interrupt, disagree and provide minimal responses, while women were more likely to show non-verbal signs of attention (like nodding), ask questions, and try to prolong conversations. Explanations for the said phenomenon are often attributed to social and cultural factors. As women are expected to be more polite and more accommodating, it is logical and even necessary for them to develop more polite and more accommodating language. In contrast, as a society often links aggression or strong behavior to masculinity, men are more likely to pattern their speech in such a way that reflects this aggression. In essence, gendered speech is an identity that emerges from, negotiated by, and is a product of social interaction.
In contrast to that, the difference in children and adult speech is more likely a product of the structures of cognitive development, although this remains, of course, subject to the influence of a child’s environment. Regardless, both fields agree that children often tend to overgeneralize based ...