Deborah Tannen How Male And Female Students Use Language Differently

890 Words2 Pages

How Gender Affects Speech Patterns In the essay "How Male and Female Students Use Language Differently" by Deborah Tannen, she describes how females and males differ when they both use and respond to language or certain speech patterns, especially when the setting is in a classroom. The author notices how the males tend to act or be more aggressive and assertive with their language and action especially when in bigger groups they tend to compete when they voice their opinion. Opposite of the males, females are more delicate when they speak and when in bigger groups they hold back their voice but end up feeling more comfortable to talk in smaller groups more than likely with other females. Tannen tests her theories in her class and they seem …show more content…

In my personal experience, males will always be the ones who take control on the conversation, especially if it is in a larger group. However, there are usually one or two females who will step in and say what they have to say. I think the reason is because females don't want to be judged by anyone and want everyone to just agree with them; also most women do not want to be dominant or to dominate a situation. The situation is very similar to when I was in high school but changed significantly when in college. Women usually express their ideas or thoughts more often to one another. I also agree with the author, Tannen, in my own experiences I am more comfortable usually when I am in a larger group. I also usually would not like my point of view to be tested, and rather just accepted, but if it is challenged I like to respond to it. I don't find that to be cruel or embarrassing. An example is in the third paragraph when Tannen states, "Typically, a girl has a best friend with whom she sits and talks, frequently telling secrets."(Tannen 308). Exchanging secrets between one and the other creates a bond and a stronger relationship. When males bond, the males tend to do so through a common activity, such as sports or any group that requires teamwork. Most of these activities create a sort of hierarchal complex in these …show more content…

Having only female students in a college can increase the amount of participation with one and another significantly. Tannen then talks about her observation by stating, "I could see plainly from my observation of the groups at work that women who never opened their mouths in class were talking away in the smaller groups."(Tannen 314) After talking about her observation, she tells us her conclusion, "My experience in this class has convinced me that small-group interaction should be a part of any class that is not a small seminar." Deborah Tannen opens her essay with examples of Anthropologist and Sociologist experts right away to give the reader background knowledge on the research that has already been done on how boys and girls use sign language differently. Also with the help of these experts she is going to be able to compare her observations of the different class’s dynamics with the research of the

Open Document