A Sociolinguistic Analysis of the Influence of Gender on the Language Use of 400 Level Students
Chapter One
AIM AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
This project aims at a sociolinguistic study of the effect of gender on language use among students. It seeks to achieve the following specific objectives:
- To identify the differences in the speech patterns of 400 level male and female
- To highlight how the roles played by men and women affect language
- To highlight the underlying factors accounting for these
- To identify the effects of gender on interaction.
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
INTRODUCTION
There has been considerable interest on the study of sociolinguistic variation associated with speaker’s gender. Over the years, there has been an explosion of research in this field. Many articles have been published both in learned journals and edited collections. Sociolinguistics, among other fields of study within the scope of linguistics has several evidence on gender related issues.
Sociolinguistics has been defined as the study of language in its social context. The study of language in its social context means crucially the study of linguistic variation. In different social contexts, an individual will speak in different ways. This is called stylistic variation. Moreover, speakers who differ from each other in terms of age, gender, social class, ethnic group, for example, will also differ from each other in their speech, even in the same context – this is called social variation. Sociolinguists are interested in both stylistic and social variation.
According to Gumperz (1971), sociolinguistics is ‘an attempt to find correlated between social structure and linguistic structure and to observe any change that occurs’. Hudson (1995) sees sociolinguistics as ‘the relationship between language and society’, while Holmes (1994) conceives sociolinguistics as ‘aimed towards theory which provides a motivated account of the way language is used in a community and of people when they use language’. Coulmes (1997) perceives sociolinguistics as ‘an investigation of how social structure influences the way people talk and how language varieties and patterns of use correlates with social attributes such as class, sex and age’.
This chapter thus, reviews some related literature on language, society and gender, and how gender as a sociolinguistics variable affects interaction among males and females.
LANGUAGE AND ITS FUNCTION
Halliday (1970:140-165) proposed three broad functions of language; ideational, interpersonal and textual. Jakobson (1960) and Hymes (1962) propose about half a dozen functions, while Stubbs (1995:46) building on Jakobson’s and Hyme’s contributions proposes the following:
Directive/co native/ persuasive functions: The speaker in this use of language directs the hearer to carry out an action (Audu, stop it! Lock the door!). The second aspect of this function is persuasive or pleading; that is, prayerful (give us this day, our daily bread).
Poetic function: The language user uses it creatively to achieve aesthetic purpose. The example of the popular children’s rhyme ‘Twinkle, twinkle little star’ comes readily to mind here for its rhyme and rhythm.
Contact function: What Stubbs (1995) calls contact function is also called phatic function of language. This is the use of language for brief social or psychological interaction, usually displayed in short greetings or opening up a channel of or for communication.
A: Hello how was the office today? B: Well, not bad, how about yours?
A: Hope your boss was not difficult today? B: Thank God, he was better today.
CHAPTER THREE:
METHODOLOGY
INTRODUCTION
This chapter primarily presents the methodology of the study. And it is divided into three sections: sources of data, data collection technique and method of data analysis.
SOURCES OF DATA
The main focus of attention of this study is on the use of English language among male and female students. Hence, the sources of the data are 400 level students of the Department of English and Literary Studies. Forty (40) students (20 males and 20 females) were selected at random for this study.
DATA COLLECTION TECHNIQUE
For the collection of data, participant’s observation the, use of questionnaire and audio recording were the main techniques employed. The respondents were asked questions at different places and periods within the department and their responses were recorded.
METHOD OF DATA ANALYSIS
This method of analysis in this study is based on Lakoff’s (1975) levels of analysis. She identified a number of linguistic features which she claimed were used more often by women than men and which in her opinion express uncertainty and lack of confidence.
The features to be considered using Lakoff’s analysis for this study are: lexical hedges, tag-question, verbosity, adjectives, intensifier, hyper-correct words etc. Each data collected has been discussed under the relevant topics above as appropriate. Below is a sample analysis.
CHAPTER FOUR:
DATA ANALYSIS
INTRODUCTION
This chapter provides the analysis of the words and expressions used by male and female students in different situations. This method of analysis is based on Lakoff’s level of analysis. It is my hope that the illustrations given and the analysis done will convey the information that will enhance a comprehensive study of the use of English language among male and female students.
CHAPTER FIVE:
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION
INTRODUCTION
This study set out to demonstrate that the inherent differences in male and female use of language, that is, the sex exclusive and sex preferential markers. This study has examined the language use among male and female students of the department of English and Literary Studies, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
SUMMARY
This chapter gives a summary of whole concept. This project is consists of five chapters. From the study carried out, it can be said that male and female use different speech patterns. Cultural and environmental, factors are argued to be the underlying factors responsible for these differences.
These differences in the speech pattern of male and female results in miscommunication and misinterpretation in the process of interaction. While the most obvious function of language is to communicate information language also contributes to at least two other equally important, but less often recognised, function; to establish and maintain social relationships and to express and create the social identity of the speaker.
CONCLUSION
This study has demonstrated that in our society and others like it, there are male and female differences in their use of language. They do not use completely different forms but different quantities or frequencies of the same form. In a society where gender plays a major role language also has a key role to perform in the contribution of that role. Differences in the gender roles, identities of men and women, hierarchical nature of gender relations and the dominance of men constitute the factors that contribute to the differences in language use. Gender differentiation does not exist in vacuum: it interacts in a complex way with other kinds of social differentiation. But language and gender are developed through participation in everyday social practice. In other words, language and gender are inextricably linked.
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