Introduction
The Sociolinguistics project report explores the complex interplay between language and society. Coates claims that, compared to males, women are more likely to employ prestigious forms, commonly seen to conform more to standard language and are utilized by more privileged groups. Wardhaugh cites research by Trudgill, who found that women are more self-conscious and insecure than males, explaining this phenomenon (208). Women naturally want to overcome their social inferiority by using language in a way that can make them seem more powerful. As part of this, students should use words, phrases, and pronunciation that they think would be well received by society and avoid words, phrases, and pronunciation that they believe would be looked down upon. Women would likely avoid vernacular types, which reflect the everyday casual speech habits of the middle class and males. This study will look into the topic, “Do women use less slang than men?” and focus on that particular feature of everyday informal languages significantly influenced by slang. The study will take a deeper look at how often men and women use slang. Based on the data above, the premise is that women are less likely to use slang than males.
Methodology
An extensive and comprehensive methodology is required to investigate the hypothesis that female speakers of British English use less slang than male speakers. Use the extensive British National Corpus (BNC) of modern English language samples to guarantee a diverse and representative sample across genres and settings. The ever-changing character of slang in regular speech can be better captured by listening to sources of spoken language. Search methodically for slang terms commonly used by both men and women. Most women use different words and have much hidden information when communicating among themselves compared to men. Be sure to use gender-neutral language to provide a standard against which to measure (Holmes and Wilson 234). Different slang is used in many aspects of communication, such as the word “bloke,” commonly used to describe a male. “Chuffed,” means happy or content. A woman, or more casually a girlfriend, is called a “bird” in slang. Construct a survey tool that gathers quantitative data through closed-ended and qualitative insights through open-ended questions. Incorporate inquiries on the participants’ views on gendered slang, slang use, and attitudes.
It is optional for this specific project to consider social class. As mentioned earlier, women tend to favor more prestigious forms of expression. Additionally, they are more likely to hypercorrect and over-report, suggesting that women attempt to speak like members of higher social classes even when they do not fully understand how to do so (Plouzennec, p345). Men, on the other hand, have an increased tendency for the usage of slang in almost all their communications. For example, the slang term “babe” might signify something completely different depending on the speaker or the situation. This term is used to refer to their wives or their girls’ friends, while women, primarily teenage girls, will use babe as they refer to their friends and their lovers. Since the two words are well-known and accessible to individuals of various socioeconomic backgrounds, they avoid any unintended consequences that may arise from their use of less prestigious forms. In contrast, they want to use more ones that are prestigious. Anyone who uses it would be aware that it is slang for either a man or a woman.
Results and Discussion
Approximately 0.17 per 10,000 words for women and 0.32 for males were found to be slang in the research. A lot more males than women use the word. Looking at slang in different plural forms, we see that the results were closer, although males still outnumbered women by a margin of 0.189 to 0.148 words per 10,000 words. When we look at slang terms like “chuffed” or “bloke,” we see that women had 17 matches while males had just 12. However, when we looked at the overall number of words, we saw that males had a frequency count of 0.0276, while women had 0.024 (Plouzennec, p345). Though the gender gap has narrowed, men continue to make up the majority of users. The plural forms were similar; women came in at 0.148 and males at 0.189. These statistics clearly show that males use many slang terms compared to women.
The use of slang has become popular in modern culture, as it is a common phrase in everyday speech. Familiarizing oneself with language was a fascinating experience, as slang has been defined in several ways. Still, one common understanding is that it refers to certain forms of “intimate” or “in-group” communication. Peer group and gang discourse often use slang, a language characterized by rejecting formal standards, to achieve a certain level of disguise. Based on this theory, the researcher deduced that slang was a language that developed as a means of social differentiation among members of the same group or gang (Wardhaugh et al. 447). Other experts also defined slang as a newly formed language from a group of people.
It is worth noting that individual preferences and communication styles differ significantly, but gender dynamics can influence the relationship between slang and age and politeness to a certain degree. People of any gender are free to use the slang terms common among other people their age. Some research has suggested that women tend to be more outspoken than men. This may affect their slang and informal language to express themselves and build conversation rapport. Both sexes may utilize slang to express their membership in particular subcultures. Slang terms like “y’all” for “all of you” and “the bee’s knees” for “that’s great” have genuinely gained popularity in American social circles, and the majority of people have become accustomed to hearing and using them in everyday speech. Although many slang have become common in society, slang has yet to cross national boundaries. For example, while certain parts of the United States view the usage of the informal expressions given previously as ignorant and inappropriate, it is acceptable in other parts of the country. One gender’s slang may indicate the other’s cultural affiliations and shared experiences. Social norms and expectations shape how polite people speak. The level of formality or the nature of the relationships at play influences how men and women use slang (Coates, p. 246). Although cultural norms have an impact, personal tastes and modes of expression differ. While some may prefer more formal language, others may feel comfortable using slang casually. Media such as movies, music, and social media can shape slang used by both sexes. Cultural factors that are not directly related to gender may contribute to the rise in popularity of specific slang terms.
Since women tend to lean toward prestigious forms and are more likely to hypercorrection and over-reporting, it is clear that this limited project does not need to examine social class. This is because, as mentioned earlier, women attempt to speak like members of higher social classes even if they do not fully understand how to do so. Since the two words are well-known and accessible to individuals of various socioeconomic backgrounds, they can avoid accidentally producing less prestigious outcomes by assuming they are employing more prestigious variants. Anyone who uses it would know that it is slang for either a person or a woman. In this case, the approach will examine the occurrences per million words. Next, we will find the normalized frequency per 10,000 words to ensure we get all the words when adding them. Then, based on the data, we may determine how often each gender’s words appear and draw conclusions. Within the constraints of this little project, this is the most effective approach to test the hypothesis.
One of the many factors that can affect the appropriate use of slang in various contexts is gender. However, it is essential to acknowledge that personal preferences, cultural influences, and communication styles have a substantial impact. In more relaxed and informal contexts, like when spending time with loved ones, people of all genders may be more likely to use slang. People usually feel more comfortable expressing themselves more colloquially in these settings. Slang is generally avoided in business and professional settings due to the expected level of formality, which is valid for both men and women. This is necessary for professionals and in line with the workplace rules. They tend to use more formal language in an academic environment, mainly when speaking with teachers and peers or giving presentations. The youth, particularly those in their adolescent years, casually use expressions like “dude” and “Let’s Bounce” in everyday slang. Adolescents may feel community via slang, but adults and the media frequently appropriate it, conflating it with foolishness, lack of maturity, and carelessness. Teens gain a sense of social superiority and reciprocation when they show interest in and knowledge of a particular peer group through slang terms and expressions. Both men and women may modify their language to fit the academic environment. People of either sex may start using standard slang terms in their subcultures or cultures. These language preferences usually express a yearning to be part of a specific group and communicate with others with similar identities (Wardhaugh et al. 448). Both sexes may use slang or informal language to express themselves more personally when expressing sentiments or emotions. This happens in many different contexts, like when people talk about their relationships or life experiences. Movies, music, and social media all use slang that can influence audiences of all genders.
A graph of Language Variation and Change based on men and women
The graph shows that men are more prone to use slang than women are, as they are in many groups with which they interact daily. The gender-neutral use of slang phrases that become popular through these mediums is not guaranteed. Although it has nothing to do with gender per se, slang can change from generation to generation, and this can happen to both sexes. One generation’s slang may be another’s cultural and linguistic legacy; it constantly evolves as new generations adopt and create it. Men and women use language differently, which must be acknowledged. While there may be some overarching tendencies, people’s language depends on their tastes, character quirks, and the circumstances they find themselves in (Wardhaugh et al. 448). On top of that, conventional wisdom about how men and women should act in different contexts is being challenged by shifting social attitudes and standards regarding language use.
Language professionals share the popular opinion among English speakers that men’s speech possesses qualities such as being forceful, efficient, direct, consequential, profound, practical, sparing, and masterful. In contrast, women’s speech is seen as weak, insignificant, ineffectual, reluctant, excite, polite, euphemistic, and frequently characterized by gibberish and gossip. Women, such as “I think,” “I am sure,” “sort of,” and “perhaps” more commonly use hedge words than males. The reason, as Wardhaugh elucidates, is that women are taught from an early age that being forceful is unfeminine, unkind, and unladylike (Wardhaugh et al. 448). Thus, the genders of men and women constitute the foundation of linguistic diversity. Differentiating between “man’s language” and “woman’s language” is, according to some linguists, sexist. Humans (from early man), salespeople (from sales representatives), and women (from fair sex) are only a few examples of the many efforts to neutralize gender in language. Many distinctions, such as he-she, however, remain and will remain. One possible conclusion is that sexist language is not itself sexist, but rather, the users of such language are. As long as there is a battle for social power and influence, gender differences in language use will persist.
In contrast to women, who often choose more formal forms, males emphasize using vernacular speech as a sign of strength and masculinity. Regarding pronunciation, men in English-speaking societies often mimic the vernacular by eliminating some consonants. On the other hand, women are less likely to drop these noises (Wardhaugh et al. 448). From what we can see, women tend to be more concerned about using proper language and communicating clearly. The next thing to note is that men and women utilize different grammatical patterns. For instance, a woman may ask, “Could you possibly lend me a hand?” while a person might be more direct and use a more formal, respectful phrase. “Please, assist me in resolving this issue,” a person may instead say. Men are more likely to ask questions straightforwardly, whereas women are more likely to be indirect and courteous, as seen in this example. The graph below shows that slang brings about behaviors in the modes of communication, as it creates certain norms, which the youths tend to obey while using slang. These behaviors are often observed while greeting one another as they use different words, as expected in the community. These words may include soup, you nigger, and whatsup Dawg.
Verbal Communication Behaviors in Mixed-and Same-Gender Groups.
https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Verbal-Communication-Behaviors-in-Mixed-and-Same-Gender-Groups_fig1_320423445
Compared to males, women use body language more when conversing, which may implicate a specific slang that is understandable in their age group. Contrary to this, the graph shows how men are involved in slang, as they like to keep most of their communication coded so nobody can understand what they are conversing about. When voicing their opinions, men and women often use different approaches. How a woman moves her hands, fingers, face, and other body areas conveys much about her emotional and mental condition. It is typical for males to employ vernacular forms in most civilizations. However, from the graph, women usually employ formal language when talking. Men had better receive the vernacular than women had. Compared to males, women are more likely to use language to indicate their social rank. Because of their social status as a subordinate group, women strive to maintain it using social slang, which they use as their language (Coates 246). Women’s linguistic skills are more valued than men’s since, socially speaking, women are judged mainly by their appearance rather than their power or position. According to Coates’s 2016 research (p246), middle-class women are more likely to employ the standard form while interacting with men from a higher social class than with men from their own.
The sociopolitical structure informs how we utilize language, a potent societal instrument. One may argue that “male” language is superior and that “women” language does not establish a difference (Coates, p246). Even when discussing girls, the masculine pronouns “female,” “woman/men,” “she,” and “her” are evident. The fact that these identifying terms include the non-dominant gender in their context demonstrates how the dominant gender influences society’s language. Distinct societal expectations for men and women influence how we express ourselves verbally. Inadequacy of subtlety and an air of superiority characterize many men’s speech patterns. The graph below shows that men who do not often utilize smileys or emoticons are more likely to do so when interacting with females. As a rule of thumb, men typically use approximately 21 smileys every 40 lines of text while conversing with a female, whereas females typically use about 35.
Mixed-Gender Conversations vs Same-Gender Conversations
https://web.stanford.edu/class/pwr3-25/group2/projects/chris/chris-4.html
Sexual orientation in ideology and thought, according to feminists, is helped forward by gendered language. For example, when we say something is “man-made” to suggest it was created artificially or by a machine or “mankind” to mean all of humanity, we use masculine pronouns in an all-encompassing sense. The social order based on gender is valued in this way. Using the pronouns “ladies” and “gentlemen” in a group context still presumes a binary gender system. When we talk about this very slightly, the notions already prevalent in society influence how we understand gender. Our thoughts and actions are indirectly reflected in our words. Our world is being shaped by this idea of gendered language and how it influences their view. When men and women talk, their speech patterns are different. Paralinguistic characteristics reveal this, such as nonverbal signals and other non-verbal components of spoken communication (Wardhaugh et al. 448). Women more commonly use Para linguistics than males, and women are more likely to participate in conversations actively. Women use color adjectives like lavender, periwinkle, mauve, etc., more often than males, and women are more likely to employ descriptive language overall.
Conclusion
Many elements, such as culture, environment, and personal preferences, impact language use, making it a dynamic and intricate part of communication. Gender stereotypes may lead people to speak in specific ways, but we must not lose sight of the incredible variety within each gender. Research shows that people change how they talk depending on their social circle, the purpose of their communication, and the context in which they speak. Both men and women use slang for different purposes, such as expressing oneself, making friends, or showing how casual something is. These reasons might shift with the seasons and do not belong to one gender. Never jump to conclusions or make oversimplified assumptions while discussing gender and language. Recognizing that people’s language use might vary to grasp communication patterns better is essential. In the end, although there could be some patterns, we must remember that language use is subjective and affected by many things other than gender.
In more official settings, like meetings, males speak more than women, while the opposite is true in more casual settings, like conversations. The effect of society determines how these basic linguistic behaviors about both sexes vary. As long as patriarchy is maintained, males will always have authority, even over women. Since women are considered less potent than males, their voice tends to be subdued and weak. They are easy to talk to, share with, and reassure. In contrast, males are more likely to provide answers, counsel, and even lectures to those who listen to them. This form of discourse permits gender inequality to persist and serves to entrench women’s subordinate position in society further.
Works Cited
Coates, Jennifer. Women, men, and language: A sociolinguistic account of gender differences in language. Routledge, 2015.
Holmes, Janet, and Nick Wilson. An introduction to sociolinguistics. Routledge, 2022. https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/mono/10.4324/9780367821852/introduction-sociolinguistics-janet-holmes-nick-wilson
Plouzennec, Mari-Anna. “Are Women More Polite Than Men? An Overview of Existing Literature.” (2022). https://semanticsarchive.net/Archive/Tc0YzYzO/8_Mari-Anna_FinalPaper%20-%20Mari-Anna%20Plouzennec.pdf
Wardhaugh, Katrin, and Jonathan Harrington. “The influence of Standard German on the vowels and diphthongs of West Central Bavarian.” Journal of the International Phonetic Association 53.2 (2023): 423–455. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-the-international-phonetic-association/article/influence-of-standard-german-on-the-vowels-and-diphthongs-of-west-central-bavarian/F10485A5AE7A19AB17A7DBDFFE676l;3A0
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