Language Variation in Relation to Gender as A Social Factor.
Abstract
This research is designed to examine language variation in relation to gender as a social factor, the thrust of this study is a sociolinguistic analysis of gender on language use.
The research through its data that encompasses various languages has proved beyond every doubt the existence of gender variation in language use.
Table Of Contents
TITLE PAGE i
APPROVAL PAGE ii
DEDICATION iii
AKNOWLEDGEMENT iv
TABLE OF CONTENT v
ABSTRACT vi
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION AND GENERAL BACKGROUND
1.1 Introduction 1
- Background of the Study 2
- Objective of the Study 4
- Significance of the Study 4
- Scope and Limitation of the Study 5
- Definition of Terms 5
CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
- Introduction 7
- Language and Gender 9
- Theories on Gender in Language Use 11
- Some Characteristics OF Male and Female Speech 11
- Differences in Male and Female Speech 17
CHAPTER THREE: DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
- Introduction 21
- Methodology 21
- Data Presentation and Analysis 22
CHAPTER FOUR: SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
- Introduction 31
- Summary of Findings 31
- Conclusion 32
Reference 34
Introduction
Background Of Study
Language is a purely human and non-instinctive method of communicating ideas, emotions and desires by means of a system of voluntary produced symbols (Sapir, 1921:8).
David crystal, (1989:252) further affirms that language is referred to as human a vocal noise or the graphic representation of this noise in writing used systematically and conventionally by a community for purpose of communication.
Generally speaking language is a basic tool of socio-cultural communication; it specifically deals with the human capacity for using and acquiring complex systems of communication (Bloomfield 1914).
Language and gender is an area of study within socio-linguistics, applied linguistics and related fields that investigate varieties of speech associated
with a particular gender of social norms. A variety of speech or sociolect associated with a particular gender is sometimes called “genderlect” (Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia).
Language and gender basically explores two basic issues which are the representations of gender in language and the conversational characteristics of men and women.
References
Bloomfield, L. (1914). An Introduction to the Study of Language. New York: Holt
Buffery, A. W. and Gray, J. A. (1972). ‘‘Sex differences in the development of spatial and linguistic skills’’ in C. Ounsted and D. C. Taylor (eds.) Gender Differences: Their Ontogeny and Significance, p. 123-158. London: Churchill Livingstone.
Coates, J. (1993). Women, Men and Language. England: Longman Group Limited.
Coulmas, F. (1997). The Handbook of Sociolinguistics. Oxford: Oxford University Press
Crystal, D. (1989). A Dictionary of Linguistics and Phonetics. U.K.: Basil Blackwell