Abstract: the study of gender differences in language has always been a focus of social linguistics. Causes of gender differences in language mainly include the reason of social division of labor, social prejudice, psychological and physiological aspects. Gender language differences in pronunciation and intonation, lexical and syntactic choices and speech style. This paper forms and causes of gender differences in language as a simple introduction.

關鍵詞：性別 語言差異 表現 成因

Keywords: gender language differences cause

1.國內外性別語言研究概況

 1 Domestic and foreign language and gender studies

1.1國外研究概況

A survey of 1.1 foreign research

語言是社會的一面鏡子,是對社會傳統、風俗習慣以及文化意識的真實反映,隨著社會語言學及社會心理語言學等學科研究的深入發展,語言與性別的研究應運而生。語言學界對性別因素的研究以二十世紀六十年代為界,劃分為兩大階段: 零散研究時期(二十世紀六年代以前)和系統研究時期(二十世紀六十年代起至今)(趙蓉暉,2003)。人類關于語言與性別的研究至少可以追溯到1664(Jespersen,1922)。1922年, 葉斯帕森在《語言:本質、發展及起源》中專辟一章介紹了女性語言的諸種表現及特點。此后,語言與性別的研究逐漸成為人類學和社會學普遍關注的一個話題。然而,這一時期對于語言中性別因素的研究還是零散的,直到二十世紀六十年代以后,語言與性別作為一個獨立的語言學問題受到語言學家的關注。二十世紀六七十年代,西方社會轟轟烈烈的女權運動的影響進一步推動了語言與性別研究的發展,這一時期出現了一批著名的語言學家,如Lakoff, Trudgill, Zimmerman, West等。

Language is a mirror of society, is the social traditions, customs and cultural consciousness reflects, with the development of society, social linguistics and psychological linguistics, the study of language and gender emerge as the times require. Study on gender factors in Linguistics for the sector in twentieth Century sixty years, divided into two stages: the scattered research period (before twentieth Century six's) and system research period (Twentieth Century sixty years to date) (Zhao Ronghui, 2003). Research on language and gender of the mankind can be traced back to at least 1664 (Jespersen, 1922). In 1922, Jesperson in the "language: nature, development and origin of" devoted a chapter introduced the performance and characteristics of female language. Since then, the study of language and gender has become a topic of concern and social anthropology. However, this period of study for the language of gender factors is still fragmented, until twentieth Century, sixty years later, language and gender as an independent linguistic problems linguists attention. In twentieth Century sixty or seventy, the influence of Western society with vigour and vitality of the feminist movement in promoting the further development of the study of language and gender, this period there have been a number of famous linguists, such as Lakoff, Trudgill, Zimmerman, West etc..#p#分頁標題#e#

Jespersen 是最早注意語言性別差異的語言學家之一,其《語言》(1922)一書中的整整一章都用來描述女性語言與男性語言的不同之處,吸引了語言學界對此話題的注意。20世紀60 - 70 年代的女權運動,更激發了研究者對語言與性別關系的興趣。在此背景下,Lakoff 出版《語言與婦女的地位》(1975)一書,語言與性別差異從此成為社會語言學的一個重要研究內容。Lakoff (1975)從話語層面描述了美國文化中“女性用語”(women’s language) 的幾個主要特征,并從女性社會地位的角度加以解釋。根據Lakoff的觀察,美國女性在詞語上好用弱化語(hedge)、強勢語(booster)、弱式咒罵語(expletive) 等,句法上多用附加問句和過分禮貌、正確的形式,語音上在陳述句后常用升調,等等。Lakoff(ibid.: 57 - 9 , 61)認為,女性的話語因而帶上不肯定、弱勢(powerless)的特點,這種話語風格是社會對女性的要求,同時又使女性處于從屬的社會地位。自該書出版以來, Lakoff 因其非實證性的研究方法、語言形式與功能之間的簡單對應以及對女性用語的解釋顧在問題等缺陷而不斷為人詬病( 如Cameron et al 1989 等)。盡管如此,誰也無法否認Lakoff的巨大影響,她從話語層面進行考察的視角,所描述的女性用語特點,以及提出的性別在話語中的權勢(power)和差異問題等,都左右了隨后語言與性別關系研究的方向和重點。

Jespersen is one of the earliest linguists pay attention to gender differences in language, the "language" (1922) a Book of an entire chapter to describe the differences between male female language and language, this topic attracted linguists attention. Twentieth Century 60 - 70 years of feminism, the more excited researchers on the relationship between language and gender interest. In this context, Lakoff published "language and woman's place" (1975) a book, language and gender has become an important research content of social linguistics. Lakoff (1975) from the aspect of words describe "female language America culture" (Women 's language) the main characteristics of the few, and explains it from the perspective of female social status. According to Lakoff observation, America women in words with weakening language (hedge), strong language (booster), weak expletives (expletive), syntax with additional questions and overly polite, correct form, the voice at the statement after rising, etc.. Lakoff (ibid.: 57 - 9, 61), female discourse and take not sure, weak (powerless) characteristics, this discourse style is the social demands for women, and women in a subordinate position in society. Since the publication of the book, Lakoff for simple correspondence between the non research method, empirical language form and function and interpretation of feminine terms Gu in defects and constantly criticized (such as Cameron et al 1989). Even so, who can deny the great impact of Lakoff, she was investigated from the perspective of discourse, female language features are described, and the power of sex in utterance (power) and differences, all about the direction and focus of the relationship between language and gender studies.#p#分頁標題#e#

1.2 domestic research situation

The research on this topic in China began in the last century seventy's early eighty's, later than the western. The initial research results are related to English translation and introduction of gender discrimination and gender difference problem. From the beginning of the eighty's, the scholars of our country started relatively independent on gender language issues and puts forward some relevant research. Overall, the study of language and gender mainly covers some aspects as follows: from the appearance of the pronunciation and intonation, lexical choice, syntactic differences of choice, to the deep-rooted sexism in language, social gender differences in language use, and the relationship between male and female gender differences in verbal communication, sex factors in language use influence on. These studies open the language of the new field of study, has a very important practical significance to social development and human progress.
2 forms of gender language

2.1 speech, intonation

Women generally to intonation, pronunciation is correct or not maintained a high level of sensitivity, they are more likely to use standard, authoritative manner of articulation, on their own in this requirement is also significantly higher than men. Generally speaking, women talk more with a rising intonation, intonation, and expressive. While men talk more with falling tone, the tone changes less. Secondly, the female intonation pattern is hesitant, weak and feeble, high pitched, expressive. While the male pattern is not stable, strong, expressive, sometimes almost monotone. Americans speak English, men and women of different characteristics of vowels. Before the vowel, female than male tongue before back vowels are produced by women than men, and the tongue on the. High vowel, the female tongue position than men high low vowel, female than male tongue position low.
2.2 vocabulary

Women tend to use euphemism or circuitous words to replace some of them feel inconvenient. For example:

I have to go powder my nose. I have to go powder my nose. instead of  I need to use the Ttoilet

In daily life, men with strong expletives (strong expletives), and sometimes even cuss words. Such as shit, hell, damn, and women with weak expletives (weak expletives), such as goodness, dear me, my God, rarely use cuss words. In addition, female language is often with rich in color; women also commonly used overlapping syllable words, and these words men generally is not. Another point worth noting is: women love reflect the female character words, these words often with envy, admiration, charming color, such as beautiful, charming, cute, pretty, sweet etc.. In contrast, men like to reflect the male character words. In western society, that men should talk "masculinity", and spoke to the woman was "like a lady. For example, when men praised words: Man: great (excellent), terrific (great), cool (excellent), neat (beautiful); women: Adorable (lovely), charming (attractive), sweet (sweet), lovely (lovely). In English, that some color words is women's special, such as beige (Beige), lavender (Lavender), manve (purple). Men often deliberately avoided use is considered women's use of words. However, this also vary with different cultural traditions. For example, the British upper class women tend to use words, but in USA, only certain professor and priest class just to talk by the British standard. In the mastery of color words, women occupy obvious advantages. This difference may be caused by cultural factors. For example, women are more concerned about the fashion, more sensitive to color.#p#分頁標題#e#
2.3 syntax.
The grammatical structure, gender language is mainly manifested in three aspects: first, the use of modal structure more women, namely modal verbs can, could, shall, should, W, ill, would, may, might and other auxiliary verbs have, be, reflected the women of what is happening around tone uncertain. Men are usually only a few said sure, or has the authority, command word. Second women more than men, disjunctive questions (tag question). In contrast, men use the declarative question or omit special questions. For example, "the show is very exciting, right?" the man seldom use tag questions tend to indicate that they use the language confidence and strength; and women use more tag questions tend to show them on the uncertainty of language. Tag questions as speaker avoid mistakes provides a means for the speaker, to avoid conflict with each other and provides ways of. The tag question is often expressed in the speaker himself also not sure things, and may even than the speaker's views, she said is likely to expect that. The third men than women generally use the imperative sentence, they generally use direct simple, order forms, such as:
Pass me a cup of tea!
While women are usually directly roundabout. Such as:
Would you pass me a cup of tea!
2.4 language style.
In the traditional society with men in the society occupies the dominant position, while women in a subordinate position, this is what makes them different in topic control, conversation content conversion, language and color. Men usually have a strong desire to control the topic, always hope to use their own likes and dislikes about the conversation, interrupt more times. Language experts call this verbal communication style of men and women were called "strong style" (powerful style) and "weak style" (powerless style).
3 reasons
The main causes of gender language can be divided into two aspects: one is the social factor, the two is the physiological factors.
3.1 social factors
3.1.1 education level
Any country in the world for both men and women have different standards of education. In China, women had been parents education to have female temperament, has the feminine beauty, to shun, obey, comply with social norms. Men always told to a manly, masculine, be good at and the courage to challenge, to become the master of fate. So, using more men imperative, declarative sentences in language, which embodies the Wei male education advocated in life
Yan and decisive for women, the use of interrogative sentences always encouraged in the development process of female language, because it is the female education advocated modest.
3.1.2 social status

Many linguists also called it "social role" or "social norms". "Social status" as the name implies, refers to both men and women in the social position. In the feudal society, as an understanding wife and loving mother is the traditional role of women. Men are on the road every day, busy. So my father usually regarded as a pillar of the family and economic sources, mean what one says he is at home. My fat. My father often talk in control of the conversation, as he spoke, must not be allowed to be inserted, interrupted, or it will not respect the invasion, on his right status, thus his father's unusual position. Men in the community of active so that they have great experience, in the language must be free, open. But women stay at home Aio Noriko, will inevitably lead to her language, conservative occlusion. Has been "women inside, male master" is the best description of this phenomenon. In modern society, although the "woman" has been very common, but women played the role as an understanding wife and loving mother with her as in the past, which limits her speech act can not go beyond this category, not only to give the child the tree example, but also to her husband when the wife. In order not to disappoint society on their "expectations", standardize the wife's speech, behavior must comply with the "social standard".#p#分頁標題#e#
3.1.3 gender discrimination
Men and women of different social status behind permeated with a social standard, namely speech and deportment of men and women have different expectations, the so-called gender discrimination. With the development of the feminist movement, women's status has improved, but the community has always been tainted glasses to see women wearing. With humor, people often say that men and women humor is different. We acknowledge that they are different, but why do we have different think man's sense of humor to the woman, what effect do the same sense of humor in a man is the embodiment of the cheerful, optimistic, free and easy, while in women, people will think she vulgar debauchery, no talk shows, the brand has been deeply marked by gender discrimination of women talk.
3.2 physiological reason
Cause obviously physiological causes of gender language differences. Male and female vocal organs, female vocal cord was short and thin. In addition, there are individual differences between men and women of the two hemispheres of the brain language function.
4 Conclusion
Gender language is a very complex issue, which involves sociology, linguistics, cultural anthropology, feminist studies and other related disciplines. Since the ninety's of last century to the early of twenty-first Century, because of the global integration tide impact, gender language research into a very active development period, showing a trend of diversification, dynamic, microcosmic and localization. Research on the development and change of the foreign language and gender has brought new challenges for the domestic development of the theory research and the feminist academic, research on gender language this challenge also motivate us to construct Chinese characteristics.
Reference.
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