Language in society Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Language in society - Assignment ExampleGender stereotypes are basic generalizations about the gender attributes, variations and the roles of individuals or groups. Gender stereotypes scum bag be both positive and negative, perpetuated when people automatically apply assumptions based on gender to others in disregard of evidence to the contrary.Looking at the linguistic style of both women and men across languages we will identify many specific differences. Gender stereotypes can be identified in the use of language in diverse contexts. Historically, Language forms may maintain old attitudes which portray men as morally, intellectually, spiritually or absolutely superior to women. Men and women are socially diverse in that society places special social roles for them, expecting different patterns of behavior (Trudgill, 1992). This may cause offence in todays society, so we interpret these forms as appropriate for change. For example, terms such as men, man or mankind depict male a s the norm-the term for the species or people in general is identical to that referring to one sex only. It had been so different three years ago, the night shed met Stefan de Vaux. Thered been a party. Bella always threw a party when shed sold a picture because poverty, shed explained, was a great inspiration. Shed been wearing a brilliant blue caftan, her fair hair twisted on the top of her head, the severity of it accenting her gamy cheekbones, the little jade Buddha gleaming on its silver bowed stringed instrument round her neck. Claire, pale from England and the illness that had allowed her to come to Tangier to recuperate, had been passed from guest to guest - Ah, youre Bellas cousin - resembling a plate of canapes, she thought ruefully, attractive but unexciting. Until Stefan de Vaux had taken her out onto the balcony and kissed her. Well? hed said softly, in his lightly accented voice, letting her go at last, and she had just stood there, staring at him, at his lean, outr ageously free face, his laughing mouth, amber brown eyes. Angry? Pleased? Shocked? And shed blushed furiously, feeling all three. This term can be analyzed to reveal whether men and women speak differently, and to explore the nature of masculinity and femininity and their association to ideologies conveyed in language. Women supposedly speak in emphatic language that includes the use of italics. For example, the speaker in the article uses the words so different or ruefully to create emphasis in her speech. enforce of redundant qualifiers, also linked to womens language is evident in the phrases attractive but unexciting, lightly accented voice, outrageously handsome face and amber brown eyes. The speaker employs the use of direct quotation when she talks of Ah, youre Bellas cousin, Angry? Pleased? Shocked? and Well? in her description of the conversations between characters. Use of special lexis of color can be identified in the phrases a brilliant blue caftan and silver chain. Women use questions more often in speech as a rhetorical means of engaging the other partners conversational portion or of getting attention from others conversationally. This can be spotted in the article where the speaker asks the