Recording a conversation, sounds easy. Apparently not.
Women's Language is a hot topic, and I decided to do some research for my coursework, record a conversation between men and women and then women on their own. I did have a few problems arise in this simple sounding task. First of all, who am I going to record? are they going to co-operate or am I going to have to bribe them? It may be easy to talk with your friends, but apparently it becomes different if you want to get the conversation on tape.
After collecting all my guinea pigs, I could finally start getting something done. I asked them to decide on a topic for conversation, this in itself was a debate! Half a hour of discussion about trying to pick a suitable topic, I managed to switch on the recording. Then we had to stop again. We hadn't had a toilet break, you'd think I was trying to record a group of 5 year old! After milk and cookies we began to work. Ten minutes of conversation went by, I left my phone on the settee and beckoned the men to follow me, leaving the women deep in conversation. Safely in the kitchen, the boys carried on their own conversation and I went back to my investigation, and into a completely new topic! A few more minutes went past, another topic came up. It was hard to see how they had managed to go from one to the other but it just seemed to flow. After the ten minutes of women's chat had done I said it was time to stop, they seemed to have other ideas and carried on chatting, i didn't mind, I had my research.
I went to listen to the conversations I had recorded. I couldn't hear a thing! Great, now i gotta do it all again!
Friday, November 5, 2010
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Anti-Language
A range of different people use anti-Language; Heads 'Canting Academy' explores the words that criminals would use in 1673. Some of these words are still used today buy many people, for example swag and shoplift were words created by the criminals which have seem to stuck.
Leet is used in a similar way, but also differently. The criminals used actual language and words that could be said but still not understood by anyone that was not supposed to understand. Leet, on the other hand was not words but code which was used generally by computer hackers, some of leet has also become part of everyday life as 'txt' talk appears to be derived from leet, e.g. L8r both leet and 'txt' talk use both letters and numbers but the way they are spoken is the same as the normal word that is understood by everyone.
The term anti-language is a good description of ‘Canting’ because although it is using language, it is trying to stop people from understanding it’s meaning, which is the fundamental point of language.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Is it really gender that makes the difference?
In 1975 Robin Lakoff created the Women’s language hypothesis saying women used language in a way that made the women sound weak and unsure of herself. That may have been then but what is language like today and is Lakoff’s hypothesis true?
It is still a hot debate in whether or not men and women speak the same, there are many language features that are used differently by the two genders which are obvious in day to day life. For example the use of questions in conversation would appear to be purely to gain information, this may be true in the case of men but women tend to ask a question to try and create a reason to carry on talking. Another feature would be topics of conversation, if you sit back and listen to the conversation of two groups of either all male or all female you may notice that the all male group will tend to change topics rapidly, spending only a short time on one topic and getting straight to the point of what it is that they want to say. On the other hand women tend to build on one topic for a while and slowly merge two topics so that it is more of a gradual shift between the topics, this often helps to keep the conversation going for longer. This would also explain the reason why men tend to meet in the street and spend just a few minutes talking whereas women tend to stand in the way of everybody and natter for a good few hours, often at the expense of the fidgeting children running around in circles.
There is also a theory that is called ‘Dominance’ This was researched by two men named O’barr and Atkins. Their theory was that the difference in language was not between the two genders but between the people who had power and those who were powerless. They say that the reason Lakoff made the claims that she did were because in her times of research women were often the ones who were powerless in their status as they were not allowed to have the same jobs or pay as the men, it was not until Lakoff’s work was published that the law stated that women and men should have equality. They further researched their own theory and saw that language is different between people for a variety of reasons, not just their gender or status but also; social class, wealth, ethnicity, occupation, expertise and individual personalities. One section of research that supports this idea is that when men are put under pressure by people with more power then them, they often use aspects that are related to women’s language, which can be amusing if you put it to the test yourself. This seems to be accurate at times in mixed conversation but people from completely different walks of life, can still speak the same and interpret things in a similar way. This could be a coincidence but it still encourages me to doubt that it is not gender that causes the main differences.
Jennifer Coates said that men and women have two different styles of talking; men are competitive in their language whereas women are co-operative. This would often cause a clash resulting in women becoming resentful to the men causing men to sleep on the sofa. This theory is more specific to the different language features that are used, such as self disclosure which is seen in everyday life as the women like to say things such as ‘Let’s talk’, this is a hint for the man that she wishes to talk about her feelings and that she wants his sympathy in what she has to say. He on the other hand see’s it as a request for a solution to the problems and seems to refuse to talk about any of his own problems, which is often to the dismay of the women. Another feature which is often at the root cause of a good few arguments would be the verbal aggressiveness that the two genders tend to use, men are often very loud and aggressive in all male groups which can often overspill into mixed conversation. Men tend to shout and use name calling, threats and insults over trivial matters which they see as fun in their groups. Women tend to avoid displays of aggressiveness because they see them as a personal ‘dig’. You can see how the arguments arise. This could be the theory behind the jokes of Women/ Men say, Women/Men mean. This theory seems to be the one that the most people are able to relate to in day to day life and in the majority of situations, at home at work or anywhere else.
Personally I believe that it is not simply gender or power or anything else that causes us to believe that the genders talk differently, I think that it is a mixture of everything as well as the way that we are taught from a young age. Little girls are often taught how to speak proper English and to be polite, little boys are taught to run around, say what they like as long as somebody is listening. Child Language theorist Skinner seems to sum the debate up rather well. It is a cross between human nature and nurture which dictates the way in which we use language and it is reinforced as we grow up.
To answer my own question, no. I don’t think that Lakoff’s hypothesis is accurate. I think that certain aspects are true at times such as the features that women tend to use more but I think that her conclusion of the causes of these aspects are far from true. I don’t think that anybody anytime soon is going to be able to finish the debate about men and women’s language and whether it is gender or any other reason that we talk slightly differently.
It is still a hot debate in whether or not men and women speak the same, there are many language features that are used differently by the two genders which are obvious in day to day life. For example the use of questions in conversation would appear to be purely to gain information, this may be true in the case of men but women tend to ask a question to try and create a reason to carry on talking. Another feature would be topics of conversation, if you sit back and listen to the conversation of two groups of either all male or all female you may notice that the all male group will tend to change topics rapidly, spending only a short time on one topic and getting straight to the point of what it is that they want to say. On the other hand women tend to build on one topic for a while and slowly merge two topics so that it is more of a gradual shift between the topics, this often helps to keep the conversation going for longer. This would also explain the reason why men tend to meet in the street and spend just a few minutes talking whereas women tend to stand in the way of everybody and natter for a good few hours, often at the expense of the fidgeting children running around in circles.
There is also a theory that is called ‘Dominance’ This was researched by two men named O’barr and Atkins. Their theory was that the difference in language was not between the two genders but between the people who had power and those who were powerless. They say that the reason Lakoff made the claims that she did were because in her times of research women were often the ones who were powerless in their status as they were not allowed to have the same jobs or pay as the men, it was not until Lakoff’s work was published that the law stated that women and men should have equality. They further researched their own theory and saw that language is different between people for a variety of reasons, not just their gender or status but also; social class, wealth, ethnicity, occupation, expertise and individual personalities. One section of research that supports this idea is that when men are put under pressure by people with more power then them, they often use aspects that are related to women’s language, which can be amusing if you put it to the test yourself. This seems to be accurate at times in mixed conversation but people from completely different walks of life, can still speak the same and interpret things in a similar way. This could be a coincidence but it still encourages me to doubt that it is not gender that causes the main differences.
Jennifer Coates said that men and women have two different styles of talking; men are competitive in their language whereas women are co-operative. This would often cause a clash resulting in women becoming resentful to the men causing men to sleep on the sofa. This theory is more specific to the different language features that are used, such as self disclosure which is seen in everyday life as the women like to say things such as ‘Let’s talk’, this is a hint for the man that she wishes to talk about her feelings and that she wants his sympathy in what she has to say. He on the other hand see’s it as a request for a solution to the problems and seems to refuse to talk about any of his own problems, which is often to the dismay of the women. Another feature which is often at the root cause of a good few arguments would be the verbal aggressiveness that the two genders tend to use, men are often very loud and aggressive in all male groups which can often overspill into mixed conversation. Men tend to shout and use name calling, threats and insults over trivial matters which they see as fun in their groups. Women tend to avoid displays of aggressiveness because they see them as a personal ‘dig’. You can see how the arguments arise. This could be the theory behind the jokes of Women/ Men say, Women/Men mean. This theory seems to be the one that the most people are able to relate to in day to day life and in the majority of situations, at home at work or anywhere else.
Personally I believe that it is not simply gender or power or anything else that causes us to believe that the genders talk differently, I think that it is a mixture of everything as well as the way that we are taught from a young age. Little girls are often taught how to speak proper English and to be polite, little boys are taught to run around, say what they like as long as somebody is listening. Child Language theorist Skinner seems to sum the debate up rather well. It is a cross between human nature and nurture which dictates the way in which we use language and it is reinforced as we grow up.
To answer my own question, no. I don’t think that Lakoff’s hypothesis is accurate. I think that certain aspects are true at times such as the features that women tend to use more but I think that her conclusion of the causes of these aspects are far from true. I don’t think that anybody anytime soon is going to be able to finish the debate about men and women’s language and whether it is gender or any other reason that we talk slightly differently.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Should swearing be banned in schools?
Swearing is almost everywhere, on television, on the streets, in the home but now schools want swearing to be banned to a zero tolerance level, even within the playground and corridors. There are many different views on this, in my research it shows that the older generation back this bid all the way because they believe that swearing is not acceptable and that they didn’t have it at school so why should children now? Are they just living in the past? With the new social acceptance of swearing, many kids now know plenty of words in which they could use, many just choose not to but do like the option there for many reasons. Why should schools have the ability to make decisions on behalf of the children? Many students of secondary schools believe that they should be able to use their language in which ever way they choose and that they should be trusted enough to be responsible about the use of their language. They also argue that bringing in a strong ban without consulting the students may cause tension and rebellion within the school, which in turn could result in the use of swearing increasing, because the tolerance is decreasing. Swearing is also seen as a way for uneducated people to express themselves, many people who are educated still use swearing, just at appropriate times such as when they’re at home and stump their toe on the fridge!
Other research also shows that the number of swear words that we would actually class as a swear word are diminishing, this would be a result of society become acceptant of the type of language, David Crystal says that words that were once offensive such as ‘Heck’ is now hardly used but has been replaced by stronger words with much more meaning such as ‘F**k’ He also says that in some places, they are famous for their imaginative swearing expressions, this implies that not only this country which is becoming immune to swearing, but many across the world.
It seems that from my research different people have a different view, such as the difference of gender, many of the people asked that said no to the question were males, this may be because men now do not always use swearing offensively but more for recreational use to reinforce their masculinity. Women on the other hand said that it should be banned to protect the young children from being exposed to swearing before they can understand the complicity of the subject, and also before they are able to understand what it is the words mean.
Personally I think that the swearing ban should be available in primary schools, but I don’t think that primary school children would generally use offensive words, hopefully they don’t know any! By the age of 11, secondary school starting age I think that the children are able to understand about swear words and the effect they have on certain people and then choose for themselves whether or not they wish to use these words and when they should use them and when it is not acceptable.
Friday, July 9, 2010
Evolution: Go with the flow or live in the past??
100 years ago things were different and now we've changed but should we embrace this or reject it?
The Queens English society reckons that we should have a English academy to stop the language changing. Many people think it won't make any difference.
The French, Italian and Spanish have their own type of Language academy but then again you can quite happily go to these countries and find someone who speaks English anyway, so the point in keeping the countries language safe is useless because so many people are using our language.
New words are coming into the language from many different places, text speak, other languages an new technology. Creating an Academy of English will try to stop of these new developments within the language which most of us have come to be used to.
There are some people who say that rather than trying to control the way we speak, let us choose our own way and teach our children how people can use the same language in different ways. The new technology which is so well know by our next generation is encouraging them to create new words for things the couldn’t otherwise describe such as ‘defriend’ (a way of breaking up a friendship)
Children and teenagers have also been hugely influenced by the media who themselves have created different new words which can be used such as ‘emo’ but then again people that are supposed to be protectors of the law are definitely not protecting the language as police created the word ‘chav’ which is now in the oxford dictionary.
The academy would be in charge of our dictionaries, our rules and regulations, telling people what to say and how to say it, what ever happened to free speech? The rules and regulations that say we are allowed to express ourselves in any which way we like (as long as we don't offend anyone)
When was the last time you sat on a bus or a train and saw someone reading the English dictionary like you would a novel? They want us to waste extra taxpayer’s money to allow someone to create a new type of dictionary which would apparently revolution the way we speak. It really wouldn't, we only use the dictionary if we can't spell something or don't know what something else means.
They also say it will stop new words, that aren't officially English being used but what about the people that have created their own type of English such as Hinglish. People will never be allowed or able to control the way everybody uses their own language.
A self confessed pedant, Oliver Kamm said: “What a great idea — put all the pedants in one room so that they can argue with each other till the cows come home, and leave the rest of us to get on with actually using the language.”
Change of anything is inevitable, those who try and live in the past and reject the new words and way of language will be left behind and will soon not be able to describe things in the same way as others. Standard English will never be forgotten but it will be tweaked and changed in slight ways over time and what we know as proper English will change.
The Queens English society reckons that we should have a English academy to stop the language changing. Many people think it won't make any difference.
The French, Italian and Spanish have their own type of Language academy but then again you can quite happily go to these countries and find someone who speaks English anyway, so the point in keeping the countries language safe is useless because so many people are using our language.
New words are coming into the language from many different places, text speak, other languages an new technology. Creating an Academy of English will try to stop of these new developments within the language which most of us have come to be used to.
There are some people who say that rather than trying to control the way we speak, let us choose our own way and teach our children how people can use the same language in different ways. The new technology which is so well know by our next generation is encouraging them to create new words for things the couldn’t otherwise describe such as ‘defriend’ (a way of breaking up a friendship)
Children and teenagers have also been hugely influenced by the media who themselves have created different new words which can be used such as ‘emo’ but then again people that are supposed to be protectors of the law are definitely not protecting the language as police created the word ‘chav’ which is now in the oxford dictionary.
The academy would be in charge of our dictionaries, our rules and regulations, telling people what to say and how to say it, what ever happened to free speech? The rules and regulations that say we are allowed to express ourselves in any which way we like (as long as we don't offend anyone)
When was the last time you sat on a bus or a train and saw someone reading the English dictionary like you would a novel? They want us to waste extra taxpayer’s money to allow someone to create a new type of dictionary which would apparently revolution the way we speak. It really wouldn't, we only use the dictionary if we can't spell something or don't know what something else means.
They also say it will stop new words, that aren't officially English being used but what about the people that have created their own type of English such as Hinglish. People will never be allowed or able to control the way everybody uses their own language.
A self confessed pedant, Oliver Kamm said: “What a great idea — put all the pedants in one room so that they can argue with each other till the cows come home, and leave the rest of us to get on with actually using the language.”
Change of anything is inevitable, those who try and live in the past and reject the new words and way of language will be left behind and will soon not be able to describe things in the same way as others. Standard English will never be forgotten but it will be tweaked and changed in slight ways over time and what we know as proper English will change.
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