Gender differences in English syntax / Britta Mondorf.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Mondorf, Britta.

Series:

Linguistische Arbeiten (Max Niemeyer Verlag) ; 491.

Linguistische Arbeiten, 0344-6727 ; 491

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

English language--Gender.

English language.

English language--Syntax.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (220 p.)

Edition:

Reprint 2011

Place of Publication:

Tübingen : Max Niemeyer Verlag, 2004.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

What factors govern women's and men's use of syntactic alternatives? This is the central issue explored in the present volume, which provides the most comprehensive account so far of gender differences in syntax. By drawing on the theoretical frameworks of functional grammar (cf. Givón 1984, 1990), cognitive semantics and pragmatics, the book is able to show that the underlying characteristic of syntactic constructions that are sensitive to gender lies in their ability to encode epistemic meaning. Paying due attention to the closely intertwined relation between gender and a range of internal and external determinants, the present volume shows how apparently contradictory results in previous research can be reconciled. The internal and external factors investigated are: semantic type, position, intonation, pragmatic function - style, power, surreptitiousness, group composition. The Labovian 'Vanguard of Change' and 'Linguistic Conformity of Women' Principles (Labov 2001) are supplemented by an 'Epistemic Modality Principle' (stating that women are more prolific users of epistemic downtoners than men) and a 'Turn-Allocation Principle' (assessing that women use more completion signals than men in the negotiation of floor-apportionment). These principles are crucial in paving the ground for an explanation of gender differences in language. This volume is essential reading for those interested in language and gender and in how functionalism can be brought to bear in illuminating language structure and use.

Contents:

Front matter

1. Introduction

2. Theoretical Preliminaries and Hypotheses

3. Methodology

4. Syntactic Variation According to Sex: Tag Questions

5. Syntactic Variation According to Sex: Finite Adverbial Clauses

6. External Determinants Co-Extensive with Sex

7. Explaining the Findings: Why Women and Men Talk Differently

8. Conclusion

References

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN:

9783110943375

3110943379

OCLC:

979736196