Deck 5: Gendered Verbal Communication

Question 1

Which of the following is true of masculine speech community members?

A) They tend to regard language as important for accomplishing instrumental tasks, gaining status, and maintaining control of the conversation.
B) Only men are masculine speech community members.
C) They do not think talking is important.
D) They are not as skilled at using language as members of female speech communities.
E) All of the above.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Research indicates that androgynous individuals tend to be less successful both personally and professionally.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

Identify the following:

-Tag question

Answer 3

Characteristic of feminine speech,a tag question is a component of tentative speech.Tag questions are attached to the end of a statement so as to invite another person to speak.For example,"That test was really hard,didn't you think so?"

Question 4

In general,feminine speech community members follow this/these communication practice(s):

A) Language is used to show one's status.
B) Communication is used as primary way to establish and maintain relationships.
C) Direct, abstract speech is used frequently.
D) Language tends to be used to accomplish an instrumental task.
E) Language is used to maintain control of the conversation.

Question 5

Women tend to interrupt others more than men.

Question 6

Research has shown people think male generic language includes men and women.

Question 7

Those who exhibit the feminine speech community tendency to speak in a tentative manner are displaying low self-confidence.

Question 8

Women who are effective public speakers tend to

A) Adopt a masculine style of speaking
B) Adopt a feminine style of speaking.
C) Adopt a style of speaking that balances masculine and feminine stylistic factors.
D) Adopt a style of speaking that is gender neutral; there are no masculine or feminine aspects to their style.
E) Women are almost never considered effective public speakers

Question 9

Identify the following:

-Spotlighting

Question 10

Identify the following:

-Speech community

Question 11

Misinterpretations between people who are socialized into masculine speech communities and people who are socialized into feminine speech communities occur around the issue of storytelling because

A) feminine speakers want a matching of experience and masculine speakers give advice
B) feminine speakers find masculine speaker's storytelling to be wandering and unfocused
C) feminine speakers think masculine speaker's storytelling misses important details
D) feminine speakers are trying to make a point and masculine speakers try to upstage them
E) all of the above

Question 12

"The semester is half over,isn't it?" exemplifies a ____.

A) verbal hedge
B) disclaimer
C) proxemic cue
D) polarizing question
E) tag question

Question 13

Identify the following:

-Polarized thinking

Question 14

Speakers socialized in a masculine speech community tend to use talk to gain and show status.

Question 15

The common belief that women are more talkative than men is supported by research.

Question 16

The majority of men and women favor a woman's taking her partner's last name.

Question 17

Masculine speech community members are less likely than feminine speech community members to want to talk about the "state of the relationship."

Question 18

The newspaper prints the headline,"Woman Selected to be Judge." This is an example of ____.

A) spotlighting
B) stereotyping
C) polarized thinking
D) verbal hedging
E) a tag question

Question 19

The extent to which we speak in a masculine or a feminine style varies depending on context and other factors.

Question 20

Identify the following:

-Gender-linked language effect

Question 21

Wood argues that language defines men and women differently.Explain the different ways men and women are defined and provide examples to support your claims.

Question 22

Identify the following:

-Matriarchal

Question 23

When home on break,you hear a friend use male-generic language.When you tell your friend it is sexist,your friend wants to know why.Based on what you have learned in this class,how might you explain to your friend that using such language is problematic?

Question 24

Compare and contrast the rules of communication that are promoted in games typically played by boys and games typically played by girls.Discuss the implications of these games for communication by adult women and men.

Question 25

One of the connections between language and gender identified in your textbook is that language allows self-reflection.What implications does this insight have for individuals' language use?

Question 26

There are several common communication problems that may occur when people from different gendered speech communities interact.List and describe 3 of them.

Question 27

Identify the following:

-Minimal response cues

Question 28

Identify the following:

-Male generic language

Question 29

Your friend Marcie tells you that she is frustrated with her boyfriend.She says,"Lucas never wants to talk about us¾really he doesn't want to talk about anything! His idea of a great time together is going to a basketball game.Honestly,why doesn't he realize that talk is the basis of a relationship?" Given what you know about speech communities and models of closeness,how might you respond to Marcie about her assumptions and alternatives she might make instead? Be sure to use specific terms and material from class.