Gender Differences In Computer-Mediated Communication

With the development of network, computer as a communication medium has attracted users of all over the world because of its convenience and efficiency. The linguistic phenomena resulted from this process has started to draw attentions of many sociologists and linguists. It is different from face-to-face communication, letters communication and telephone communication. This study focuses on gender differences in Computer-mediated Communication and explores the reasons that cause the gender differences. Former researches on gender issues are mainly concerned with communicative styles adopted by men and women in face-to-face communication. There are not many researches conducted in this field in the computerized environment. The present dissertation endeavors to expand the previous gender-linked linguistic study to the new communicative channel.In order to compare gender difference in Computer-mediated Communication, the data in the thesis is collected from the chatting records of men and women in MSN Messenger. This thesis is based on Lakoff's (1975) hypothesis in gender differences and the characteristics of Internet language. In the study topic choice, emoticons, greeting, hedges/fillers, tag questions, intensifier, and amount of talks are analyzed to compare the linguistic patterns of males and females in MSN Messenger. The research demonstrated that there are many differences between men and women in these aspects. Males pay more attention to cars, computer and sports, while girls care much about their personal feelings. While talking girls are indirect and tactful while boys are direct, full of competitiveness and challenge. The result of the study indicates that males'and females'linguistic patterns are distinct in many ways.Finally the article indicated that the changing of the channel of communication can not change people's inherent gender pattern, including its language use. On one hand some of the established theories on gender styles still apply and even exaggerated in the virtual environment. On the other hand, they grew their own characteristics. It is also the author's hope that these implications will be of some help to the followed authorities venturing on the Computer-mediated Communication, conducting experiments and asserting new theories.