A Pragmatic Study Of Gender Differences In Language Use

The distinct characteristics of men and women in aspects ofphysiology and psychology have been generally acknowledged by peoplelong ago. Nevertheless, researches of the features and differences of menand women in terms of linguistics is a latecomer. The subject of genderdifferences in language has acquired some due achievements in bothsociolinguistics and psycholinguistics. However, this subject has notaroused enough attentions in pragmatics. Therefore, the thesis endeavorsto make an examination of the differences of men and women with a viewof pragmatics.This thesis analyzes gender differences which are represented inconversations in Modern Family in the light of theoretical achievementsin sphere of sociolinguistics and pragmatics. It explores differences ofmen’s and women’s language in obeying or flouting three principles ofpragmatics, Cooperative Principle of Grice, Politeness Principle of Leechand Face Theory of Brown and Levinson, in mixed-gendercommunications by means of qualitative methodology. The aim of theresearch is to assist people realize these gender differences in languageuse, minimizing misunderstandings between them in communications,acquiring properly understandings, judgment and comment on theopposite gender’s statements, reducing misinterpretations, achievingmore harmonious and successful communications.By elaborate examination of forty-two dialogues selected fromModern Family, the author infers there do have differences of men andwomen in obeying or offending the above three pragmatic principles. Specifically speaking, women are more cooperative. They employ theattitude of cooperation by offering adequate and related statements to theopposite side with an aim to promote successful communications andestablish harmonious relations, though they flout quality and mannermaxim occasionally due to politeness. While men are less cooperative,they often provide insufficient, unrelated responses to others’ speech.Thus the conversation cannot proceed smoothly or even discontinue. Interms of Politeness Principle (PP), women are liable to observe thisprinciple. They always employ questions, requests and euphemisticstatements to manifest their respect and politeness. Nevertheless, men areprone to employ imperatives, orders or even taboos. So they often violatePP. Moreover, in respect of Face Theory, men and women also havedivergences in adopting strategies of face. Women are usually concernedwith other people’s face demands, thus they seldom intimidate others’face. When they have to do it, females would employ face-savingstrategies, for instance, positive or negative politeness, reducing orcompensating the action of face intimidating. However, men always actFTAs openly and do not employ any redressive strategies.Furthermore, it is of significance to examine gender differences indialogues of Modern Family with a view of pragmatics. Thisinvestigation not only contributes to a thorough study of men’s andwomen’s language, but also extends the research scope in pragmatics. Onthe other hand, the thesis helps people get better interpretations ofdifferent communicative strategies employed by men and women. Andthe differentiations also provide some revelations in mixed-gendercommunications, thus, facilitating harmonious conversations betweenthem.