15. Men and Women Use Language Differently

Have the media changed the conversational styles of men and women? Justify your answer.

I don't believe the media has actually changed, so much as its added to the styles. Both men and women now seem to find challenges against eachother and voice such an oppinoin and often it's merely the men's voice that carry more, not that they are simply more talkative.

What did Tannen find when she studied the conversational styles of boys and girls?

She found that boys centeraled their friendship around physical activities while girls centered theirs on who they trusted to tell their secrets to. She found our classrooms tend to use Walter Ong's "ritual opposition" in which the children "compete" for attention. She said girls are disadvantaged because boys are raised with "adversativeness" and thus are more assertive than girls.

Charles Winick, a sociologist, has suggested that there is "desexualization" going on in America- that men are getting weaker and women stronger. Do you think he's right? If so, why might this be the case?

I think he's wrong. I believe men are not getting weaker, but women are getting stronger. Instead, there is more of an evening of the playing field. Women are learning now to better assert themselves so the men may feel like their getting weaker, but in reality they are not.

What implications does Tannen's research have for education in general, and teaching in particular?

In general, apparently same sex classes actually benefit the students. Apparently women who go to all girls schools do better later in life.