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Reconceptualizing Gender in Language Use in Sex and the City

Advisors: Dr. Kai-ling Liu & Dr. Raung-fu Chung

Brad Yu-shiang Tung

National Cheng Kung University

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Outline

Introduction

Literature review

Methodology

Analyzing transcribed talk from Sex and the City

Conclusion

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1-Motivation Linguists have interpreted male-female

linguistic differences from a variety of perspectives. The deficit approach(Lakoff, 1975): women’s use of

particular linguistic strategies reflects their deficiency and subordinate status

The dominance approach (Spender, 1985): views women as oppressed language users and interprets male dominance through language as manifestations of a patriarchal social order

The difference approach (Tannen, 1990): women and men have distinct but equally valid communicative styles

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1-Motivation Gender dichotomy as a problem

Fuss (1989) questions the male-female divide.

Deconstruction of gender As Talbot (2001) puts it, “for contemporary

language and gender researchers the challenge is how to conceptualise gender without such polarization” (p. 145).

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1-Motivation By the late 1990s, the dichotomy of female and male

use of language would be incompatible with the feminism’s emancipatory aim. → reconceptualize ‘gender’

New York-based hit series Sex and the City, which portrays women-centerd discourses on sex and relationships

Sex and the City → a feminist perspective (Arthurs, 2003; Hawkins, 2003; Henry, 2004; Hermes, 2006; Isbister, 2008; Negra, 2004; Richards, 2003) how ‘gender’ is reified in contemporary feminism

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1-Research question

How is ‘gender’ conceptualized through the four heroines’ use of language in Sex and the City, a contemporary feminist vehicle?

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Literature Review The deficit framework: Women’s language

Language and gender studies in Sex and the City

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2-The deficit framework: Women’s language

Linguistic features (Lakoff, 1975) Women’s Language

Hedges I think, maybe, perhaps, you know, well, kinda

Tag questions The war in Vietnam is terrible, isn’t it?

Color terms beige, ecru, lavender

Empty adjectives Sweet, lovely, charming

Emphatic (speak in italics) Double emphasis to certain words

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2-Theses and papers concerning language and gender studies in Sex and the City

Gender stereotype Anderson et al. (2005)

• argue that Miranda and Samantha have more of a male orientation to language use, while Charlotte and Carrie female orientation given their uses of linguistic strategies which are more or less associated with male and female traits. (‘gender’ is not clear)

Rosita (2008)• Examines Lakoff’s (1975) linguistic features and concludes

that female characters use women’s linguistic features more often than the male characters in Sex and the City

Virdis (2008)• claims that the four characters become “more and more

stereotypically female characters” a detailed discursive-linguistic investigation to explore

‘gender’ in Sex and the City

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Narrative discourses Conversational discourses

Miranda Steve Men

Samantha Richard Class struggle

Charlotte Trey Singlehood

Carrie Big &

Aidan

Single versus the married

Foci Relationships Marriage

3-Methodology 3.2.1 data collection (from the episodes of Sex

and the City)

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3-Analysis Framework

3.2.1 narrative analysis Labov’s (1972) narrative structures

• Abstract (What is the story about?)• Orientation (background information on the who, where,

when)• Complicating action (Then what happened?)• Evaluation (narrator’s attitude)• Resolution (What finally happened)• Coda (a final comment)

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Abstract Orientation Complicating

Action

Evaluation Resolution Coda

Miranda • • • • • •

Samantha • • • • •

Charlotte • • • •

Carrie • • •

3.2.1 narrative analysis

3-Analysis Framework

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3-Analysis Framework 3.2.2 critical discourse analysis (Fairclough, 1995)

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3.2.2 Analytical procedure of CDA in Sex and the City

Discourse as social practice (Fairclough, 1995)

Descriptive stage:To find out linguistic strategies in texts

Interpretative stage:

To unpack presupposition underlying the

texts

Explanatory stage:To find out factors that might interact with ‘gender’

1 2 3

3-Analysis framework

Description Interpretation Explanation

Revealing index of ‘gender’

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Telling storiesTelling stories

Language use Speech styleLanguage use Speech style

MirandaMiranda

CharactersCharacters

4-Doing women through language use

Intensifier, hedge, question

Female language

SamanthaSamantha Taboo languagePlay the expert

Male competitive style

CharlotteCharlotte Emphatic stress Female language

CarrieCarrie Questions Female language

‘Gender’ is instable, or fluid.‘Gender’ is instable, or fluid.

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Hegemonic culture

Hedges Taboo

Gender diversity

Desire, class, age

Gender diversity

Desire, class, age

Explanation in terms of social reality

Cues and traces for interpretation

3. Sources of diversity need to be taken into account.

2. Language use as a way of struggling, challenging, renegotiating the hegemonic culture, and most importantly accomplishing ‘gender’.

Linguistic strategies

1. ‘Cooperative’ versus ‘competitive’

4-Deconstructing the male and female talk

‘Gender’ is variant

Gender diversity

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Characters Charlotte Carrie Miranda Samantha

Men 4.2.1 Description Question: I’m exhausted. Where is he?

Question: Did you ever think maybe we

are the white knights…rescue

ourselves?

Question: Why are fireman always so

fucking cute?

Fireman with a big hose

Interpretation Heterosexuality

Explanation Sexual Desire

Class 4.2.2 Description This guy is working class. H: yeah he can make you come.. make you

a cosmopolitan.

Hedge: He’s just happy being a

bartender.

Q: How is he in bed?

Interpretation Classism

Explanation Class

Singlehood

4.2.3Description Question: Who’s out all

night?

Taboo & Repetition & Latching: fuck them

Taboo: fuck them Q: Who’s forty?

Taboo: fuck them

Interpretation Discrimination against singlehood

Explanation Community of Practice

Discourse

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Characters Charlotte Carrie Miranda Samantha

Single versus married 4.2.4

Description Co-construction (Latching of turns): when you’re the only single…like you’re a=

=loser =leper

Play the expert: I’m telling you

married people are the enemy.

=whore

Hedge: you know married

people are threatened…

Interpretation Marriage is a journey every woman has to

go through

Explanation Age

Marriage 4.2.5

Description Mitigated directive: let’s just slow down

Q: Why do we even have to get married?

Why?

Q: Why did you ever say yes?

Q: How could you take her to

that DUMP?

Interpretation Marriage being based in romantic love

Because I love him. A man you love kneels

in the street, and offers you a ring. You say yes. That is what

you do.

Explanation Men-Women gender relations

Discourse

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RQ:How is ‘gender’ conceptualized through the four heroines’ use of language in Sex and the City, a contemporary feminist vehicle?

RQ:How is ‘gender’ conceptualized through the four heroines’ use of language in Sex and the City, a contemporary feminist vehicle?

4-Interim summary

1. The four stories ‘Gender’ is not so much fixed. (subversion)

2. Critical description and interpretation Language use not according to gender binary distinction, but according to personal style upon different discourses ‘Gender’ is NOT to repeat forever the appropriate linguistic behavior.

3. Critical explanation ‘Gender’ is diversified.

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age

class

Sexual desire

Competitive

Taboo language Play the expert

Collaborative

HedgeQuestionRepetition

Co-constructionLatching of turns

Collaborative

HedgeQuestionRepetition

Co-constructionLatching of turns

Figure. Gender diversity Figure. Gender diversity

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5-Conclusion

gender polarization to a model of gender diversity. Sources of diversity and variation instability and variability of gender Transgression, subversion and resistance

The case study of Sex and the City Conscious agents (linguistic resources) Gender is conceptualized as plural, instable, and

diversified.

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Thank you very much♪