性别因素对英语使用的影响
Gender Effects on the Use of EnglishbyUnder the Supervision ofSubmitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirementsfor the Degree of Bachelor of ArtsSchool of Foreign StudiesShandong University of Finance and EconomicsMay 2013AcknowledgementsIt would not be possible for me to complete this thesis without the generous help of many people.First and foremost, I would like to take this opportunity to convey my sincere gratitude and appreciation to my supervisor Prof. Mo Zhenyin, under whose supervision I have obtained valuable ideas and precious suggestions. He is very intelligent on thesis instruction and also shows his great patience and earnestness to me during my writing.My thanks are also extended to other beloved teachers in the School of Foreign Studies of Shandong University of Finance and Economics, for their valuable and informative courses which have benefited me a lot during my four-year college life. In the last place, I owe my deep thanks to my roommates who have been encouraging me all the time.ABSTRACTGender Effects on the Use of EnglishLanguage plays an important role in our society. As a social phenomenon, language reflects almost all aspects of our human society in a natural way, including the effects of gender difference on the use of language.This thesis is divided into three chapters. The first chapter introduces an overview of Gender Schema Theory. Chapter two is intended to analyze the representations and features of gender effects on the use of English language mainly in terms of phonetic differences, intonation differences, vocabulary differences, grammatical differences and communicational differences before discussing the reasons why gender influences the use of language in chapter three, mainly involving historical, social and psychological factors.Key words: gender factor; the use of English; effect; gender difference摘要性别因素对英语使用的影响语言在社会中的地位非常重要。
语言作为一种社会现象，必然会反映出人类社会的各种社会观念，包括男女性别差异对语言使用的影响。
本文共分三章。
第一章介绍了性别图示理论的概述。
第二章旨在分析性别因素在英语使用中的表现及特征，主要探讨语音差异、语调差异、词汇差异、语法差异和交际差异等几个方面的表现，同时还在第三章中探讨了造成性别因素影响语言使用的原因，其中包括历史、社会和心理等几个方面。
关键词：性别因素；英语使用；影响；性别差异CONTENTSAcknowledgements (iii)Abstract (iv)Abstract in Chinese (v)Introduction (1)Chapter One An Overview of Gender Schema Theory (3)Chapter Two Gender Effects on the Use of English Language (5)I. Effects on Phonetics (5)II. Effects on Intonation (6)III. Effects on V ocabulary (6)IV. Effects on Grammar (7)V. Effects on Communicational Behaviors (8)Chapter Three Reasons for Gender Effects on English Language (9)I. Historical Factors (9)II.Social Factors (9)III. Psychological Factors (11)Conclusion (12)Works Cited (13)IntroductionLanguage is a human capacity for acquiring and using complex systems of communication, and language is any specific example of such a system. Language is a social phenomenon, and it has a close relationship with social life, language is used in a specific social group. It is not only the carrier of the ideological content, but a mirror of social life. What’s more, it reveals people’s traditional thoughts such as sex discrimination against women in the society, so gender plays a great role in the use of language. “Metaphorically, language is regarded as a mirror of society, through which we can understand social activities of a certain society better.”(Hu 157) All of the languages in the world express different uses by different genders. From the development and the change of language, people can conclude that men and women could use language in a different way. The English countries which always claim that all men are born equal also have a lot of inequalities. The inequality between men and women is the one. And this inequality is also reflected in the use of languages. The differences of language use have existed since language came into being. Therefore, how does English language reflect social phenomenon?The first person who did research on the relation between gender and language is the Denmark linguist Otto Jespersen, he regards English as the most masculine language that is familiar to him, and it is a man-centered language. The domestic scholars and experts, such as Yang Yonglin, Bai Jiehong et al, have done thorough research about sexist element in the English language, and also have introduced some feasible strategies to erase the sexism of English use. These studies are all concerned with the role of gender in language use.Sexism, in the Oxford Advanced Learner’s English-Chinese dictionary, it means that disapproving action based on the ideas or beliefs that the members of one sex are less intelligent, able, and skillful, etc, than the members of the other sex, especially that women are less able than men and those particular jobs and actions are suitable forwomen and others are suitable for men. “Sexist attitudes may stem from traditional stereotypes of gender roles.” (Nakdimen 499-503) Sexism in English refers to English expresses sexist assumptions about differences between men and women as in the prejudicial use of female or male words.Sexism in English provides an important access to the study of gender differences in English language use. According to the investigation of sexism in English language, we can easily know more about the disparities between the language of different genders.In the thesis, the author does researches from the combination of social reforms and language reforms, and shows that it is essential and important to understand the different uses of English language by different genders, and to erase the sexism from people’s minds. English, as one of the most widespread languages, and the sexist elements of it shall not be suitable to the intercultural communications, but there is massive discrimination in it. Therefore, people should pay much more attention to the sex equality and the improvement of women’s social positions. Understanding the sexist phenomenon in English language helps people study language culture and correctly treat the changes of language in its historical development.Chapter OneAn Overview of Gender Schema TheoryGender schema theory was formally introduced by Sandra Bem in 1981 as a cognitive theory to explain how individuals become gendered in society, and how sex-linked characteristics are maintained and transmitted to other members of a culture. Gender-associated information is predominantly transmuted through society by way of schemata, or networks of information that allow for some information to be more easily assimilated than others. Bem argues that there are individual differences in the degree to which people hold these gender schemata. These differences are manifested via the degree to which individuals are sex-typed. “Some of the early tests of gender schema theory came in the form of memory and other cognitive tasks designed to assess facilitated processing of sex-typed information. Much of this early research found that participants who were sex-typed remembered more traits associated with their sex, as well as processed sex-type congruent information more efficiently, suggesting that the gender schemata possessed by sex-type individuals help to assimilate sex-associated information into one’s self-concept” (Bem 354-364) Core gender identity is tied up in the sex typing that an individual undergoes. This typing can be heavily influenced by child rearing, media, school, and other forms of cultural transmission. Bem offered four categories in which an individual may fall: sex-typed, cross-sex-typed, androgynous, and undifferentiated. Sex-typed individuals process and integrate information that is in line with the opposite gender. Androgynous individuals process and integrate traits and information from both genders. Finally, undifferentiated individuals do not show efficient processing of sex-typed information.A strong source of sex-typing comes from the rearing practices of parents. Bem offers “strong suggestions for preventing the sex-typing of children, including the prevention of access to media that promotes sex-typing, altering media and stories toeliminate sex-typing information, and modeling equal roles for mothers and fathers in the household.” (Bem, S.L.)For instance, Bem edited books that her children can create a more androgynous view after reading these books. This includes, for example, drawing long hair and feminine body characteristics on male figures. Ultimately, however, this is somewhat limited because children will become being exposed to some of this sex-typing information, particularly when they begin attending school. Therefore, Bem suggests teaching alternative schemata to children so that they are less likely to build and maintain a gender schema. Some examples include an individual differences schema, where children learn to process information on a person-by-person basis rather than make wide assumptions about groups based on information from individuals. Also, providing children with a sexism schema, where children learn to process sex-typed information through a filter that promotes moral outrage when sexist information is being promoted, which can assist in providing children with the resources not only to be kept from becoming sex-typed but also promote positive social change.Chapter TwoGender Effects on the Use of English LanguageBesides the fact that male and female use language differently, there are also differences in the process of speech development. Speech acts are different for men and women at different ages, and speech acts in the same mental age between men and women are also varied. In English, these differences are manifested in the following aspects.Robin Lakoff studied gender differences in American English in the early 1970s, and put forward “women register”. Lakoff gave an elaborate and systematic explanation of women’s language features. As far as I am concerned, men talk more concise, straightforward, without any modifiers and do not ask things in a roundabout way. Women’s pronunciations are more standard than men’s. Women always choose to use some exaggerated adjectives and ambiguous words.I. Effects on PhoneticsStudy shows that men and women have differences in sound quality, tone and pronunciation.Women’s average sound quality is higher than men’s. The clarity of women’s sound is higher, sound penetrating further and timbre are more distinct. When people use a same language variety, men and women would be different in phonetics, and this is the commonest type of gender differences in language use. For instance, in the United States where in the many variations of geographical dialect of English exist, women use vowels often more extreme than men. In other words, the tongue position of their high vowels is higher than men’s, but the low vowels which they produced are lower than men’s. To give a concrete example to illustrate it:often /' ɔftən/library /'laibrəri/In the above two words, women are more likely to pronounce /t/ and /l/ respectively. Consequently, as can be seen from this instance above, accurate and pure pronunciation has become a social marker of women.II. Effects on IntonationGenerally speaking, women usually use a rising intonation when they are talking, and the intonation changes much and is full of expressive forces, while men often use a falling intonation in their speech and the intonation have less change. Robin Lakoff put forward “women register”, and he illustrates some features of it, one of which has relation to intonation. “Women use more statement questions like ‘Dinner will be ready at seven o’clock?’ (With a rising intonation at the end)” (Hu 159) For example, Husband: When will dinner be ready?Housewife: Oh... around six o’clock?Generally, the housewife’s response “Oh... around six o’clock” is a basic sentence and should carry a falling intonation. Yet, when the women use this kind of words, they frequently employ a rising intonation just as an interrogative sentence in order to show politeness or consultation.III. Effects on VocabularyIn English, allegations of some color words are of women’s property, such as aquamarine (蓝绿色), ecru (淡褐色), mauve (紫红色). If a man who is not a professional and use these words will receive ridicule. There exists a women register in English that takes several features concerned with vocabulary use:“1. Women use more ‘fancy’ color terms such as ‘mauve’ and ‘beige’.2. Women use less powerful curse words.3. Women use more intensifiers such as ‘terrible’ and ‘awful’.” (Hu 159)There are some interjections used by men and women separately in English. For example,“Dame” always used by men, while women often use “Oh, dear”, “goodness” and something like that.Women will say, “He is a wonderful friend. / What an adorable curtain.”But men will only use such words like “good/very/utterly”to strengthen sound effects.These two examples show that women and men use quite different vocabulary to express their idea.What’s more, women are good at using euphemism. No matter in what situation, women use more euphemism than men.IV. Effects on GrammarAn English-speaking women use more tag questions than men. They do not say directly “Tom is ten years old.” But they would say “Tom is ten years old, isn’t he?”However, men are more likely to use declarative sentences or omit special questions.As for the use of passive voice, women and men use “be” and “get” with different frequency. Almost all Americans have learned these two forms:a.It was eaten by the children.b.It got eaten by the children.Men use the latter one more, that is to say, men use “get” more than women.In general, women’s language seems more polite and elegant. Women often use the most politeness sentence pattern——compound request. For example, if a speaker wants the listener to close the window, he or she can use one of the following sentences:a. “Close the window.”b. “Please close the window.”c. “Would you close the window?”d. “Would you please close the window?”e. “Won’t you close the window?”From the investigation and statistics, we can see that women use c and d more than men, especially sentences like e. That is to say, women’s language performance is more polite than men’s.V. Effects on Communicational BehaviorsIn verbal communication, women are more implicit than men, and with more clear emotional components. Women are adept in listening rather than speaking, in asking questions and expressing positive and affirmative attitudes.In language communication between men and women, men are generally situated in dominant position. Men can control conversation topics easily, and express their opinions straightforward. Their themes are much more creative. For instance, Boy: How do you think of this PE class?Girl: Um....It’s OK.During a conversation, women often use interjections as um, hmm, huh, yeah to indicate that they are listening to the opposite side person earnestly. So women lay particular stress on emotional exchange.Chapter ThreeReasons for Gender Effects on English LanguageThere are several casual factors that cause the differences in English language use by different genders. These reasons more or less influenced the way of using language. Some main reasons that account for this phenomenon can be listed as follows.I. Historical FactorsSince 1960s, with the movement of western women’s liberation and the rise of feminism, as well as the birth and flourish of sociolinguistics, language and gender became one of the research projects to some linguistics and they got much interest in it. From perspectives of western feminists, the current world is a world centers around men’s values to construct. Then men are always in the center of human society, they stand for power, rights and rationality, while women are in a subordinate position of the society, receiving repression and degeneration. Consequently, feminists try to improve the political status of women by social movements in practice and to achieve the purpose of social improvement, and to optimize the survival status of women.In consequence, we can easily draw the conclusion that historical matters are one of the reasons that caused the differences of English language uses by different genders.II. Social FactorsGender effects on the use of English have existed for a long time, which is a reflection of the traditional ethics that men are superior to women, and it influenced their way of using English. “Language is used in social contexts; used to construct and maintain social relationships between and among women and men. So our inquiries need to be extended, to include explicit discussion of social structure and the socialorganization of gender.” (Kramarae vii)Gender difference in language use is to a large extent constrained by social environment. The growth environment influenced language use by different genders largely. “Education that children received since their birth and mass media make a great difference to the stereotyped notion towards male and female. Socialization begins at birth, shaping persons to behave in appropriate and prescriptive ways which set up a stable definition of gender identity.” (Wang 39) At the beginning phase, children stayed more time with women, so their language may have something in similarity with female. Later on, boys learn from the man side while girls learn from the woman side, then their language become less alike. “Children do not seem to favor any particular kind of language....Children acquiring language acquire gender making quickly and make few errors.”(Hu 121) The Gender Schema Theory put forward by Bem argued how individuals become gendered in society, and how sex-linked characteristics are maintained and transmitted to other members of a culture.Although men are superior to women, however, women are keener than men on social status. British linguist Peter said:“ female’s social status is no less firm as male’s and usually lower than that of male’s in our society. Therefore, to women, it may be more necessary to show or safeguard their social status in language and in other aspects.”The low status and limited power of women in social life caused gender differences in English use. Shakespeare has a logion “frailty, thy name is women”(Shakespeare 46) Ever since human beings by the original development of matriarchal society to the patriarchy, women depend on men economically and do not have independent, equal social status just as what men have. So women are forced to attach great importance to other people’s attitudes towards them.As for education level, in general, women’s status is lower than men’s and the proportion of women engaged in complex mental works are less than men. On the one hand, social community restricts the scope of women’s activity, rendering it impossible for their individual ability to play; on the other hand, require women’s speech with aseries of more demanding requirements than men.Precisely because of these reasons, women cannot be measured by their jobs and their achievements on enterprises, therefore, other signs of social status including language become relatively more important. For women, they need to indicate and safeguard their social status in speech acts and other ways.Owing to these above reasons, when a certain language form draw close to another form with higher social prestige, women always get ahead; if language change does not have the property to move closer to standard form, even more deviation from the standard language, then women tend to be more conservative. These differences in language use are brought about by nothing less than women’s position in society. Women pay much attention to language use than men, and they act differently in verbal expressions.III. Psychological FactorsDifferent social psychology between men and women are able to affect their attitudes towards language and the gender differences in language use emerged accordingly. Women are supposed to look out their words and behavior, use elegant and normative language. Otherwise, it will be a manifestation of uncultivated. Nevertheless, it is perfectly fine for men to speak arrogantly, uppishly, loudly and baldly. In some places where a sense of mission and responsibility has formed, female are mature earlier than male. Women’s mental age is one year or one year and a half older than men. The different psychological characteristics of men and women determine that there will be some differences in language, although these differences are not absolute.Men and women from different social status affect their psychological factors. Due to the differences of the social role they play, they comply with different social norms. These reflections on the psychological factors in verbal behavior cause the differences in language between male and female.ConclusionPeople not only pay attention to English language itself, but the different use by different genders. And sexism is attached to English language. The study of gender effects on the use of English can help to remove the sexist conceptions from people’s minds, and it is the general trend of current social development, the equal dialogue and culture exchange. Our society consists of male and female. How will they apply their own languages to communicate and what they hold in common will be the humanity’s eternal topics.As a system of arbitrary vocal symbols, language is the carrier of human thought, thinking tool and communicative tool. It is inevitable to show social values, religious beliefs, mode of thinking, attitudes towards the world, and it reflects all the aspects of social life. And then language provides different angle and method in language study. The development and change of language are closely linked to social problems. In different languages, different cultures, gender differences in language embodied differently. The reasons that cause these differences are in many aspects, including historical, social and psychological factors. The performances and features of different genders in language use are also different.To sum up, gender effects on the use of English is fundamental and profound.Many people have contributed to researching gender differences in English language use. And it is hope to discuss sexism in English language and how to erase that phenomenon.Works CitedBem, Sandra. Gender Schema Theory: A Cognitive Account of Sex typing.Psychological Review, 1981, V ol.88, 354-364Bem, S.L. Gender schema theory and its implications for child development: Raising gender-aschematic children in a gender-schematic society. Signs, 1983, 8, 598-616 Coates, Jennifer. Language and Gender: A reader. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell, 1998. Chen Songcen.[陈松岑], 社会语言学导论[M]. 北京：北京大学出版社,1985.Eckert, Penelope, and McConnell-Ginet Sally. Language and Gender. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2003.Hard. T. Teaching about Social Inequality and Gender in the Language Classroom. In Casanave & Yamashiro (eds.), 1996.Hu, Zhuanglin. [胡壮麟], 语言学教程-4版. 北京:北京大学出版社, 2011.3.Kramarae, Cheris. Women and Men Speaking [M]. London: Newbury House Publishers, INC,1981Le, Meilin. [勒梅琳],社会语言学与英语学习[M].天津: 南开大学出版社, 2005.Liu, Dan[刘丹], 英语中性别歧视现象及女权运动对它的影响[J]. 渝西学院报, 2002(2). Nakdimen KA. The American Journal of Psychiatry,1984,141(4), 499-503.Robin, Lakoff. Language and woman’s place. Language in Society, 1973, 2: 45-79 Shakespeare William. Hamlet. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2004 Talbott, Marry. 语言与社会性别导论. 艾晓明等译. 武汉：华中师范大学出版社, 2004.9 Tao, Sheng. [陶胜], 英语中的性别歧视语及其发展变化[J]. 今日科苑, 2007.Wang, Yanhong. [王艳虹],On Causes of Sexism In English Language. 外语教育教学, 2009.Xu, Lisheng.[许力申], 跨文化交流[M]. 浙江大学出版社,2004.Yang, Chun. [杨春], The Study of Gender Language. 北京：光明日报出版社, 2010.1/wike/Gender_schema_theory#cite_ref-4。
交际中的英语语言性别差异
交际中的英语语言性别差异摘要：语言中的性别差异，是语言使用者出于社会、文化、习俗等方面的考虑所表现出来的一种语言现象。
性别差异在不同的社会制度和国家中都不同程度地存在。
而作为一种普遍的社会现象，自然会在语言中得到折射。
本文拟从社会语言学的角度出发，从语音、词汇、句法和交际等方面探讨了在英语语言中表现出来的不同性别差异，并探究产生这些差异的心理、生理、社会和文化等方面的原因。
理解英语语言中性别差异现象可以使我们正确认识语言与文化因素的关系，对于提高我们的英语语言应用及交际能力有着重要意义。
关键词：英语语言；性别差异；产生原因一、英语语言的性别差异语言的性别差异是指男女使用同一种语言或方言时表现出来的使用特点的差异，它经常导致各种性别变体的形成，英语语言的性别差异主要表现在语音语调、词汇、句法以及话语模式等几个方面。
（一）语音语调的差异女性发音比较清晰、准确，倾向于标准、规范的发音方式。
而男性发音则比较随意、粗糙，倾向于使用非标准的语音形式。
在音调方面女性更喜欢使用升调说话且语调起伏变化较多，而男性则常用降调或平调。
为了表现委婉、礼貌或是对答案的不确定，女性说话时多用升调，回答问题时也常用表示疑问、征询的升调。
而男性则常用降调来回答问题，且语调平缓，以表达其坚决、果断和强势的态度。
（二）词汇的差异在用词方面，女子更喜欢用副词、形容词和语助词等一些强势词语。
比如so，much，horridly，most，very，quite，excessively，vastly等。
而对于色彩词使用，女性比男性要略胜一筹，爱美的天性决定了女性擅长采用复杂、精确的色彩词语来描述所接触的事物，而男性对于所接触事物的细心程度远不如女性，因此经常使用简单色彩词语。
俗语俚语、脏话粗话、黄色玩笑在大多数情况下均出自男性之口，女性很少使用。
（三）句法的差异在句法上，女性喜欢使用附加疑问句、反意疑问句和委婉修饰语来表达个人的观点，一方面希望听话人同意她们的观点，另一方面语气的不确定又减弱了她们意见的力量，缓和了语气的强硬无礼，同时也是一种礼貌的说法。
语言学习中的性别差异及其对英语教学的启示
语言学习中的性别差异及其对英语教学的启示国内外的研究表明英语学习过程中性别差异对学生的学习效果影响很大。
系统地分析了男女学生在生理、学习动机、学习兴趣、个人性格以及自我意识等方面的性别差异，并尝试为英语教学提供一些建议。
标签：语言学习；性别差异；启示；英语教学doi：10.19311/ki.16723198.2017.14.0861 背景介绍语言学习作为一种社会行为，是个复杂的习得过程。
性别是影响语言学习的重要因素。
本文中性别差异主要是指学习过程中涉及的男女差别。
20世纪20年代起，关于性别与语言学习之间关系的探索就一直吸引着人类学家、语言学家、心理学家、社会学家等，也展开了大量研究。
20世纪90年代初，性别与语言学习的研究已经延伸到教学领域，并成为语言课堂上教学研究的重要部分。
海内外的学者对于语言学习上的男女差异基本达成了共识：语言学习方面，女性优于男性。
但由于研究方法不同及处理问题的方式不同，很多问题上也出现了不同的观点和结论。
本文尝试分析、解释语言学习中的某些性别差异，并在英语教学方面给出一些启示性的建议。
2 性别差异的体现2.1 性别差异与语言学习的关系探讨性别与学习之间关系相关研究很多。
1974年，Maccoby & Jacklin出版了《性别差异的心理学》一书，该书中，他们整合了与心理特性方面性别差异的数百个研究，最终确认性别差异只存在于4个方面：（1）女性的语言技能优于男性；（2）男性的数学能力优于女性；（3）男性在空间认知上优于女性；（4）男性的侵犯性更高。
David & Elwin（1982）认为，在小学和初中阶段，女生一般比男生更能取得好成绩，男生则可能阅读习惯差，成绩也差，可能会出现行为方面的问题，甚至辍学。
随着青少年们逐渐成熟，男生开始跟女生竞争，双方在学业上的性别差异会逐渐变小。
研究者发现，跟其他科目相比，男女在语言学习方面呈现的差异更大，女性在语言学习上有明显优势。
性别歧视在英语中的折射
性别歧视在英语中的折射重庆市江北中学校赵志利摘要：作为一种社会现象的语言, 必然会反映出人类社会的各种社会观念.性别歧视作为一种特定的社会现象必然会在语言中折射出来.本文就英语中的性别歧视的种种表现，如男性词的泛化使用，构词，词义等方面进行了详细的分析。
关键词：性别歧视，英语语言，男性，女性性别歧视这个术语是伴随西方女权运动产生的，出现在英语中还是近代的事。
语言中的性别歧视，说到底，是个社会问题，是人们头脑中歧视女性思想在语言中的反映。
下面我就英语中的性别歧视现象从男性词的泛化使用，构词法，异性词的排序，词义，昵称等方面谈谈个人的看法。
一．从男性词的泛化使用看性别歧视英语词汇往往以男性为中心，表示男性的词汇可表示男性或男女两性，而表示女性的词汇则只表示女性或女性的某一特征。
似乎这个世界自诞生之日起就只有男性，女性的出现是在男性之后可有可无的东西一样。
在英语词汇中，一般用代表男性的man和he (him, his)来泛指包括男女两性的“人”或“人类”。
在表示第三人称单数时，用he表示,she自然隐退。
这样的例子很多，例如：Man is motal. (以上见《牛津现代高级英汉双解词典》（简化本）690)If a person breaks the law, he will be punished.(王福祯等《英语惯用法词典》[M].北京。
1995. 287)Nobody thought he would have to pay for his own ticket. (Senior English for China Students’ Book 2A.41)(不定代词还有somebody, anybody, everybody, no one 等有这一用法)同样一些以man为词缀的词也是既可以指男性又可以指女性，如mankind, man-made, manpower, businessman , spokesman, policeman, 等等，而其对应词woman 却仅限于专指女性。
关于性别差异对英语语言学习影响的实证研究
关于性别差异对英语语言学习影响的实证研究性别是影响语言学习的一个重要因素。
本文运用定量研究方法，调查了男、女大学生英语学习动机、学习焦虑以及学习策略使用情况。
调查结果表明，男、女大学生在英语学习动机、学习焦虑以及学习策略使用等方面都存在显著差异，与男生相比，女生学习英语的内在动机强、学习焦虑小，而且更善于使用有效的英语学习策略。
[标签]性别学习动机学习焦虑学习策略[文献标识码]A一、相关研究从20世纪60年代起，社会语言学蓬勃发展，性别与语言关系的问题成为许多语言学家研究的重要课题之一。
Robin Lakeoff在Language and Woman’s Place 中提出男、女具有不同的会话模式，这种模式也反映出一种相应的社会地位；Erv-ing Goffman从心理学和认知的角度研究了性别与语言的关系；Penelope Eckert和Sally Mcconnell-Ginet在Language and Gender一书中，从生理、心理、社会等方面较为全面地研究了语言与性别的内在联系；Maccoby ＆Jachlin则对性别在多个心理发展阶段的作用作了深入分析，认为女性在语言上的优势并没有人们想象得那么大。
他们提出性别差异的发展有阶段性，1—3岁的女性也许比男性有优越性；3—8岁时，性别差异很小；9岁以后，女性通常比男性有优势。
此外，国内外学者还就性别对语言学习的影响进行了相关的实证研究，如Burstall 对6000名小学生二语习得能力进行了纵向研究，结果表明，女生所有的二语测试成绩明显高于男生；Boyle和于学勇分别对490和5719名中国大学生英语学习能力进行研究，结果显示，英语水平测试成绩与性别有关，女生成绩高于男生。
国内外大部分研究表明，性别与语言差异有关，性别差异对语言学习产生影响。
那么性别差异如何对英语语言学习产生影响?本文通过对男、女大学生在英语学习动机、学习策略、学习焦虑等方面的对比研究，分析了性别差异对大学生英语学习所产生的影响。
性别差异在英语学习中的体现及对教学的启示
性别差异在英语学习中的体现及对教学的启示摘要:性别差异是个体差异的一个重要组成部分,在英语学习中,性别角色与学习效果之间存在着内在的因果关系和规律。
本文从学习者认知风格、学习策略、和学习能力三方面分析学习者性别差异的客观存在,然后从生理、心理方面分析性别差异的原因,旨在揭示性别差异对外语教学的启示。
关键词:性别差异英语学习教学启示英语学习是一个非常复杂的过程,学习者的英语成绩受诸多因素的影响。
Altman综合提出12种学习这个体变量:年龄、性别、学习经历、本族语水平、人格因素、语言学能、态度动机、智商、感官模式、学习者策略等。
Ellis(1994)所构建到个体差异研究框架涵盖了学习者态度,年龄,性别,学习动机,认知风格,学习策略等因素。
可见,性别差异是个体差异的一个重要组成部分。
1 外语学习中性别差异的客观存在外语学习中性别差异是客观存在的,男女生不仅在外语认知风格及学习策略的使用方面差异显著,而且在外语学习能力方面表现出明显的差异。
1.1外语认知风格方面所谓认知风格(又称认知方式),是指认知者偏爱的信息加工方式,它具有鲜明的个性特点。
男女生在生理、心理上的不同特征导致了他们在外语认知风格上的差异。
关于男女生在外语认知风格上的差异,曾有学者结合Oxford R(Oxford R.,2002)的观点,将其归纳如下:女性:场依存——对外语学习的环境敏感整体型——倾向于获得整体印象视觉型——通过自己读或看来学习听觉型——喜欢交流、讨论,参加集体学习慎思型——回答问题之前反复思考,更准确男性:场独立——更独立的、逻辑型的学习分析型——喜欢结构的、演绎型的学习动觉型——偏爱运动感知,喜欢游戏、角色表演触觉型——喜欢操作物体冲动型——发言踊跃,更迅速1.2外语学习策略的使用方面语言学习策略是学习者为了使语言学习取得更好的效果而采取的各种策略,它既包括学习者为了更好地完成某个学习活动或学习任务而采取的微观策略,也包括学习者对自己的学习目标、学习过程、学习结果进行计划、调控、评估等而采取的宏观策略以及学习者对语言和语言学习的一些认识。
英语语言使用中的性别差异和性别歧视
作家杂志ＷｒｉｔｅｒＭａｇａｚｉｎｅ2009No.２思考与言说一语言使用存在的性别差异首先，从发音方面来看，男子的发音形式不如女子纯正，而且女子的语调起伏多变。
一方面是由于生理方面的差别，另一方面可能是由于女子比男人更具有地位意识，认为标准英语是与说话人的社会地位高相关联的，使用更多的标准语就说明自己向往高的地位。
女子的语调起伏多变从生理方面来讲，是由于女性感情易于外露，情绪易于波动，因此常常用一些抑扬起伏的语调来抒发自己的情感。
而社会角色要求男性成员本身具备更多理性的色彩，情绪外在化常被认为是一个男性成员心理发展尚不成熟的表现。
所以，男子的语调听上去往往显得就事论事、四平八稳；女子话语则显得活波多变、丰富多彩。
其次，在用词方面，女子喜欢用强势词语。
例如ｓｏ、ｍｕｃｈ、ｑｕｉｔｅ、ｖａｓｔｌｙ等。
在色彩词的使用上，男子经常使用简单色彩词语，女性多采用复杂色彩词语。
就色彩语码而言，女性有一种天然自成的认知优势。
她们拥有一个数量更大、内容更丰富、质量更高的色彩词库。
俗语、俚语、脏话、粗话、黄色玩笑在绝大多数情况下均为男子说话的专利，女性很少使用。
第三，在句法层面上，女性喜欢用反意疑问句、委婉修饰语和语气词来表达个人观点，除了在问候语中，男性一般很少使用反意疑问句。
他们的话语率直刻板，多用祈使句。
这或许从一个侧面反映出女子英语礼貌客气、委婉含蓄的特点。
第四，在话语模式层面上，女性使用话语语气词或楔语形式，而且习惯于频频在自己的话语中插入的Ｄ’ｙａｋｎｏｗｗｈａｔ？之类的问句形式，期待对方对此做出反响，并且经常采用“Ｔｈｉｓｉｓｒｅａｌｌｙｉｎｔｅｒｅｓｔｉｎｇ”评述类语句引起对方的注意。
男性与女性在倾听对方说话期间，除了使用点头等肢体语言外，均使用ｂａｃｋｃｈａｎｎｅｌｉｎｇ（一种表达强化或增强语气的词），但表达的意味却有差异。
这种词语比如“ｕｈ－ｈｕｈ，ｙｅａｒ，ｒｅａｌｌｙ？”等等。
女性使用“ｙｅａｈ，ｕｈ－ｈｕｂ”的回应只表示自己对该话题的关心，但男性使用它们却表示对某个观点或看法的认同。
中学生英语词汇学习的性别差异探讨
中学生英语词汇学习的性别差异探讨【内容摘要】英语词汇学习在英语教学中举足轻重，本文分析了中学生在英语词汇学习上存在的动机、学能和智力等方面的性别差异，提出了激发动机、扬长避短、因材施教、多管齐下的对策。
【关键词】英语词汇学习性别差异词汇教学在中学英语教学中具有极其重要的作用。
然而，在长期的英语教学中，我们发现，男生和女生在词汇学习方面具有较大的差异，这种差异直接导致了中学生英语学习的效果。
男女生英语词汇学习的差异主要表现在以下几个方面：一、动机的差异学习动机指激发并维持学习行为，使之实现一定学习目标的动力倾向，由学习需要和学习期待两个要素组成。
由外部的各种诱因外引发的行为动机称为外部动机，由个体内在的需要生成的动机称为内部动机。
父母的期待，老师的赞扬，朋友的鼓励等为外部动机；学习的爱好、兴趣和潜在欲望等为内部动机。
研究表明，男生和女生在学习英语的动机上有显著的差异，一般说来，男生学习英语的动机不像女生那么成熟，很多男生学习英语完全是为了应付，男生学习英语的内部动机远没有女生那么强烈。
这就需要我们英语老师有区别的对待，从外部动机上充分发掘女生语言学习的优势；对于男生，则需要更多的外部干预，老师的督促和家长的强制可以在一定的程度上会弥补他们内部动机的弱势。
二、学能的差异学习语言常常需要一定的天赋，拥有一定的语言能力。
这方面性别差异，主要表现在以下三个方面：1.听读上的差异研究表明，男生在听觉上普遍要比女生弱，他们对声音的定位和辨识远没有女生清晰细致。
我们根据对各种听力测试的结果调查发现，女生对容易混淆的相近音标，如[p]-[b]、[l]-[n]等有较高的辨识能力，而大多数男生则不然。
但是男生在听读上的逻辑推理能力优于女生。
因此，在英语听力测试中，涉及到逻辑推理方面的内容，男生更得心应手，他们的测试成绩往往比女生相对要高。
2.单词拼写记忆上的差异尽管在空间位置和数字记忆等方面，男女生没有性别差异，但在单词记忆方面，男生则处于劣势。
性别差异对英语词汇选择的影响
性别差异对英语词汇选择的影响摘要：两性之间的差异很大，两性之间的不同通常会在跨文化交际中和翻译中引起许多问题。
社会语言学中，人们开始越来越多的讨论两性跨文化交际失败的例子及语言使用过程中的性别差异。
这篇文章将对两性差异及其对语言词汇选择的影响和使用进行分析关键词：性别差异；影响；词汇选择一、导言英语语言学家Hudson在他的著作《词语法》中说过“语言的知识基本上是关于词汇的知识”，语言的变化也主要是随着词汇的变化而变化的。
词汇是构筑语言系统这个大厦的建筑材料。
在语言的三要素中，相对于其它两个语言要素语音和语法而言，单词的变化发展最为快速，也重要的多。
我们每天都要使用词汇来描述我们见到的一切事物。
没有词汇，人们就很难明白对方的意图并会失去相互的理解。
正如德国心理学家海德格尔所引用的那两句著名的诗行一样，“词语破碎处，无物存在”。
毫无疑问，词汇在语言的使用过程中占据了极其重要的位置。
语言是人类的语言。
由于人在交往的过程中，兼具有自然和社会的双重角色，从而使得语言使用中涉及到的词汇多多少少都掺杂进了一些自然因素和社会因素。
不同的人使用语言的方式各不相同。
人们会按照自己的意愿来选择自己需要的词汇，出于不同的自然或社会目的，他们使用不同的词汇组成不同的句子来得到自己想要的东西。
在诸多的社会因素中，人们普遍认为性别差异是影响词汇使用的一个重要的因素。
许多语言学家也认为性别差异在语言的使用过程中的影响并不亚于其它重要因素对语言的影响。
甚至有些语言学家还认为性别差异所引起的语言使用差异要比社会经济地位引起的语言使用差异大的多。
(徐大明，2007)语言学研究还表明许多社会中的男女言语确实存在着很大的差异。
只不过有些差异很大，有些差异较小而已。
选择正确的词汇能帮助人们更加有效地达到他们想要的目的。
作者Marlo Thomas曾经说过“在恰当的时间使用恰如其分的词语，就好比在某个场合身着合体的服饰。
”她还提到“这对别人是礼貌，对自己是帮助一关系到别人会怎么看你”。
性别差异在语言中的体现-最新年精选文档
性别差异在语言中的体现1. 引言20世纪60年代以来,随着美国妇女解放运动的兴起，特别是社会语言学的蓬勃发展, 许多语言学家已将性别、年龄、阶层等作为社会因素来考察其对语言的影响, 语言中性别差异的存在已在众多语言学者们进行的各种调查和实验中得以证实。
现代语言学家们将语言看作是一个符号系统。
英国语言学家韩礼德认为, 语言符号系统是社会符号系统（文化）的一部分。
也就是说, 语言体现文化, 是文化的编码手段之一。
语言作为一套符号系统, 和事物之间的联系并不是任意的。
美国哲学家查尔斯?莫里斯（Charles Morris）在1946 年的专著《符号、语言和行为》一书中, 提出了人类运用语言符号的四种指表模式, 即标识、评价、规定和构成, 在这四种指表模式中,语言都完整地反映了两性之间的差异及地位。
本文拟选用英、汉两种语料，从这四个方面来说明语言的性别差异及其产生的原因。
2. 语言中的性别差异男女两性之间的社会差异存在于任何一个国家和地区以及任何一种文化之中。
社会文化中对性别差异的构筑和认知, 是通过作为其编码手段之一的语言符号系统建立起来并得以加深和传播的, 而语言系统中对性别差异的认同和反映更加深了语言使用者对性别原型的规定。
（Trudgill ，1983）因此，语言和性别的关系可以看作是相互影响，相互作用的关系，性别差异的客观存在决定了语言中性别差异的存在，而语言中的性别差异又反过来促进和加深了社会文化对不同性别的要求和规定。
2.1 语言标识性别长期以来, 在中国及英语国家的社会文化中，男性常被赋以勇敢、坚强、独立、主动、好胜、自信等性格特征；而女性则被认为脆弱、依赖、被动、温顺、有耐心。
如，1969 年版的《美国传统词典》中用来说明男性的例子包括“男子气概的勇气”和“男子汉的魅力”。
有关女性的例子则是“女子的眼泪”，“女性的诡计”。
于是，社会对两性所产生的不同期待使男性处于独立的，统治的中心地位；而将女性置于从属地位, 使得女性在语言中处于边缘(marginalized) 地位。
性别因素对英语使用的影响
Gender Effects on the Use of EnglishbyUnder the Supervision ofSubmitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Bachelor of ArtsSchool of Foreign StudiesShandong University of Finance and EconomicsMay 2013AcknowledgementsIt would not be possible for me to complete this thesis without the generous help of many people.First and foremost, I would like to take this opportunity to convey my sincere gratitude and appreciation to my supervisor Prof. Mo Zhenyin, under whose supervision I have obtained valuable ideas and precious suggestions. He is very intelligent on thesis instruction and also shows his great patience and earnestness to me during my writing.My thanks are also extended to other beloved teachers in the School of Foreign Studies of Shandong University of Finance and Economics, for their valuable and informative courses which have benefited me a lot during my four-year college life. In the last place, I owe my deep thanks to my roommates who have been encouraging me all the time.ABSTRACTGender Effects on the Use of EnglishLanguage plays an important role in our society. As a social phenomenon, language reflects almost all aspects of our human society in a natural way, including the effects of gender difference on the use of language.This thesis is divided into three chapters. The first chapter introduces an overview of Gender Schema Theory. Chapter two is intended to analyze the representations and features of gender effects on the use of English language mainly in terms of phonetic differences, intonation differences, vocabulary differences, grammatical differences and communicational differences before discussing the reasons why gender influences the use of language in chapter three, mainly involving historical, social and psychological factors.Key words:gender factor; the use of English; effect; gender difference摘要性别因素对英语使用的影响语言在社会中的地位非常重要。