From a younger age, both boys and girls are socialized to belong to different cultures, thereby, speak in ways specific to their respective genders’ that conform to norms and rules of distinct groups. Conspicuously, this gender socialization progresses throughout humans’ lifespan, resulting in differentiation in interpretation of the same conversation by male and female individuals (Haas, 2016). It is for this reason as to why I am persuaded that Deborah Tannen’s theory on differences in language is more accurate and persuasive compared to that of Deborah Cameron. Tannen’s theory actually recognizes the fact that language influences the ways we comprehend gender and the realism it creates for us.
Diversity in the cultural ways of speaking can bring about miscommunication between members of each gender or culture. Moreover, the cultural assortment is seen in the simple purpose of communication. Conversely, language difference should not be perceived as biasedness, but a mere misunderstanding that can be addressed without necessarily reducing it to feminism dogma. Even though the language difference has evolved in the recent past, and some steps have been made towards neutralizing the language disparity, traditional roles still have a huge impact on our communication behaviors. While Cameron’s theory tries to debunk any existence of language differences, Tannen’s theory recognizes that male genders have traditionally expected to carry out heavy duties outside homes to financially support their families. Moreover, men are expected to demonstrate their personal competence as this has always been the criterion for promotion and raises.
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Comparing the two theories, Tannen’s theory is more persuasive as it relates to both traditional and modern-day reality in language differences. While Cameron’s theory tries to point out the disparities in gender socialization, it fails to recognize the reality in the language differences: this, therefore, makes it less persuasive compared to Tannen’s.
References
Haas, A. (2016). Male and female spoken language differences: Stereotypes and evidence. Psychological Bulletin, 86 (3), 616.
