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which statement accurately reflects the relationship between listening and gender according to linguistic scholar deborah tannen?

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Final answer:

Deborah Tannen describes American men and women as belonging to different communicative subcultures, where men speak to assert status and women to build social connections. However, researchers like Janet Hyde challenge the extent of these differences, arguing that they are more culturally than biologically driven. Cross-cultural studies show significant variations, debunking the notion of a universal gender language difference.

Step-by-step explanation:

The relationship between listening and gender according to linguistic scholar Deborah Tannen reflects the idea of different communicative subcultures for American men and women. Tannen suggests that when men and women communicate, it is as if they are speaking across cultural divides, with men typically using speech to assert status and women using it to forge connections. However, this view is challenged by researchers like Janet Hyde and linguistic anthropologists who find that any differences in the ways men and women talk are cultural rather than biological, and those patterns of speech are not consistent across all cultures.

Cultural vs. Biological Differences

Deborah Tannen's research indicates that gender differences in communication are culturally driven. Men's speech is often aimed at asserting dominance, while women's is focused on building relationships. These attribute-based motivations for communication are seen within American society.

Challenges to the Biological Explanation

Janet Hyde's meta-analysis and the findings from various cultures demonstrate that speech patterns are not strictly divided along gender lines and can vary significantly across different societies. Linguist Robin Lakoff previously highlighted how women's language can be seen as disempowering, while newer studies show only slight variations between children of different genders.

Cultural Impact on Language Perception

Lera Boroditsky's research showcases how language shapes perception, including gender perception, through the assignment of genders to nouns in different languages. This illustrates that language and culture significantly affect how individuals perceive and describe the world.

User Igorkf
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Final answer:

Linguistic scholar Deborah Tannen suggests that the relationship between listening and gender is based on cultural differences, with men and women having different motivations and expectations for talk. Men often speak to assert their social status, while women emphasize building social connections. These speech patterns are learned and influenced by cultural factors.

Step-by-step explanation:

  • According to linguistic scholar Deborah Tannen, the relationship between listening and gender is based on cultural differences rather than biological differences.
  • Tannen argues that men and women have different motivations and expectations for talk when speaking to each other.
  • Men tend to engage in conversation to assert their status in a social hierarchy, while women focus more on building solidarity through social connection.
  • These differences in speech patterns are not innate, but rather learned and influenced by cultural factors.
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