The Study of Language and Sex, Part III : The Discourse Analysis of Male and Female Speech Linguistic Forms of Affect

Abstract

The present paper has discussed how the speaker expresses her perspective toward a discourse topic. The perspective has been detected in linguistic forms with which the speaker expresses her subjectivity and affect. The subjectivity has been observed in speech forms of monologue, dialogue and address. It is most prominently expressed in monologues, which has appeared in the first person narration. It is also expressed in the forms of involvement of the speaker in the on-going discourse topic. The speaker has chosen specific words to show her involvement in the topic in question, and has also used repetition, and curse words. The speaker's narration of a story has also expressed how she views at it. She has expressed quite straightforwardly her perspective in the use of the first person singular pronoun. On the other hand, she has used the third person pronoun so that she can distance herself from the topic in question. This technique causes some suspense in the audience. The analysis of male and female discourse has revealed that both men and women use the same involved expressions ; however, only men use curse words. Men have introduced themselves in the first person singular pronoun 'I'; whereas women have introduced themselves in the third person pronoun 'she' to the audience. The different introductions need further investigation with more data, which will reveal some significant evidence to the study of subjectification in male and female speech.