Article

Gendered Language

Gendered language refers to linguistic features, vocabulary, and grammatical structures that are associated with a particular gender. These features can be explicit (such as gendered pronouns or honorifics) or implicit (such as speech patterns, intonation, or word choice).

Examples Across Languages

  • Japanese: Women's speech (onna kotoba) is characterized by higher pitch, more polite forms, and specific sentence-final particles (e.g., wa, na no, kashira). Men's speech (danseigo) uses more abrupt forms, distinct pronouns, and assertive particles (e.g., yo, ze, zo).
  • English: Women are often associated with tag questions, hedging, and rising intonation (see high rising terminal).
  • Romance Languages: Gendered nouns and adjectives are common, with grammatical gender affecting agreement.

Social and Cultural Implications

  • Gendered language can reinforce or challenge social norms and gender roles.
  • In some cultures, deviation from gendered speech norms can be criticized or stigmatized.
  • Gendered language is evolving, with increasing awareness of non-binary and gender-neutral forms (e.g., singular "they" in English, -x or -e endings in Spanish).

Related Topics

Further Reading