Differences in Men’s and Women’s Ways of Talking
According to the latest research in the United States of America, men and women talk such different languages that it is like people from two different cultures trying to communicate. Professor Deborah Tannen of Georgetown University has noticed the difference in little girls' conversation is less definite than boys' and expresses more doubts, little boys use conversation to establish status with their listeners.
These differences continue into adult life, she says. In public conversations, men talk most and interrupt other speakers more. In private conversations, men and women speak in equal amounts--although they say things in a different style. Professor Tanner believes that, for woman, private talking is a way to establish and test intimacy. For men, private talking is a way to explore the power structure of a relationship.
Teaching is one job where the differences between men’s and women’s ways of talking show. When a man teaches a woman, says Professor Tannen, he wants to show that he has more knowledge, and hence more power in conversation. When a woman teaches another woman, however, she is more likely to take a sharing approach and to encourage her student to join in.
But Professor Tannen does not believe that women are naturally more helpful. She says women feel they achieve power by being able to help others. Although the research suggests men talk and interrupt people more than women, Professor Tannen says, women actually encourage this to happen because they believe it will lead to more intimacy and help to establish a relationship.
Some scientists who are studying speech think that the brain is pre-programmed for language. As we are usually taught to speak by women, it seems likely that the brain must have a sexual bias in its programming, otherwise male speech patterns would not arise at all.Ⅰ THERE ARE DIFFERENCES IN MEN’S AND WOMEN’S WAYS OF TALKING.
Ⅱ IN PUBLIC CONVERSATIONS AND PRIVATE CONVERSATIONS, THEY BEHAVE DIFFERENTLY.
Ⅲ TEACHING IS ONE JOB WHERE THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MEN’S AND WOMEN’S WAYS OF TALKING SHOW.
Ⅳ WOMEN ARE NOT NATURALLY MORE HELPFUL.
Ⅴ THE BRAIN IS PRE-PROGRAMMED FOR LANGUAGE.
