Language And Gender In Sociolinguistics

Language and gender is one aspect which sociolinguistics deals with. It is more unique than any other aspect of sociolinguistics as it investigates how sex or gender, which should be treated in a particular biological field, may influence the use of language among society. Many linguists believe that this issue spreads everywhere in the whole world which has a similar characteristic i.e. the way of how men and women use language differently especially in speaking. This argument is in line with what Cameron argues. Cameron (1998b, pp. 280–1) also states that Men and women are members of cultures in which a large amount of discourse about gender is constantly circulating. They do not only learn, and then mechanically reproduce, ways of speaking

Therefore, in order to simplify the discussion and to override this kind of possibility especially for the ease and a better understanding for language learners, the writer then perceives gender as sex which means that a male person is regarded as having a male gender or masculinity and the same perception goes to female persons. This decision relatively considers the statement of Wodak. She (1997a, p. 4) argues that what it means to be a woman or to be a man also changes from one generation to the next and varies between different racialized, ethnic, and religious groups, as well as for members of different social classes.’ In such a view, gender must be learned in each generation. Therefore, it is necessary in the writer’s opinion to put the discussion in a general view of the nature of men and women.

As stated by Wodak: race, ethnic, religious group, members of different social classes; the writer takes some aspects which may be the factors which initiate the different use of language. They are ethnic and race which will be regarded as culture and religious group, yet the writer adds some more aspects: topic and how men and women

A simple example is taken from the culture of Japan and Java. Both are different cultures from different countries, but they share the common thing that is the way women are supposed to behave. Women in Japan and in Java are supposed to speak less than that of man, and if they are married, they should let the husband speak in any gathering occasions. This culture will certainly affect the use of language since men dominate the spoken language. It may happen due to social belief, manners, habits, etc. which are applied in such societies. Importantly, that a woman is required to speak only to her husband will automatically characterize her voice by lowering it when speaking so that other persons will not hear what she