Language and Technology

Language and Gender

The unspoken dialogue between men and women: Truth and Humor

G: Narrative, fictional story

R: Written + spoken language features

A: Women

M: multi-model

P: Entertain

S: Relationship between a guy and a girl

There is a male stereotype of the male asking out the female in the first paragraph, this is a common stereotype and is widely accepted between men and women in society. This stereotype is repeated again when he asked her out for a meal. Elaine starts the conversation breaking the stereotype of men starting conversations with women. Robin Lakoff did a research on the power behind female speech, stating that it is less superior to men’s language. The dominance approach is broken by Elaine, because the research says that it is done men 96% of the time. Elaine then has an inner dialogue about what she had just said Do you realize that we have been seeing each other for exactly six months’  but Roger is thinking about a more male idea of cars instead of the relationship ‘and I’m going to have to look at the transmission again…’

Elaine thinks about romance which is a female stereotype ‘school girl romantic fantasy’ this sounds like a Mills and Boons style of story. Roger isn't paying attention when Elaine is describing her fantasy of a knight in shining Armour on a horse. He goes on to say ‘what horse’ which shows that he doesn't care for fantasy land.  Elaine has the most power in this conversation because she is leading the conversation and Roger is only saying one word responses. Roger has picked up on the horse and nothing else from his conversation with Elaine, this is a stereotype of men not paying attention and only thinking about what interests them. Elaine is very caught up on the conversation with Roger, and physically demonstrates this by crying in bed. She over analysis the whole conversation and exacerbates what has been said. She is not being clear with her feelings and confusing Roger.

The title of the text can be linked with the content; Roger is following the male stereotype with humor which can be linked to the title.  This could appear to be comical to the reader from the writer views of the male language.