The Features of Women Language
Lakoff in her book Language and Womans Place in 1975 claimed that there were certain features of womens language that gave the impression women are weaker and less
certain than men. There are features of womens language by Lakoff:
1. Hedges, e.g. you know, short of, well, you see Lakoff mention that there are a number of linguistic features were evidence of a
confident speaker. It can be divided into two groups. For the first, there are linguistic devices including lexical hedges, tag question, question intonations, super polite forms, and
euphemisms. Hedging devices explicitly signal lack of confidence. Women use hedging devices to express uncertainty. For the second, there are boosting devices including
intensifiers and emphatic stress. Boosting devices reflect the speakers anticipation that the addressee may remain unconvinced and therefore supply extra reassurance. Women use
boosting devices to persuade their addressee to take them seriously. It purposes to get attention from the addressee especially men so that they will be heard. Women are commonly
use you know, sort of, well, you see in their statements that show lexical hedges or filters often be used.
2. Super-polite Form, e.g. indirect request, euphemisms Women are supposed to speak more politely than men. This is related to the
hypercorrectness in grammar, since it is considered more mannerly in middle-class society to speak properly. Women are the expert at euphemism; more positively, women are
repositories of fact and know the right things to say to other people, why men are carelessly
confused and say what they are thinking. Women are supposed to be particularly careful to say please and thank you and to uphold the other social conventions.
3. Hypercorrect Grammar and Pronunciation Hypercorrect grammar is related to the politeness in utterance and aloofness of the
relationship between the speaker and addressee. Women avoid to using aint or double negatives.
4. Tag Question, e.g. shes very nice, isnt she? Lakoff proposes that a tag is used in midway between an outright statement and yes-
no question. A tag question is used when speaker is stating claim, but lacks full confidence in the truth of that claim. Woman is uncertain about something, and indicates this with a tag
which signals doubt what she is asserting. The tag appears anyway as an apology for making an assertion at all. Anyone may do this if she lacks self-confidence, as everyone does in some
situations.
5. Speaking in Italics, e.g. so and very. Lakoff states, in communication women tend to using stress or high intonation for
emphasis. It is also use to hedge on ones feelings as well to show strong emotions. Intensive adverbs also can be used to strengthen an assertion.
6. Empty Adjective Approval, e.g. divine, charming, sweet, adorable The use of empty adjectives is to show the speakers approbation or admiration of
something. Lakoff claims that if a man using these terms he appears more feminine as it damage his masculine prestige. Empty adjectives used properly only in the case that the
speaker feel the idea referred to is essentially frivolous, trivial, or unimportant to the world at large-only amusement for the speaker herself.
7. Use of Implication, e.g. its cold in here, isnt it, shut the window Lakoff stated women using this terms because they do not feel the authority to give
orders. Some women might felt afraid to express their feeling in general discussion or in their daily activities, it could be the reason this terms used by women.
8. Special Lexicon, e.g. purple or blue women would say lilac or violet Lakoff proposed that such words are trivial and evidence of the fact that women have
been allowed control over unimportant things. Every womens in this world love to say everything on their mind, but still using their politeness.
9. Question Intonation in Declarative Statements, e.g. Dinners in half an hour? There is a peculiar sentence intonation patterns, which has the form of a declarative
answer to a question, and is used as such, but has the rising inflection typically of a yes-no question, as well as being especially hesitant. The effect is as though one were seeking
confirmation, though at the same time the speaker may be the only one who has the requisite information. This feature is probably part of the general fact that women language is much
more polite than man. Women try to leave a decision open, not imposing others mind, or views, or claims on anyone else.
10. Sense of Humor Lacking Lakoff argued that women do not joke as much or understand jokes. It means that a
few of women is not like men that loving joke. The sense of humor in women becomes important thing to evaluate how women are.
11. Speak Less Frequently In the fact men speak more than women, proves that women less certain of
themselves, even thought some people believe that women more like to speak, therefore the researcher proved in their observation men more tend to speak with many topic. Women only
speak about what they thing important and required. 12. Indirect Speech, e.g. Wow, Im thirsty.
The use of this term to explain about what womens feeling, it could be the way women to speak. Women sometimes afraid to speak to the point to other people, and they
choose to using indirect speech to give other people the meaning of what they say. For example wow, Im thirsty it means that she exactly ask for some drink.
13. Avoid Coarse Language of Expletives Women in this world well-known as delicate creature and tend to using super-polite
form in their speech. It could be the reason why women avoid coarse language of expletives. 14. Apologies, e.g. Im sorry, but I think that
Women apologize more than men do, it’s the fact. Apologies are inexorably related to the concept of politeness. As we know women are more polite than men, it could be the
reason why women do apologies more than men.