Institutional Repository | Satya Wacana Christian University: Male and Female Register in CMC
MALE AND FEMALE REGISTER IN CMC
THESIS
Submitted in Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree of
Sarjana Pendidikan
Marschall Eirence Metekohy
112010130
ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
FACULTY OF LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE
SATYA WACANA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY
SALATIGA
2014
MALE AND FEMALE REGISTER IN CMC
THESIS
Submitted in Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree of
Sarjana Pendidikan
Marschall Eirence Metekohy
112010130
ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
FACULTY OF LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE
SATYA WACANA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY
SALATIGA
2014
i
ii
COPYRIGHT STATEMENT
This thesis contains no such materials as has been submitted for examination in any course or
accepted for the fulfillment of any degree or diploma in any university. To the best of my
knowledge and my belief, this contains no material previously published or written by any other
person except where due reference is made in the text.
Copyright@ 2014. Marschall Eirence Metekohy
All rights reserved. No part of this thesis may be reproduced by any means without the
permission of at least one of the copyright owners or the English Department, Faculty of
Language and Literature, Satya Wacana Christian University, Salatiga.
Marschall Eirence Metekohy
iii
iv
TABLE OF CONTENT
...................................................................................................................................................................... ii
COPYRIGHT STATEMENT ................................................................................................................... iii
LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................................................... vi
Abstract ......................................................................................................................................................... 1
Introduction ................................................................................................................................................... 1
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK ................................................................................................................ 3
Register ......................................................................................................................................................... 3
Male Register ............................................................................................................................................ 5
Female Register ........................................................................................................................................ 6
Gender and CMC ...................................................................................................................................... 9
THE STUDY .............................................................................................................................................. 12
Context of Study ..................................................................................................................................... 12
Participants.............................................................................................................................................. 13
Research instrument ................................................................................................................................ 14
Data Analysis .......................................................................................................................................... 14
FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION ................................................................................................................ 14
Male Register .......................................................................................................................................... 14
Female Register ...................................................................................................................................... 22
DATA INTERPRETATION....................................................................................................................... 28
CONCLUSION ........................................................................................................................................... 30
Acknowledgement ...................................................................................................................................... 32
REFERENCES ........................................................................................................................................... 33
v
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1. DigitalSpy Forum Page…………………………….………………………………,…13
Figure 2.Example 1 of Strategy in control the conversation……………………………….……15
Figure 3.Example 2 of Strategy in control the conversation………………………………….…16
Figure 4.Example 1 of Minimal Response………………………………………………...…….17
Figure 5.Example 2 of Minimal Response……………………………………………….……...17
Figure 6.Example 3 of Minimal Response………………………………………………….…...18
Figure 7.Example 1 of Command………………………………………………………….…….19
Figure 8.Example 2 of Command………………………………………………………….…….19
Figure 9.Example 3 of Command………………………………………………………….…….19
Figure 10.Example 4 of Command………………………………………………………………20
Figure 11. Examples of Questions Asked………………………………………………………..21
Figure 12.Examples of Intensifier: So…………………………………………………………...23
Figure 13.Example of Hedges: Tentative Cognition Verb……………………………………....24
Figure 14.Example of Hedges: Probability Adverb………………………………………….….25
Figure 15.Example of Hedges: Modal Auxiliaries……………………………………………....26
Figure 16.Empty Adjectives………………………………………………………………….….27
vi
Male and Female Register in CMC
Marschall Eirence Metekohy
Satya Wacana Christian University
Abstract
The different social values men and women hold lead to the different ways
men and women communicate in the society. Studies suggest that female register
(Lakoff, 1973) is different from male register (Karlsson, 2007). Halliday (1998)
proposes that a register is determined by the Tenor, Field, and Mode of the
interactions. Furthermore, human communication has evolved since the era of the
internet and Computer Mediated Communication (CMC) has become a new mode
in communication. Therefore since language is dynamic, the language used by
men and women might evolve as well. This study was aimed at investigating the
male and female register in CMC. In the attempt to accomplish the objective of
this study, 30 members of online discussion forum participated. The language
they used in the discussion in the forum was analyzed. The result indicated that
most of the features of the male and female register from previous studies were
observed. However, not all the characteristics of male and female register were
found in the conversations. Moreover, it was also observed that there were
occurrences of cross-gender register. This study suggested that due to the different
nature of CMC communication, the features of male and female register might be
different from the Lakoff‟s (1973) hypothesis.
Keywords: Male Register, Female Register, CMC
THESIS
Submitted in Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree of
Sarjana Pendidikan
Marschall Eirence Metekohy
112010130
ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
FACULTY OF LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE
SATYA WACANA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY
SALATIGA
2014
MALE AND FEMALE REGISTER IN CMC
THESIS
Submitted in Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree of
Sarjana Pendidikan
Marschall Eirence Metekohy
112010130
ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
FACULTY OF LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE
SATYA WACANA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY
SALATIGA
2014
i
ii
COPYRIGHT STATEMENT
This thesis contains no such materials as has been submitted for examination in any course or
accepted for the fulfillment of any degree or diploma in any university. To the best of my
knowledge and my belief, this contains no material previously published or written by any other
person except where due reference is made in the text.
Copyright@ 2014. Marschall Eirence Metekohy
All rights reserved. No part of this thesis may be reproduced by any means without the
permission of at least one of the copyright owners or the English Department, Faculty of
Language and Literature, Satya Wacana Christian University, Salatiga.
Marschall Eirence Metekohy
iii
iv
TABLE OF CONTENT
...................................................................................................................................................................... ii
COPYRIGHT STATEMENT ................................................................................................................... iii
LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................................................... vi
Abstract ......................................................................................................................................................... 1
Introduction ................................................................................................................................................... 1
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK ................................................................................................................ 3
Register ......................................................................................................................................................... 3
Male Register ............................................................................................................................................ 5
Female Register ........................................................................................................................................ 6
Gender and CMC ...................................................................................................................................... 9
THE STUDY .............................................................................................................................................. 12
Context of Study ..................................................................................................................................... 12
Participants.............................................................................................................................................. 13
Research instrument ................................................................................................................................ 14
Data Analysis .......................................................................................................................................... 14
FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION ................................................................................................................ 14
Male Register .......................................................................................................................................... 14
Female Register ...................................................................................................................................... 22
DATA INTERPRETATION....................................................................................................................... 28
CONCLUSION ........................................................................................................................................... 30
Acknowledgement ...................................................................................................................................... 32
REFERENCES ........................................................................................................................................... 33
v
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1. DigitalSpy Forum Page…………………………….………………………………,…13
Figure 2.Example 1 of Strategy in control the conversation……………………………….……15
Figure 3.Example 2 of Strategy in control the conversation………………………………….…16
Figure 4.Example 1 of Minimal Response………………………………………………...…….17
Figure 5.Example 2 of Minimal Response……………………………………………….……...17
Figure 6.Example 3 of Minimal Response………………………………………………….…...18
Figure 7.Example 1 of Command………………………………………………………….…….19
Figure 8.Example 2 of Command………………………………………………………….…….19
Figure 9.Example 3 of Command………………………………………………………….…….19
Figure 10.Example 4 of Command………………………………………………………………20
Figure 11. Examples of Questions Asked………………………………………………………..21
Figure 12.Examples of Intensifier: So…………………………………………………………...23
Figure 13.Example of Hedges: Tentative Cognition Verb……………………………………....24
Figure 14.Example of Hedges: Probability Adverb………………………………………….….25
Figure 15.Example of Hedges: Modal Auxiliaries……………………………………………....26
Figure 16.Empty Adjectives………………………………………………………………….….27
vi
Male and Female Register in CMC
Marschall Eirence Metekohy
Satya Wacana Christian University
Abstract
The different social values men and women hold lead to the different ways
men and women communicate in the society. Studies suggest that female register
(Lakoff, 1973) is different from male register (Karlsson, 2007). Halliday (1998)
proposes that a register is determined by the Tenor, Field, and Mode of the
interactions. Furthermore, human communication has evolved since the era of the
internet and Computer Mediated Communication (CMC) has become a new mode
in communication. Therefore since language is dynamic, the language used by
men and women might evolve as well. This study was aimed at investigating the
male and female register in CMC. In the attempt to accomplish the objective of
this study, 30 members of online discussion forum participated. The language
they used in the discussion in the forum was analyzed. The result indicated that
most of the features of the male and female register from previous studies were
observed. However, not all the characteristics of male and female register were
found in the conversations. Moreover, it was also observed that there were
occurrences of cross-gender register. This study suggested that due to the different
nature of CMC communication, the features of male and female register might be
different from the Lakoff‟s (1973) hypothesis.
Keywords: Male Register, Female Register, CMC