On the pragmatics of an androgynous style of speaking (from a transsexual's perspective)

Bibliographic Data

ID2254765
AuthorsC Todd White, Christopher T White (University of Nevada, Las Vegas, corresponding author)
Year1998
Volume17
Issue2
Pages215-223
Publication date1998-07-01
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueWorld Englishes (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0883-2919 • E-ISSN: 1467-971X
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/1467-971x.00095
OpenAlexW2084327109
LanguageEN
Citations received8

Since the publication of Robin Lakoff's Language and Woman's Place (1975), much has been written regarding the distinct language styles employed by men and women in Western culture. For instance, linguists in England and America have repeatedly found men to be more competitive and women more co-operative in discourse. Following the lead of psychologist Sandra Bem, Jennifer Coates has suggested that a speaker who shifts between masculine and feminine styles of speaking will have certain advantages in today's society, especially in the work environment. This paper considers the pragmatics of style-shifting as related to the experiences of Marty Gomez, a male-to-female transsexual who has met with limited success in passing as female under intense public scrutiny. It illustrates how Marty shifts between what has been considered two distinct styles of speaking in order to (1) maintain the illusion of femininity, (2) set clients of both genders at ease as they pose before an audience of strangers, and (3) entice clients to desire and purchase a product. Marty's situation reveals much regarding the underlying Western notions of gender and upholds the theories of modern linguists. However, it also shows the limitation of style-shifting when applied in her situation. If Marty appears too feminine, she may lose the sale; too masculine, and she runs the risk of revealing her male self. While Marty herself attributes much of her success in society to her ability to style shift, it is complicated and fatiguing work, not without danger

Femininity · Linguistics · Literature · Perspective (graphical · Pragmatics · Public speaking · Scrutiny · Sociology · Style (visual arts · Transgender · Transsexual · Gender Studies · Gender Studies in Language · Language, Discourse, Communication Strategies · Law · Linguistic Variation and Morphology · Philosophy · Psychology · Social Psychology