How & Why Men & Women Talk Different
Eckert sez Gender Roles, not Biological Sex are crucial.
Women are concerned with comparing their status vs. other Women. Same for men.
Linguistic differentiation is more important to Women – Ecks sez this is because they have less access to Work.
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Labov
Women lead change from below
Why – Child Rearing. Women teach children new Language.
Sex as a variable confounded by social factors.
2nd Highest group has the greatest linguistic insecurity. The ones buying 27000 USD Beamers. Labov’s data shows that women drive that change. And sales of mass-luxury goods like Pottery Barn. Those social climbers.
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Are Upper Working Class Women Powerless? (As Eckert suggests)
No, they often earn more (working downtown as Secretaries, etc) than blue-collar husbands.
According to Labov’s Philly Data Women are a generation ahead of Men.