If there’s a women’s-only language in the U.K. I’ve never heard of it, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t one. I do however think the U.K. has different linguistic patterns for aristocracy vs. everyone else, both with the echo of Anglo-Saxon vs. Norman (cow/beef, sheep/mutton etc.); and also with the specific posh accent, formal modes of address that most people don’t bother with, and random use of Latin, Greek, and French.
Deborah Tannen's "You Just Don't Understand" discusses this idea. I found it pretty interesting.
Roughly, its thesis is that men typically interact with others in a competitive way, as if interactions are about status in a hierarchy; whereas typically women would prefer to interact in a cooperative way, where interactions are about belonging/intimacy. -- The different perspectives lend themselves to framing the same sets of actions in different ways.
-- The preface makes an interesting point: to the extent that differences in cultural attitudes leads to misunderstanding/conflict, it's worth trying to understand what those cultural differences are.
Her: We’ve been dating for six months and I’m all for taking it slow, but you haven’t even brought up the idea of moving in together? Like just to have the conversation? Like what am I to you?
ben_w|4 years ago
emsy|4 years ago
rgoulter|4 years ago
Roughly, its thesis is that men typically interact with others in a competitive way, as if interactions are about status in a hierarchy; whereas typically women would prefer to interact in a cooperative way, where interactions are about belonging/intimacy. -- The different perspectives lend themselves to framing the same sets of actions in different ways.
-- The preface makes an interesting point: to the extent that differences in cultural attitudes leads to misunderstanding/conflict, it's worth trying to understand what those cultural differences are.
psyc|4 years ago
Me: pulls up Google Translate