Language variation between women and men in English and Romanian

Abstract

This article explores gender-based language variation in English and Romanian through an analysis of two plays: Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller and Frumoasa călătorie a urșilor panda povestită de un saxofonist care avea o iubită la Frankfurt by Matei Vișniec. The study investigates linguistic differences between men’s and women’s speech at the phonological, lexical, and grammatical levels while addressing broader sociolinguistic theories on gendered communication. The study concludes that women’s speech tends to be cooperative, marked by empathy and support, whereas men’s speech is often competitive, aiming to dominate conversations. Men’s interruptions and delayed minimal responses are used to control conversational topics, often leaving women silent. Notably, men’s use of repetitions reflects assertiveness in English but uncertainty in Romanian. This investigation highlights how gender-based language variation is influenced by social norms, cultural expectations, and contextual factors. By examining these distinctions, the study contributes to ongoing research in sociolinguistics, shedding light on how gender interacts with linguistic behavior across different languages and cultural contexts.