Corpus Linguistics and the Analysis of Gendered Language: A Comparative Study of Male and Female Speech Patterns in English
Keywords:
corpus linguistics, gendered language, English, speech patterns, sociolinguistics, discourse analysisAbstract
This article investigates how corpus linguistics can be used to analyze
gendered language differences in English. By examining linguistic patterns exhibited by
male and female speakers across various contexts, including formal vs. informal settings,
and written vs. spoken language, this study utilizes data from corpora such as the British
National Corpus (BNC) and the Corpus of Contemporary American English (COCA).
Features such as vocabulary choice, sentence structure, politeness strategies, and discourse
markers are explored. The findings reveal that while some linguistic features are strongly
gendered, others are more context-dependent. This study also highlights the role of societal
norms and cultural expectations in shaping gendered language patterns.
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