Language, Gender, and Culture

Directions: Staple ~ 4-5 pages and set up your Table of Contents Your 1st assignment is: Pre-reading: Anticipatory Set

Pre-reading: Anticipatory SetDirections: mark “Y” or “N” for each

1. I prefer it when people speak quietly around me.

2. I prefer it when people look me in the eye when we talk.

3. I like it most when I am taller (or higher up) than the person with whom I am speaking.

4. I like to talk loudly at parties.5. I appreciate when someone is at least a foot

from me when we are in conversation.

6. I am quiet more often than I am loud.

7. I like to be the center of attention.

8. I often wish I was more out-spoken.

9. I consider myself to be a good communicator.

10.I can tell when someone is angry with me – even if they don’t say it.

11.I can tell when someone is being dishonest.

12. My facial expressions come across loud and clear to people.

13. I find myself telling secrets or gossiping with my friends a lot.

14. I like to be in a crowd of people.

15. I look people in the eye when I talk to them.

16. I am more comfortable talking to one gender than the other.

17. I have more friends of my gender than the other.

18. I spend a lot of time on the phone with my friends.

19. My mom or dad say I am too loud.

20. My parents are openly affectionate with each other.

21. I often have my arms crossed when I talk to people.

Jump the Line• Let’s go OUTSIDE! (bring your answers).• Significance of “The Line”

– Start by standing on the line

– Jump“Yes” or “No”

• Be prepared to “defend your answer”

Debrief “Jump the Line”Introduce:1. Language2. Gender3. Culture

Quick write (2 different ones)①Divide paper in half (horizontally). ②Label #1 on the top.③Label #2 on the bottom.④You will be responding to ONE of the quick

writes as directed in the space labeled. (7 minutes for 1 paragraph).

⑤Leave the other space blank for now.

1.One or two generations ago, men and women seemed to have firmer codes for how to behave: men could be loud and assertive, but women were expected to dress modestly and use feminine voices. Do you think these “rules” for males and females behavior still hold true today? From your own experiences and observations, what can you point to as support for your position?

2. Families have their own rules for how males and females members should talk and behave. Think back to the advice you have heard in your family or to the rules you have noticed in your family members following. Describe the communication styles of talking and behaving for men and women in your family.

Share Quickwrite Ideas• Lines of communication:• Line up with the #1s against the wall and

#2s are facing the #1s.• Write your partner’s name on your sheet

and jot down notes about their response.• Shift to talk to a second partner and do

the same.

Debrief

Big Question:We are all aware of misunderstandings or misjudgments that exist regarding language, gender, and culture in our society. What are some specific examples?  How do such misunderstandings affect our ability to communicate with others?

Sentence Frame:One example of miscommunication between (languages/genders/cultures) that I’ve (witnessed/experienced) is _____(explain the situation with details). Fixing such types of miscommunication is important because ___.

T-chart: title= MEANS OF COMMUNICATION

• Partners: brainstorm then share with class

Effective Ineffective

1. 2. 3. 4.

1. 2. 3. 4.

Making Predictions

Prediction: Tannen’s article is titled “His Politeness is Her Powerlessness.” Make a prediction: What will it be about?

Making Predictions

• Read paragraph 1 and identify the THESIS

• (1 minute): What do you think Tannen means by this?

• (30 seconds) Share with partner; then whole class.

Modern Family & I Love Lucy

• I Love Lucy (Job switch) and Modern Family (Phil at Spa)

• Sentence Frame: Although these two clips come from very different eras, both show examples of __________. The message of both clips seems to be __________.

First Reading• Stay focused on Tannen’s THESIS (highlight it)• Annotate by marking the CD/CM (evidence

and commentary) she includes to support her thesis.

• Evaluate: In what ways is this essay effective/ persuasive? In what was is it ineffective?

(Note: This is not asking whether you agree or disagree with her)

Evaluation of the Evidence

Tannen’s thesis is __(paraphrase). Her most effective evidence is when she cites "___" because ___. Her least effective evidence is "___" because ___.

(Note: This is not asking whether you agree or disagree with her. It is asking about how credible the evidence is)

Write “Big Idea” Response Paragraphs: Tannen asserts that the differences between male and

female linguistic strategies influence their status in American society. She claims that a woman’s style of speaking is often seen as “___” (Para. __) which implies ___. On the other hand, male linguistic strategies are described as “___,” which suggests ___ (Para. ). On the whole ___.

Conversely, in many cultures outside of America, linguistic strategies are viewed quite differently. One example is ____ (include quotation). This means that _____. A second example is ___ (include quotation). This indicates ___. Overall ____.

• Show and discuss Seinfeld video clip “Close Talkers”

• LANGUAGE POINT: “Indirectness itself does not reflect powerlessness” but that women are “seeking connection” when they speak.

• CULTURAL POINT: “Evidence from other cultures also makes it clear that indirectness does not in itself reflect low status. Rather, our assumptions about the status of women compel us to interpret anything they do as low status.”

2nd Reading: read as a “skeptic”(add: Icons + Annotate)

2nd Reading Text-Based Question

• Tannen Suggests: Our tendency to characterize women’s behavior as low status is what makes it difficult to see their conversational styles as legitimate, powerful, or effective.

Is Tannen valuing women’s speech as superior to that of men’s? Cite evidence from the text in defense of your response.

Friends Video Clip

• Male/Female communications

STRESS!1. Create 2 columns2. Headings:Males/Females + at the bottom, list

problems and solutions3. Brainstorm: How do males vs. females cope

with stress?4. Take Notes as you listen to John Gray’s text

Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus

2 paragraphs (compare/contrast)Write two paragraphs (compare and contrast)

about how males and females cope with stress.

(7 minutes/paragraph)TS1: According to John Gray, when coping with

stress, men tend to ___. (Add CD, CM, CS)

TS2: On the other hand, women tend to cope with stress by ___. (Add CD, CM, CS)

Phylosopheby: Judith Butler

Copy and paste this in your browser:http://www.mybigcampus.com/library/401723Watch this twice, read along with the transcript on page 31 of your articles.

Phylosopheby: Judith Butler

Though you may not know any examples as extreme as the one described by Butler, have you seen or heard of similar instances in which gender norms have been enforced through violence or bullying?

What does this tell us about human nature?

Honor Code

1) What predictions can you make about the text based on the opening two paragraphs?

2) What questions do those paragraphs raise for you that you hope the reading will answer?

Read the first two paragraphsOf the text.

Honor Code: A little background

This text alludes to a historical play called Henry V written by William Shakespeare. Henry V was known as a wild, rebellious, undisciplined man in his youth. He went on to become the king to not only England, but also France following the Hundred Years’ War.

Read with a PencilRead David Brooks’s article “Honor Code” silently, annotating any particular points of interest or noting any places that need clarification; then answer the following questions about it:1)What surprised you?2)What, if anything about this piece, do you find confusing?3)Write a single sentence in your own words that states Brooks’s argument.

Author Bios: Before we analyze rhetorical appeals, here is a little information about the authors.

• David Brooks has a degree in history from the Univ. of Chicago and later taught at Duke University. He is a political and cultural commentator and columnist for the New York Times and has published numerous books.

• Deborah Tannen earned a PhD in Linguistics from UC Berkeley and is a Professor of Linguistics at Georgetown University. She is the author of many books and articles about how language affects relationships, including her book You Just Don’t Understand, which was a New York Times bestseller for four years. She appears on TV and radio regularly as an expert in her field.

Jigsaw: Rhetorical Appeals

• Each team will receive a set of 5 questions to answer.

• Your responses must include your assertion/ claim and evidence from the text– Write your answer along with the evidence/quote– You do not have to write your CM, but you must

be prepared to discuss it as you present to the class

• Elmo team presentations

Tannen & Brooks: Rhetorical AppealsLogos I

1. What is Tannen claiming, specifically, about male and female behavior?

2. What specifically is Brooks arguing? 3. What evidence does Tannen use to support her

claims?4. At what point does Brooks begin using evidence?

How does he use that evidence?5. How relevant and valid do you think the evidence is

for both authors?

Tannen & Brooks: Rhetorical AppealsLogos II

6. What function does the Hal story serve in Brook’s argument?

7. What counterarguments has each author (Tannen and Brooks) addressed?

8. Why does Tannen focus her discussion on women?9. Why does Brooks focus his discussion on boys?10. How have each author’s ideas developed over the

course of the text?

Tannen & Brooks: Rhetorical AppealsEthos

11. What can you infer about Tannen?12. Why does she refer both to her own research and

the research of other authors?13. What can you infer about Brooks?14. Why does he use a character from Shakespeare to

make his point?15. Do these two authors have the appropriate

background to speak with authority on their subjects? How do they develop credibility?

Tannen & Brooks: Rhetorical AppealsPathos

16. Does one of these two pieces affect you emotionally more than the other? Why?

17. Do you think Tannen is trying to manipulate the reader’s emotions? In what ways? Where?

18. Do you think Brooks is trying to manipulate the reader’s emotions? In what ways? Where?

19. Do your emotions conflict with your logical interpretations of the arguments?

20. How do these authors use irony or humor in their texts? How does this affect you as a reader?

Tannen & Brooks: Rhetorical AppealsLogos, Ethos & Pathos

21. Logos: What is the MOST logical argument made by Tannen? Why?

22. Logos: What is the MOST logical argument made by Brooks? Why?

23. Pathos: What is the MOST emotional argument made by Tannen? Why?

24. Pathos: What is the MOST emotional argument made by Brooks? Why?

25. Ethos: Which of these two authors is more credible? Why?

Ticket Out the Door!• On an index card:Describe one thing from our readings so

far (Tannen, Butler and Brooks) that is still unclear or confusing.

Turn the card over and describe one thing that you understand quite clearly.

Hand the card to me before you leave!

Spoken Word Text

• Suli Breaks “I Will Not Let an Exam…”• (On Mybigcampus)• Thoughts? • What does this text add to the conversation?

Synonym Chart: Vershawn Ashanti Young

Vocabulary word or phrase

Synonym or similar phrase Another synonym or similar phrase

prelude introduction

vicarious imagining what something is like based on another person’s experiences

demeanor manner, conduct

ambivalence conflict or uncertainty

cachet status

innuendo implication, insinuation

patronize be condescending or pompous

talk down to

anomaly irregularity

A little bit about the author

• Vershawn Ashanti Young earned a PhD from the Department of African American Studies and English at the University of Illinois.

• He is an expert on the contemporary African American experience, especially in relation to language, literature, and gender (masculinity)

• He is the author of several books and is considered an expert in his field

Annotating Young’s Text

• Make notes in the margin. Focus on:– Points you find especially moving or important– Sections you find confusing– Questions that arise– Sections you disagree with or want to discuss further

• After annotating: turn to your team and discuss your reactions, questions and confusions

Create a Conversation

• Select 2 or 3 of the authors whose texts we have read in this unit so far and imagine they are having a conversation about the relationships between language, gender, identity and/or culture.

• Write up what they would say to each other, either as a conversation, or as part of an interview from a TV talk show host.

• Write what they would really talk about, and include their unique voices and styles as you write.

Synonym Chart: Audre Lorde

Vocabulary word or phrase

Synonym or similar phrase Another synonym or similar phrase

elucidate explain clarify

omission left out, excluded

censure criticism scorn

mortality humanity

tyranny oppression

scrutinize examine carefully

pertinence relevance

A little bit about the author• Audre Lorde earned an MA from Columbia

University in Library Science.• She is deeply concerned with issues of class, race,

age, gender and health, particularly as they related to the experiences of women in the 1960s.

• She is a librarian, writer, poet, teacher, feminist and lesbian who has won numerous awards, including a National Endowment for the Arts grant.

Annotating Lorde’s Text (Speech)

1. Make a prediction about this text based on the opening paragraphs. Write it down.

2. Read Lorde’s speech, annotating points of interest and confusion.

3. How accurate was your prediction? If your prediction was inaccurate, what words or phrases in the text mislead you?

4. Write a single sentence in your own words that states Lorde’s argument.

2nd Reading: Reread Lorde’s speech, marking it as follows

• Draw a line across the page where the introduction ends. Remember, it may not be after the 1st paragraph; it may even be in the middle of a paragraph. How do you know?

• Draw a line across the page where you think the conclusion begins. How does the author use language, punctuation or other text features to indicate the conclusion?

• At the end of each section, summarize the content and the rhetorical purpose

• Language, Gender, and Culture: Culminating EssayNow that you have studied multiple texts as part of the

Language, Gender, and Culture Unit, write an essay in which you discuss a particular communication challenge in our society and proposechanges that may improve the lives of those who endure it. Like Butler, Tannen, Brooks, Young, and Lorde, you may use your own or others’ personal experiences (including those of the five authors in this module), hypothetical situations, and reflections to make your case. Your essay MUST include quotations from a minimum of two texts. Quotes must be integrated and include parenthetical citations. Do NOT quote excessively (at least 75% of the essay should be your own words – simply use the quotes to prove your points).