ASSIGNMENT

 Name: Nimra Baig

 Class: BS-ENGLISH
 Roll No. : 1256
 Subject: Sociolinguistics

 WHAT IS LANGUAGE?
A language is a structured system of communication. Language, in a
broader sense, is the method of communication that involves the use of – particularly
human – languages. The scientific study of language is called linguistics.

 WHAT IS GENDER?
Gender is the range of characteristics pertaining to, and differentiating between,
masculinity and femininity. Depending on the context, these characteristics may include
biological sex, sex-based social structures, or gender identity.
 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GENDER AND SEX:
The World Health Organization regional office for Europe describes sex as
characteristics that are biologically defined, whereas gender is based on socially
constructed features. They recognize that there are variations in how people
experience gender based upon self-perception and expression, and how they
behave.
 Gender and First language:
“Language and gender” refers to the relationship between the language of male and
female. Gender difference is not only a reflection of the speeches between male and female,
but also a reflection of their different living styles and attitudes
First, gender affects language acquisition, or how young children learn their native
language, with girls more likely to use language relationally than boys (this means in
the context of close relationships with others). ... There are also substantial differences
between genders in how we develop and use language

 GENDER AND SECOND LANGUAGAE:

A number of sociolinguists currently prefer the term 'gender' because it places
the emphasis on the social construction of 'male' and 'female'. In second
language acquisition, females have an advantage over males; they seem to be
more successful according to many previous studies.
Error Analysis is one of the major topics in the field of second language
acquisition research. Errors are an integral part of language learning. ... The basic task
of error analysis is to describe how learning occurs by examining the learner's output and this
includes his/her correct and incorrect utterances

 GENDER AND VARIETY:

Within sociolinguistics, issues of gender emerged primarily as the study of "sex
differences," in which the focus of analysis wasjj the quantifiable difference
between women's and men's use: of particular linguistic variables, especially
phonological variables.
The term linguistic variation (or simply variation) refers to regional, social, or contextual
differences in the ways that a particular language is used. ... Since the rise
of sociolinguistics in the 1960s, interest in linguistic variation (also
called linguistic variability) has developed rapidly

 GENDER AND SOCIALIZATION:

Gender socialization is the process by which individuals are taught how to
socially behave in accordance with their assigned gender, which is assigned at birth based on
their sex phenotype. ... Children and adults who do not conform to gender stereotypes are often
ostracized by peers for being different
Gender socialization occurs through four major agents: family, education, peer groups,
and mass media. Television commercials and other forms of advertising reinforce inequality
and gender-based stereotypes

 GENDER AND ENVIRONMENT:

In fact, evidence reveals that there is a correlation
between environment and gender; when gender inequality is high, forest depletion, air
pollution and other measures of environmental degradation are also high. But effectively
engaging women is not just about avoiding negative consequences
A large body of research shows a small—but consistent—gender gap in environmental views
and climate change opinions. On average, women are slightly more likely than men to be
concern about the environment and have stronger pro-climate opinions and beliefs.
Conclusion:
The way we perceive gender seems to depend on the way it's presented to us as we're
learning. And our language is a big part of that. A growing body of research suggests that
the language we speak, including its gender features, shapes the way we think and act.