HUE UNIVERSITY

UNIVERSITY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES

INTERNATIONAL STUDIES DEPARTMENT

FINAL ESSAY OF LANGUAGE MYTHS

Student’s name : Lê Dương Yến Nhi

Student’s code : 20F7510980

Group : 03

Instructor : Ngô Lê Hoàng Phương

Hue, December 2023

LIST 1:

Demonstrate that the answer to the question “Do women talk too much, or talk more than men?” all depends on “many different factors, including the social

context in which the talk is taking place, the kind of talk involved and the relative social confidence of the speakers, which is affected by such things as their

social roles and their familiarity with the topic”.

The question of whether women talk too much or talk more than men has been a topic of debate for centuries. While some argue that women are naturally more

talkative than men, others believe that the perception of women talking excessively is rooted in societal stereotypes and biases. This essay will examine the various

factors that influence the communication styles of men and women and explore the evidence to determine whether there is a significant difference in the amount of

talking done by each gender.

One of the most significant factors influencing the amount of talking done by women and men is the social context in which the conversation takes place. In many

societies, women are expected to be more reserved and less assertive in public. This expectation can cause women to speak less in formal or professional settings, such

as committee meetings or job interviews than men. (source: Do men talk too much?). This explanation proposes that men talk more than women in public, formal

contexts because they perceive participating gand verbally contributing in such contexts as an activity which enhances their status, and power and men seem to be

more concerned with asserting status than women are. On the other hand, women may be more talkative in informal or intimate settings when establishing or

maintaining social contact with others, creating social connections, and developing and strengthening friendships and relationships such as between friends or family,

where they feel more comfortable expressing themselves (p.45).

The type of talk involved also plays a role in determining the amount of talking done by women and men. Researchers analysing the functions of different utterances

have found that men tend to contribute more information and opinions, while women contribute more agreeing, supportive talk, more of the kind of talk that

encourages others to contribute. Overall, then, women seem to use talk to develop personal relationships and maintain family connections and friendships more often

than to make claims to status or to directly influence others in public contexts as men (p.45).

Additionally, the relative social confidence of the speakers is another factor that influences the amount of talking done by women and men. Social confidence is

affected by a variety of factors, including social roles, familiarity with the topic, and past experiences. In the discussion section of seminars, women were more likely

to ask questions and make comments when the topic was one they could claim expert knowledge about (p.46). In a small seminar on the current state of the economy,

for instance, several women economists who had been invited to attend contributed to the discussion, making this one of the very few seminars where women's

contributions exceeded men's (p47).

In conclusion, the question of whether women talk too much or more than men cannot be answered definitively. The amount of talking done by women and men is

influenced by a variety of factors, including the social context in which the talk is taking place, the kind of talk involved, and the relative social confidence of the

speakers. To understand the complexities of this issue, it is important to consider the specific context in which the conversation is taking place and to recognize that

there is no one-size-fits-all answer.

LIST 2:

If TV does not make people sound the same, does it play any roles in spreading language changes? What is meant by this statement: “It takes real people to

make an impression”?

In the realm of language evolution, the influence of television has been a subject of considerable debate. While some argue that TV's impact on language is negligible,

others assert that it plays a significant role in spreading language changes. Sociolinguists often find themselves discussing changes that are taking place in the speech

communities around us. This essay will explore the relationship between television and language change, examining the statement "It takes real people to make an

impression" in this context.

Television's potential to influence language stems from its pervasive presence in our lives. As a primary source of entertainment and information, TV reaches a vast

and diverse audience, exposing viewers to a wide range of linguistic input. This exposure can have a subtle yet cumulative effect on language use, shaping

pronunciation, vocabulary, and even grammar. Television is the primary hypothesis for the motivation of any sound change for everyone, it seems, except the

sociolinguists studying it. The sociolinguists see some evidences for the mass media playing a role in the spread of vocabulary items. But at the deeper reaches of

language change - sound changes and grammatical changes - the media have no significant effect at all (p.124).

One of the most visible ways in which television influences language is through the portrayal of regional dialects and accents. The idea that people in isolated places

learn to speak standard English from hearing it in the media turns up. This can lead to the spread of certain pronunciation features, grammatical structures, and

colloquialisms beyond their traditional boundaries. For example, the people of Caplin Bight, when addressing a stranger from the mainland, could use almost

accentless English, learned from listening to the radio, but in conversation among themselves there lingered the broad twang of ancient British dialects that the

fishermen of Devon and Cornwall and the Isle of Guernsey had brought to the coast three or four centuries before (p.124).

Similarly, I think if we watch a lot of programs where people speak only one certain American accent we might pick some of it up, but that's it. Tv spreads new

vocabulary and makes people aware of it, but that's it. Just like with journalism, it doesn't change anything, they pay attention to what is being said and use it.

Moreover, when talking to new people it is much easier to notice difference manners of speaking and the more we talk to them, the bigger the change that we may

adapt our manner of speaking as well. I have noticed that if I talk a lot to one certain friend I do adapt their manner of speaking. When going through my One Direction

fase and watching many of their youtube videos I did adapt some different British slang, but I didn't start sounding like them.

However, it is important to note that television alone cannot be held solely responsible for language change. Language is a complex and dynamic system, influenced by

a multitude of factors, including social, cultural, and historical contexts. While television can serve as a powerful vector for the spread of certain linguistic features, its

impact is often mediated by other factors, such as personal preferences, social networks, and educational background.

The biggest influence on language change, Chambers says, is not Homer Simpson or Oprah Winfrey. It is, as it always has been, face-to-face interactions with friends

and colleagues: "it takes real people to make an impression". The statement "It takes real people to make an impression" implies that creating a lasting impact requires

genuine human connection and interaction. The statement suggests that relying solely on technology, automation, or impersonal communication methods may not be

sufficient to leave a meaningful impression.

In conclusion, television does not make everyone sound the same, but it does contribute to language change by disseminating standard forms of speech, introducing

new words and phrases, and influencing pronunciation and intonation. However, it is important to recognize that television's impact on language is mediated by the

active agency of real people who use language to communicate and express themselves.

REFERENCES:

1. Iva Sucic, 2019. Myth 15. Retrieved December 18, 2023, from https://ling3--1103533-jouwweb-nl.translate.goog/?

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2. John Perritano, 2023. 10 Ways Television Has Changed the Way We Talk. Retrieved 18, 2023, from

https://people-howstuffworks-com.translate.goog/culture-traditions/tv-and-culture/10-ways-television-has-changed-the-way-we-talk.htm?

_x_tr_sl=en&_x_tr_tl=vi&_x_tr_hl=vi&_x_tr_pto=sc
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language-1692752

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6. Hanan Parvez, 2023. Why do women talk so much?. Retrieved December 10, 2023, from https://www.psychmechanics.com/why-do-women-talk-so-much/

7. J.W. Wartick, 2020. Are Men Talking Too Much?. Retrieved December 10, 2023, from https://www.cbeinternational.org/resource/are-men-talking-too-

much/