الفهرس | Only 14 pages are availabe for public view |
Abstract The issue of gender stereotypes that views females as more polite than their male counterparts is undoubtedly thorny, however, an interesting area to be investigated. It has received researchers’ attention, yet they have not reached a consensus. Their findings have become contradictory and thus questioned by other researchers. At the center of this debate, context has emerged as another salient variable that affects the relation of gender and language. The present study investigates the impact that gender as well as context has on the use of politeness and impoliteness strategies. A sample of eight extracts of American political and non-political talk shows are downloaded and transcribed for analysis. The selected shows are hosted by two hosts and two hostesses. Each one hosts a male and a female guest. Qualitative and quantitative methodological approaches are used to analyze the collected data in order to either support or refute the earlier stereotypical notion. The present findings neither confirm nor refute the earlier notion. Instead, they shed light on the variables of context and dyad’s structure as having a more significant role than that of gender in using more im/polite language. Key Constructs: gender, politeness, impoliteness, context, talk shows |