THE LINGUISTIC

CONSTRUCTIO
GENDER
N OF
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 EXAMPLE 19

Ed: he’s mean he’s like a real artsy

fartsy fag he’s like (indecipherable)
he’s so gay he’s got this like really
high voice and wire rim glasses

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 In this example
Ed criticizes a man who fails to fit the
established masculine norms, but, ironically,
Ed’s criticism uses features associated with,
or “indexing’, a more feminine speech style,
such as frequently use of particle like, hedges,
such as mean, and intensifier, suck as real, so
and really. Yet ed is talking in male-only
context.
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 REMEMBER:

Approach gender identity

as a construction, rather
than as a fixed category.

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 EXAMPLE
• Sometimes are
advised to portray a
masculine image
• They wear bulky
sweaters
• They also wear
well-worn boots to
suggest they are
used to hard work
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 EXAMPLE
• They construct a more
feminine identity
• They use features which
index femininity.
• They avoid strong swear
words, and they act as
responsive and
facilitative.

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REMEMBER

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Example

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What to know?

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REMEMBER

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Example

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Ways of expressing solidarity
or informality may also be
gendered as well as
expressed differently among
different social and ethnic
groups.
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THE LINGUISTIC
CONSTRUCTIO
SEXUALITY
N OF
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 EXAMPLE

When din you realise you were

heterosexual?

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The English word “queer” when used to refer such people
used to convey this derogatory assumption of deviancy. It was
reclaimed in the late twentieth century by the groups that it
was used to describe, so that it is now generally not regarded
as insulting, at least in the USA and NEW ZEALAND, and it
has developed new meanings for some, the term “queer” now
includes all those who reject orthodox assumption about what
is considered “normal” in the area of sexuality and desire: e.g.
gay men, lesbian, women, transvestites, transgendered and
inter-sex people, for others, it has simply become an
alternative to “gay” though perhaps with less unambiguously
positive connotation. It will no doubt continue to develop new
meanings as new labels develop to describe non normative
and desire.
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 REMEMBER:
Examining the relationship
between language and sexuality
involves considering how people
construct their sexual identity
- As gay, heterosexual, lesbian, or
bisexual,
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 EXAMPLE 19
Ed: he’s mean he’s like a real artsy fartsy fag
he’s like (indecipherable) he’s so gay he’s got
this like really high voice and wire rim glasses

as example 19 suggested, these features are

available as resources for expressing sexual identity.

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Heterosexual people typically make normative
choices in most context, constructing theme selves
as “feminine” or “masculine”, and thereby
signalling their sexuality. Homosexual people may
use may use the same linguistic features to
convey the same meanings ion many context, but
there is a good deal of research, especially on
features of speech of homosexual men, which
indicates that they may draw on additional
linguistic resources for indicating there sexual
orientation through their speech.
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 Example
My dear, your hair looks as if
you’ve dyed’ (bruce rodgers)

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This kind of talk is often amusing but also
deliberately disrespectful and disturbing: it
challenges hegemonic heterosexual culture and
constructs those who use it as non-conformist.
Intimate talk is another area which often breaks
taboos in expressing sexuality and sexual desire.

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EXAMPLE

Seek smart,
rich,
generous
male for fun
and friendship
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EXAMPLE

Honest and
caring, seeks
curvy blonde
female, fun to be
with, for lasting
relationship.
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THANK
YOU!
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