Gender differences in sitcoms

master's thesis

• Author: Valeria Gašparec
• Mentor: Anđel Starčević (mentor)
• Committee member: Višnja Josipović-Smojver (predsjednik povjerenstva)
• Committee member: Janja Čulig (član povjerenstva)
• Granter: University of Zagreb; Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences; (Department of English language and literature); Zagreb
• Defense date and country: 2023-09-26, Croatia
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: HUMANISTIC SCIENCES; Philology; Anglistics

Abstract

This thesis analyses the speech of male and female characters in two popular sitcoms: The Dick Van Dyke Show (1961-1966) and Modern Family (2009-2020). The first seasons of both TV shows were chosen for this research, which consist of 54 episodes total: 30 episodes of The Dick Van Dyke Show and 24 episodes of Modern Family. The aims of this research are to investigate whether male and female characters use linguistic features associated with their particular gender, and whether the speech patterns have changed over the span of 40 years. The linguistic strategies investigated in this paper are the ones associated with both genders, such as hedges, turn-taking and interruptions, commands and directness, and taboo language. The research shows that there has been a change in gender differences in language over the years. The characters in The Dick van Dyke Show use language strategies that correspond to the traditional gender roles where women tend to use passive and indirect language, while avoiding interruptions and taboo language. Moreover, male characters are more likely to use linguistic strategies perceived as assertive, such as commands and interruptions. On the other hand, in Modern Family the difference in the use of language strategies was not found, as both male and female characters adopted the same linguistic strategies. In conclusion, the analysis of the two sitcoms shows that the gender differences in language subsided over the 40-year period, as characters of both genders employed various linguistic strategies.

• Keywords: gender differences; women speech; male speech; sitcoms
• Language: english
• URN:NBN: urn:nbn:hr:131:702690
• Study programme: Title: English Language and Literature (double major); specializations in: Linguistics, Literature and Culture, Translation, TEFL; Course: Linguistics; Study programme type: university; Study level: graduate; Academic / professional title: magistar/magistra engleskog jezika i književnosti (magistar/magistra engleskog jezika i književnosti)
• Type of resource: Text
• File origin: Born digital
• Access conditions: Open access
• Created on: 2024-02-08 10:14:46