In which way and why is there a difference in pronunciation between male and female speakers of Southern American English?
When researching Southern American English, it becomes quite obvious, that there is no common and typical standard Southern pronunciation and thus the quote seems to be valid. Nevertheless one can determine certain overall pronunciation features when listening to speakers of Southern American English.
“Southern American English pronunciation differs from region to region, even from person to person, because speakers from different circumstances in and different parts of the United States commonly employ regional and social features to some extent even in formal situations”, William A. Kretzschmar Junior proclaimed in the Mouton textbook of Varieties of English (In: Schneider, 2008, p. 37).
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Southern American English
3. Analysis of examples of accented speech
3.1. General analysis
3.2. Comparison of the speakers
4. Reasons for differences of speech related to gender
5. Conclusion
6. Works Cited
Objectives and Research Themes
The primary objective of this research is to investigate whether gender-based differences exist in the pronunciation of "g-dropping" within Southern American English. By comparing speech samples from male and female speakers from the same rural region, the study explores how phonological processes correlate with social variables, linguistic markets, and gender identity.
- Phonological analysis of the "-ing" suffix ("g-dropping").
- Comparative sociolinguistic study of male and female speakers.
- Influence of linguistic markets and occupation on speech patterns.
- Role of social prestige and gender identity in pronunciation.
- Correlation between standard vs. vernacular forms and societal roles.
Excerpt from the Book
3.1. General analysis
As to come to the analysis of the pronunciation feature which is generally called “g-dropping”, I have speech samples of two speakers of Southern American English. The first speaker is male, 59 years old, was born and grew up in a rural area around Alexandria, Mid-Louisiana. The second speaker is female, 63 years old and grew up in the same area, less rural but still not yet urban. Neither of them has spent time in another country, but stayed in the area of their birth. The female speaker works for the social security system and the male speaker is an agricultural worker. Both speakers read the same text, phrases and words out loud (q. v. appendix).
Generally one could determine three different types of pronunciation of the unstressed suffix ”-ing”. The first way of pronouncing “-ing” is as a voiced velar nasal, like we find it in the English consonant inventory (Kortmann, 2009, p. 65). It is produced through a complete obstruction of the airflow in the oral cavity. The velum is lowered and the air escapes through the nasal cavity. Its phonetic realization is [ɪŋ]. Examples for this in the research text in the pronunciation of the male speaker are the words heading [ˈhedɪŋ̃] (l. 27) or climbing [ˈkʰlaɪm̃ ɪŋ̃] (l. 38).
The second occurring pronunciation is the syllabic alveolar nasal [n̩ ], which can also be determined as progressive assimilation. Some consonants can become syllabic. When the vowel is dropped, the vocalic property is transferred to the consonants which then form the peak of the syllable. Mostly syllabic consonants are following a plosive. Plosives and nasals then have the same place of articulation. The oral closure is maintained but the velum is lowered and thus the air escapes through the nasal cavity. Examples in the male speakers´ pronunciation are starting [ˈstɑːrt n̩ ] (l. 11) and waiting [ˈweɪt n̩ ] (phrases l. 3).
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Outlines the study of Southern American English, the research question regarding gender differences in "g-dropping", and the methodology of comparing speech samples.
2. Southern American English: Provides an overview of the dialect, its geographical spread, its internal diversity, and its social evaluation in the United States.
3. Analysis of examples of accented speech: Details the phonetic realization of the "-ing" suffix and compares the frequency of these realizations between the male and female informants.
4. Reasons for differences of speech related to gender: Explores socio-theoretical explanations, such as linguistic markets, status-consciousness, and covert prestige, to account for the observed pronunciation differences.
5. Conclusion: Summarizes the findings, confirms the link between gender and pronunciation, and suggests that further research is needed to account for wider social variables.
6. Works Cited: Lists the academic literature and references used in the research.
Keywords
Southern American English, g-dropping, sociolinguistics, gender differences, phonology, linguistic markets, standard pronunciation, vernacular, speech samples, prestige, dialect, language variation, social identity, assimilation, consonants
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this research paper?
The paper investigates gender-based differences in the pronunciation of the unstressed suffix "-ing" (often called "g-dropping") within Southern American English.
What are the primary themes discussed in the work?
The central themes include sociolinguistic variation, the influence of occupation and social networks on speech, the concept of linguistic markets, and the role of gender in preferring standard versus vernacular forms.
What is the main research question of the study?
The research asks in what way and why there is a difference in pronunciation between male and female speakers of Southern American English regarding the "g-dropping" phenomenon.
Which scientific methods are applied here?
The author uses a comparative analysis of speech samples from two informants, combined with a quantitative count of phonological variants, supported by a review of sociolinguistic literature.
What does the main body of the paper cover?
The main body examines the specific phonetic realizations of "-ing", performs a statistical comparison between the two speakers, and evaluates social theories (e.g., Coates, Trudgill) to explain the data.
Which keywords define this work?
Key terms include Southern American English, sociolinguistics, g-dropping, gender differences, linguistic markets, and phonology.
How does "linguistic market" affect the speakers?
The author argues that the female speaker, working for the state, faces more pressure to adopt a standard formal style, whereas the male rancher aligns more with a vernacular network that favors toughness and physical prowess.
Why is "g-dropping" significant in this study?
It serves as a tangible phonological variable that demonstrates how linguistic choices vary by gender and social context, helping the author test broader sociolinguistic theories in a concrete setting.
- Quote paper
- Peggy Zawadil (Author), 2012, Differences between Male and Female Pronunciation with Regard to "G-Dropping" in Southern American English, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/312203
