Cross‐sex conversation in Indian English fiction

Abstract

ABSTRACT: This paper is concerned with the aspects and dynamics of gender differentiation in conversational style of Indian English texts, and how discoursal strategies and patterns are employed for effective cross‐sex communication. This study examines, among other strategies, the initiation, maintenance and shift of topic, and the organizational devices used by each gender to regulate verbal contact and conversation. It is suggested that the linguistic skills particular to male and female speakers of Hindi are transferred to this non‐native variety of English by creative authors. This Indianizing of the text suggests that Indian writers of English have developed a specialized Indianized language for male and female speakers in cross‐sex conversations. This can be appreciated only by considering the native social and attitudinal contexts. This paper has serious theoretical implications for the understanding of language use across cultures, the acculturation of the English language in a non‐native setting, variation in the speech of males and females within the varieties of English, and the general study of male/female verbal strategies in conversation.