Women’s Language Features in Summer McKeen’s Vlogs

I Gusti Ngurah Parthama,Ketut Andriani,Putu Lirishati Soethama

doi:10.24843/jh.2018.v22.i03.p25

Abstract

The title of this study is Women’s Language Features in Summer McKeen’s Vlogs. This study is mainly aimed to find out and describe women’s language features found in Summer McKeen’s vlogs and to find out and explain the functions of women’s language in Summer McKeen’s vlogs. This study used Summer McKeen’s video blog as the data source. The data of this study were collected by using library research method by collecting the words or phrases uttered in Summer McKeen’s vlogs. The words found in the utterance indicated women’s language features. The collected data were organized into classification of women’s language features and the function of women’s language descriptively analyzed based on the theories applied in this study. The theories applied in this study were mainly based on the theory of women language proposed by Lakoff (1975). The findings showed that the features of women’s language found in Summer McKeen’s vlogs were lexical hedges filler, tag question, rising intonation on declaratives, empty adjectives, precise color terms, intensifiers, hypercorrect grammar, super polite forms, avoidance of strong swear words, and emphatic stress. Moreover, the findings also found that the functions of women’s language were to show uncertainty, to intensify or emphasize an utterance, to get response, to express feeling and to soften an utterance.

Highlights

Background of the StudyWomen have a different way of speaking from men, a way of speaking that both reflect and produce a subordinate position in society. Lakoff (1975, cited in Holmes, 2011, p.169) argued that women are generally lacking status in society because they are more subordinate than men
The analysis shows that the women’s language functions used to show uncertainty were employed through lexical hedges fillers and tag questions feature
The function of intensifying or emphasizing an utterance was employed through intensifiers and emphatic stress feature

Summary

Introduction

Background of the StudyWomen have a different way of speaking from men, a way of speaking that both reflect and produce a subordinate position in society. Lakoff (1975, cited in Holmes, 2011, p.169) argued that women are generally lacking status in society because they are more subordinate than men. 287) stated that women are more careful to be correct when they speak, using better grammar than men This certain way of using language by women is called women’s language. Lakoff (1975, p.7) argued that women’s language reflects the powerlessness of women, women tended to speak politely since they were status conscious. They used standard forms since they believe that the way they speak is a signal or indicates their social status in society. Women are categorized as subordinate group and women must avoid offending and they have to speak politely

Methods

Discussion

Conclusion