Analysis Of The Essay 'Women Talk Too Much'

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In the essay, “Women Talk Too Much” Janet Holmes argues that while popular notion and worldwide proverbs would suggest that women talk more than men, her evidence leads to an opposite conclusion. However, her ultimate conclusion is that the question cannot be answered with a definitive answer, but instead with “it depends.” In the essay, “Sex Differences” Ronald Macaulay claims that the notion that there are considerable differences in the manner and frequency with which men and women talk is nonsense and that one way that this idea has been perpetuated is through works from more sexist ages. Macaulay states that the difference between men’ and women’s speech patterns is so minuscule that it should not be considered worthy enough evidence …show more content…

She uses proverbs to show how society believes that women talk more than man. She also uses some studies, research to make sure who really talks too much. On the other hand, Macaulay points out that in recent decades there have been many scholars who have worked to promote the idea that there are no considerable differences between the way men and women speak. He offers his own wisdom to such a theory, “It would, of course, be surprising if there were not. Both men and women will use the forms of language, registers, and styles appropriate to the activities in which they are engaged. To the extent that these activities differ between males and females, it is to be expected that their language will differ.” With these quote, Macaulay nearly invalidates the studies that were proposed in the previous article by Holmes, or any other study in which the speech of men and women was analyzed after an experiment or observation because they often only include a singular reoccurring event. In order for a true test to be performed, one would have to simulate a variety of different scenarios that would proportionally represent the common activities associated with each sex. Macaulay made the most valid point in terms of evaluating the speaking patterns of both sexes; it is only logical that the frequency with which men and women speak and the type language they use would be dependent on their comfort level in a certain