Main content

Men, Women and Language

Women apologise too much, men interrupt more. Are these stereotypes true? Why do we believe them?

Beliefs about language and gender are everywhere; we are told that women apologise more, men interrupt more, women talk more, that men are from Mars and women are from Venus. But are any of these things true? Why do so many people believe them?

Catherine Carr speaks to leading linguiss Deborah Cameron and Janet Holmes, who have studied thousands of conversations and gathered data to discover the truth. She also interviews one of the most senior women in technology, Nicola Mendelsohn from Facebook, to discover how stereotypes impact women in leadership roles.

(Photo: Donald Trump listens behind Hillary Clinton as she answers a question Credit: Reuters)

Available now

23 minutes

Last on

Mon 27 Nov 2017 06:32GMT
大象传媒 World Service South Asia

More episodes

Previous

Dubbing Movies

Next

What Can Chimps Teach us About Politics?

See all episodes from The Why Factor

Clip

Broadcasts

  • Mon 20 Nov 2017 13:32GMT
    大象传媒 World Service except News Internet
  • Mon 20 Nov 2017 20:06GMT
    大象传媒 World Service Online, Americas and the Caribbean, UK DAB/Freeview & Europe and the Middle East only
  • Mon 20 Nov 2017 21:06GMT
    大象传媒 World Service Australasia, East and Southern Africa, South Asia, West and Central Africa & East Asia only
  • Tue 21 Nov 2017 02:32GMT
    大象传媒 World Service except News Internet
  • Mon 27 Nov 2017 06:32GMT
    大象传媒 World Service South Asia

Get the podcast

Subscribe or download individual episodes for free

Why do we look the way we do?

Tattoos, trainers, jeans, hair, ties ... why?

Podcast

  • The Why Factor

    The extraordinary and hidden histories behind everyday objects and actions