Comparison_Essay

English 101 Q02 Kayla Luty Comp/Contrast Alternate 10/17/2011 They Really Said That' Although males and females communicate socially, there are many differences in the style of conversation. Males are usually more visually oriented, require minimal time to converse, and use the ‘big picture’ concept. Females use a lot of detail, drag out their conversations to hours, and use many non-verbal cues. When talking about clothing, males use the phrase, “That looks cool”. They talk about the newest sports gear or paraphernalia. The conversation is usually simplistic and most of the time quickly changes to something else. Females on the other hand, use terms such as, “That’s sweet!” or “That’s hot!” According to Language in Society (1999), “These phrases have nothing to do with clothing at all, and sound as if they would refer to food instead of an article of clothing.” The topic of attire usually revolves around what matches and what the newest trends are for the current season. Sometimes the conversation turns to, “Did you see what she was wearing…'” On the topic of the opposite sex, it seems to me that males my age are strictly concerned with what a woman looks like, as opposed to how she acts, how much money she makes or what type of person she is. Women seem to worry more about the qualities of a man and the physical features are more of a bonus. We may start out a conversation with how he dresses or how cute he is or is not. Yet, when choosing a potential mate, females seem to talk more about how financially stable he is, what his background/past looks like, and if he has the qualities that a significant other should possess. Entertainment is a big topic of conversation for both males and females. Males like to talk about what sports teams won over the past weekend. They meet up for sports games and socialize by grunting or shouting at the television. Video games are also a mode of conversation for men. They talk about how much better they can play the game then the person who is currently up to play. Girls seem to enjoy social events and parties. Topics of health and fitness, children, or the event at hand are prevalent. Women like to huddle in smaller groups and chat amongst themselves before they turn into a social butterfly and feel the need to mingle. Men, in my observation, only like to talk in depth when it revolves around topics of short lived excitement. Linguist Marcus Sprache asked his readers in 2009, “As we communicate amongst each other, how is it possible that we carry on conversation between the sexes when it seems we are so different in our communication styles'” References Communication: Men vs. Women. (1999, May 1). Language in Society, 64(2), 21-22 Marcus Sprache. (2009, November 12). Communication: How We Do It. Daily Journal, pp. B2-B3.