This term paper looks at politeness behaviour from a gender perspective. The author focuses her investigation on apologies as speech acts. In order to analyse the differences between the two genders, she investigates several apology videos of YouTubers from the U.K and the U.S, who have reached a certain level of popularity among young viewers.
The author analyzes the strategies the YouTubers use to apologize to their viewers for various missteps they made earlier and in the process exposes some strategic mistakes in these apologies. Even though the differences between the genders when it comes to the wording of apologies are not clear cut, there a certain tendencies which are interesting to look at. These sociolinguistic differences mainly come from the high correlation between the use of language of a person and their social background, society norms, standards and expectations on gender behaviourism.
The question, if real language differences exist between the genders, needs further consideration, because it also depends on the individual and the context. In this essay, the author focuses on people who have a certain media presence (i.e. on YouTube) and reach a large young audience. They have to choose their words very carefully in order to retain and/or regain a positive image and to reduce the danger of losing their followers. Just by examining a certain (limited) number of different sources, it becomes clear that women and men not only regard and react to apologies differently but also use them in different proportions and for different purposes.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Speech Acts
2.1 Apology as a Speech Act
2.2 Apology as a Negative Politeness Device
3. Apology Strategies
3.1 Apology Strategies used by Men
3.2 Apology Strategies used by Women
3.3 Further Contrasts between the two Genders
4. Conclusion
5. References
Research Objectives and Core Themes
The primary objective of this term paper is to analyze politeness behavior from a gender perspective, specifically focusing on how apologies function as speech acts. The research investigates whether gender influences the strategies used in public apologies, particularly within the context of social media influencers, and examines how these differences impact audience perceptions.
- Analysis of apologies as sociolinguistic speech acts
- Application of speech act theory and politeness strategies (Brown & Levinson)
- Comparison of apology tactics between male and female YouTubers
- Evaluation of "face-saving" vs. "face-threatening" behaviors in public apologies
- The correlation between gendered language and social expectation
Excerpt from the Book
Apology Strategies used by Men
On social media I found YouTubers from U.S and U.K, who apologize to their community for various reasons. I found out, that men rather made short apology videos, usually 1-3 minutes long, and for very heavy offenses. Whereas women apologize already for light offences in sometimes very long videos with multiple explanations. Holmes stated that “women preferred to combine different apology strategies, thus, producing longer and more elaborated redressive acts than men” (Hatipoglu 2009:74). For example, the U.K YouTuber with the pseudonym “Tmartn” uploaded an apology video named “I’m sorry” which an online article called “the worst apology ever”. He was the owner of CS:GO Lotto, a website which he had been promoting on his channel without making clear his relationship to the website. His attempt to rescue his own positive face and to stop the loss of subscribers was unsuccessful: “Martin is obviously less interested in apologizing than in protecting himself and his company” (ibid.) In his short apology video (2:29 min) he is more likely to defend himself instead of acknowledging his mistakes: “Now, my connection to CS:GO Lotto has been a matter of public record, since the company was first organized in December of 2015. […] However, I do feel like I owe you guys an apology. […] Please also know that I’m committed to making sure, that my YouTube channel, as well as all of my other businesses are in compliance with the law.” This example illustrates a strategy which focuses on the apologizer’s loss of face and the resulting status imbalance which Janes Holmes pointed out as a typical motivation for men (Holmes 195:185).
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter introduces the research focus on politeness behavior and apology strategies used by YouTubers, identifying the connection between sociolinguistic differences and gendered social expectations.
2. Speech Acts: This section defines the theoretical framework of speech act theory, exploring the referential and affective functions of language and how they relate to the essential conditions of an apology.
2.1 Apology as a Speech Act: This chapter defines the apology as a "remedial interchange" and discusses its role in restoring social harmony and balance within speech communities.
2.2 Apology as a Negative Politeness Device: This chapter focuses on "face-saving" theories, examining how apologies function as a means to mitigate face-threatening acts within the context of power and social distance.
3. Apology Strategies: This section details models of apology strategies, including explicit regrets, explanations, and offers of repair, while noting the different ways men and women weight offenses.
3.1 Apology Strategies used by Men: This chapter analyzes how male influencers often utilize shorter, status-oriented apologies that may inadvertently defend or prioritize the speaker's ego over true remorse.
3.2 Apology Strategies used by Women: This chapter examines the tendency of female influencers to provide more detailed, "other-oriented" explanations and emotional disclosures to restore social connections.
3.3 Further Contrasts between the two Genders: This chapter synthesizes the differences between male and female communication, noting that while explicit strategies might overlap, the underlying intent and formality levels differ significantly.
4. Conclusion: The conclusion summarizes the findings, asserting that apology patterns are socially constructed and that cooperative, "other-oriented" strategies are generally more successful in restoring social harmony.
5. References: This section lists the scholarly works and linguistic authorities, such as Holmes, Austin, and Searle, that underpin the research.
Keywords
Apologies, Speech Acts, Gender, Politeness Theory, Sociolinguistics, YouTube, Face-saving, Communication Strategies, Social Harmony, Discourse Analysis, Remedial Interchange, Verbal Communication, Gendered Language, Negative Politeness, Affective Function
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research paper?
The paper focuses on analyzing politeness behavior from a gender perspective by examining apologies as speech acts in contemporary public discourse on YouTube.
What categories of language study are addressed?
The work primarily addresses sociolinguistics, specifically the pragmatic concepts of speech act theory, face-saving strategies, and the reflection of social divisions through language.
What is the main research question?
The research asks whether an apology, as a speech act, reflects existing social divisions based on gender in the U.K. and U.S., or if such linguistic behavior actually creates those divisions.
Which scientific methods are utilized for this analysis?
The author uses a qualitative approach, examining and evaluating real-world video content from popular YouTubers to compare how men and women structure their apologies after public missteps.
What topics are covered in the main body?
The main body covers speech act theory definitions, the difference between positive and negative politeness, specific sub-strategies used to deliver apologies, and a comparative analysis of how influencers of different genders address their audiences.
Which primary keywords characterize the study?
The study centers on keywords such as Apologies, Speech Acts, Gender, Politeness Theory, Sociolinguistics, and Face-saving.
How does the author define the "face-threatening" nature of apologies for men?
The author notes that men often view apologies as admissions of weakness or failure, which can damage their public status or "positive face," leading them to use defensive or shorter, impersonalized language.
What is the primary difference in strategy between male and female YouTubers identified in the text?
Women tend to use "other-oriented" strategies, offering longer explanations and more personal details to restore harmony and seek forgiveness, whereas men often favor shorter, status-focused explanations that shift blame or emphasize resilience.
Why is the "Tmartn" case study cited in Chapter 3.1?
It is used as a prime example of an unsuccessful apology, illustrating how a focus on defending one's status rather than admitting responsibility leads to negative audience reactions.
What does the author conclude about the effectiveness of different apology styles?
The author concludes that cooperative, "other-oriented" strategies, which prioritize providing a "remedial interchange" and showing genuine regret, are generally more effective in rebuilding relationships than status-oriented ones.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Anonym (Autor:in), 2019, Linguistic Gender Differences. Examining Apologies of Social Media Figures, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1360077
