Ali Usman Umar: Gender and Language Use

Gender and Language Use: A Study of Iya Ruwa Hausa Political
Programme at Radio Kano

Ali Usman Umar
Translation Unit - News and Current Affairs Department
Kano State Radio Corporation
+234 706 375 8416
alusumshariff@gmail.com

Abstract

This paper analyzes gender differences with regard to radio interview in a political programme discourse. The aims of the paper is, on the one hand, to solely discuss how men and women interviewers differ in terms of employing techniques for conducting an interview; and on other hand to examine males and females interviewees’ attitudes towards the use of language. The data were being extracted out of the observed and recorded interview session of the interlocutors. The study employed the use of Uchida’s (1992) ‘Difference Theory.’ The analysis of the study divulged the sharp differences that exist in among men and women during such a verbal interaction. In the final analysis, the resultant gender differences of this investigation is somehow in favour of Lakoff’s (1975) investigation which opined that women are not confident when it comes to the use of language. However, the only difference between Lakoff and the present study is that the former observed language of women in relation to ‘casual’ conversation discourse while the latter studied a particular political discourse which is established in the form of a ‘premeditated’ interview.
Key words: Gender, Language use, Iya Ruwa, Political programme, Discourse

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