The article by Jones and Schieffelin touches upon two important dicussions of language. We first see the context of cell phone use as a generational gap, one where younger generations are using this technology to communicate to one another in a constant way. Cell phone use is portrayed as the preferred method of communication among young individuals. The article analyzes the popular AT&T commercial from 2008 showing a young girl and her mom arguing over the daughter's cell phone usage, using the popularized initialisms in a verbal conversation. The young girl is fluent in this initialism language, while the mom struggles to keep up. This exasperation the mom experiences in this encounter is reminiscent of the analysis in the article "adults' anxieties about what young people are doing with and to language" (1052). The article indicates that this manipulation of language by a group in this way of utilizing initialisms is known as speech play and is in fact a highly stylized and sophisticated way to reconstruct language, creating new meanings and emphasis.
Not only is a generational gap recognized in this analyzation of cell phone language use, but gender gaps are also discussed in an important way. Not only is it a younger generation in general that utilizes this initialism language while texting and in live conversation, but more specifically girls. Gendered social norms tell us that there are expected ways of speaking for both males and females and both sexes further propagate these norms through their speaking and behavior within these constructs. The YouTube video "Sh*t Girls Say" is a further example of this gendered social norm as a male comedian dresses up as a woman and uses both verbal and non-verbal stereotypical ways that women speak to parody their behavior. They satarize topics relevant in female to female communication varying from sleep, technology use, food, etc. I found this parody particularly relevant and have become more aware in my everyday life of how much I fit within this mold of female gendered social norms. I also feel that the further we propagate these norms knowingly, the more they will persist within our society as we recognize this behavior and conciously continue it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-yLGIH7W9Y
I agree with Meredith on those commercials communicating to viewers about certain social norms and what we perceive as "normal." I really enjoyed the video "Sh*t Girls Say." It is interesting that we see many norms when they are played out by some one else. The guy in the video definitely exaggerates more or less,but we do recognize he is a girl in the video and he does what girs do. His nonverbal languages (touching hair, body gestures, clothes, etc) establish his identity as a woman. He, as a woman, is also portrated in lots of places where we generally perceive as informal, including home, bar, outdoors, etc. It is also intersting to see how "she" is placed in relation to man (man controling the remote). There are many other exapmles in the video that the guy acts to show what girls say, and how they behave. On the other hand, if we don't see the guy as a woman, or if he truly behaves the same in real life as what he does in the video, probably most people would think he is just weird, or abnormal. There is certainly possibility in changing those norms, but it's just amazing that how much power social norms have over us, and how we pick them up gradually.
ReplyDeleteI agree there are gender social norms, however, I feel the way the girl in the commercial texts is not just a feminine characteristic. There is a Youtube video I love where a man plays all four roles within a family (mother, father, daughter, son) as a parody on family. However, this video particular video depicts the family playing Scrabble and comments more on the generation gap not only between the son and his parents, but also the gap between the son and his younger sister. The son plays the word "rolfmao" in a game of Scrabble. No one in the family knows what that means, and when they figure it out the rest of the family makes him take the word off the board. He is literally engaged in word play.
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I think it’s interesting that you pointed out the gendered social norms that are within this article. I agree that the article points to gendered social norms by explaining that the norm is that females (specifically teenage girls) talk more on the phone. Also, commercials about cell phones try to advertise towards teenage girls. I think that the BFF commercials are an example of gendered social norms, by showing that mothers are typically held responsible for their children’s behavior. The commercials show that it is the mother’s primary role to correct behavior. I think that the YouTube video, “Sh*t Girls Say,” also shows gendered social norms. This video shows how girls are expected to be technologically incompetent, dramatic, emotional, chatty, etc. It is expected that girls want to constantly be in contact with friends. I think this relates to the BFF commercial’s because in them the teenage girl is constantly texting her friends. Although the BFF commercials look in more detail to generational gaps and media ideologies, they also can show gendered social norms. I think “Sh*t Girls Say,” is a great video to exemplify gendered social norms too.
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