1Contents摘要.Abstract.1.Introduction.12.TheCharacteristicsofFemaleLanguage.22.1PronunciationandIntonation.22.2Vocabulary.42.3Grammar.62.4ConversationTopics.83.TheInterpretationoftheFemaleLanguageCharacteristics.103.1PhysiologicalandPsychologicalFactors.103.2CulturalFactors.113.3SocialFactors.123.4EducationalFactors.124.TheDevelopmentsandChangesofFemaleLanguage.154.1DegradationofSexualDiscriminationinLanguage.154.2SocialEffectofFemaleLanguage164.3ChangesinWomensStyleofSpeech.195.TheReasonsfortheChangesinFemaleLanguage.246.Conclusion.272Bibliography.28Acknowledgements31IntroductionTheexistenceanddevelopmentoflanguageareintendedtomeettheneedsofcommunicationinsociety.Peopleindifferentsocialgroupshavetheirownspeciallanguages.IntheEnglish-speakingcountries,wecandiscoverthatfemalelanguagealwaysshowssomeinterestingandexternalfeaturesofthelanguageconsciouslyorunconsciouslyinthecourseoflanguagecommunication.Withtheriseoffeminismandthecontinuousimprovementoffemalesocialstatus,agreatofchangeshavetakenplaceinfemalelanguage.Thesechangesarecloselylinkedwiththedevelopmentofsociety.Sotheresearchoffemalelanguageisasubjectveryworthytobestudied.Thispaperattemptstodiscussthecharacteristicsandsomenewchangesoffemalelanguageandanalyzesthereasonofthisphenomenonfromthesocial,culturalandeducational,etc.aspects.42TheCharacteristicsofFemaleLanguageFemalelanguagehasitsownfeatures.Thefollowingpartwillfocusonpronunciation,intonation,vocabulary,grammarandtopicstomakeabriefanalysis.2.1PronunciationandIntonation2.1.1PronunciationPhonologicaldifferencesbetweenmenandwomenhavebeennoticedinvarietiesoflanguages.Womenspronunciationsoundsmoreaccuratethanmens.InEnglish-speakingcountries,womenspronunciationisclosertoStandardEnglishPronunciationthanmens.Whenweread“-ing”,generallywomencanpronouncetheaccuratebacknasalconsonant/i/.Butaconsiderablenumberofmenbecomemoreaccustomedtopronouncefrontnasalconsonant/in/.InAustralia,theEnglishwithAustralian-accentedisnotusuallyconsideredStandardEnglish.Afterinvestigation,researcherscometotheconclusionthatwomenarefarlessoftenthanmenwhentheyspeakthenonstandardEnglish.Thereasonisthatmorewomenpayattentiontotheaccuracyofpronunciationthanmen,whichisanimportantmarkoftheiridentityandcultureforwomen.InthenortheastAsianlanguage,Yukaghir,women5have/ts/and/dz/wheremenhave/tj/and/dj/.InBengalimenoftensubstitute/l/for/n/butwomendonotdothis.Likewise,inaSiberianlanguage,Chukchi,men,butnotwomen,oftendrop/n/and/t/whentheyoccurbetweenvowels,e.g.femalenitvaqenatandmalenitvaqeat.2.1.2IntonationGenerallyspeaking,womensintonationishigherthanmens,whichiscausedbyphysiologicalfactorsinfact.Womensvocalcordsarelongerthanmen,sotheirpronunciationfrequencyishigher.However,peopleoftenconsiderthehighpitchisconnectedwithwomenscowardiceandunsteadyemotion.Therangeofintonationvarietyislarge,whichisanotherdistinctivefeature.Womenaregoodatusingthevariousintonationstoexpresstheirfeelings.Lakoffsaysthatwomenmayansweraquestionwithastatementthatemploystherisingintonationpatternusuallyassociatedwithaquestionratherthanthefallingintonationassociatedwithmakingafirmstatement.Andwomenareusuallyinclinedtobetactfulandgentleandoftenuselowrisingintonationattheendofsentences,whichseemstoshowthattheylackofconfidenceandseektheopinionsoftheothers.Incontrast,menusuallylikeusinghighfallingintonationattheendofthesentences,sotheirintonationsoundsresoluteandaffirmative.Forexample,whenspeakingthefollowingsentence,menandwomenmayusedifferentintonations.Iwishyoudtryit.6Men:.-.Women:.-./.Menusuallyspeakendingwithahighfallingintonationandtheirtonesarestronglyfirm.However,womenwillusethelowrisingintonationtoendtheirspeechandtheirtoneismoremoderatethanmens.Besides,womenusedtoanswerquestionswithrisingintonationtoexpressthattheirviewsisnotaverdictandtheyarewillingtolistentoothersviews.Suchas:Husband:“whenwilldinnerbeready?”Wife:“oharoundsixoclock?”Thewifeistheonlyonetoknowtheanswer.ButsheusedanintonationwithconsultingmeaningWillthatdo?”O(jiān)fcourse,wecannotgetridofheruncertainpossibility.2.2VocabularySpecialfemininevocabularyinEnglishthatmanmaynot,darenotandwillnotuse.Womenliketalkingaboutthingsexaggeratedly,sotheylikeusingtheexaggeratedadjectivesandadverbsandotherwordstoemphasizethepoint.2.2.1ExtravagantAdjectivesWomeninUnitedStatesandBritainlikeusingsomeexaggeratedadjectivesfrequently,like“adorable,divine,gorgeous,charming,and7lovely”andsoon.Butmenseldomusethesewords.“Whatadivineidea!”Itsmanifestlyoutofafemalesmouth.Butmenwillsay“whataterrificidea!”2.2.2IntensifiedAdverbsSuchas“so,much,quite,terribly”,etc.womenusethesewordsmorefrequentlythanmen.Forexample,womenwouldsay,“Itwassointeresting!”,“Itwasterriblycold!”Butmenoftenuse“very,really”tointensifytheirtones.2.2.3AccurateColourWordsWomenaregoodatportrayingcoloraccuratelyincomparisonwiththemen.Furthermore,theycanusesomeunusualcolorvocabularysuchas“mauve,magenta,beige,andlavender”andsoon.Whenfacingalightpurpleskirt,womancannothelpspeaking,“Itsabeautifullavenderskirt!”2.2.4InterjectionInterjectionsusedbywomenaremorecautiousandimplicitthanmen.Whenusingcursingwo