Gender Differences in Children's Use of Discourse Markers: Separate Worlds or Different Contexts?

SMC Author

Elena Escalera

SMC Affiliated Work

1

Status

Faculty

School

School of Science

Department

Psychology

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

12-2009

Publication / Conference / Sponsorship

Journal of Pragmatics

Description/Abstract

This study examines the role of activity context in gender differences in children's use of discourse markers. Thirty-six children, ages 3–5 years of age, were observed in naturalistic peer conversation during lunch. Discourse markers were coded for discourse function and conversational activity context. There was a significant relationship between gender and activity context, and between activity context and the discourse functions it demands. This study suggests that the conversational activity in which a child engages selects for certain discourse marker functions and not others. This selection can account for the gender differences observed in discourse marker use. There are no significant gender differences when discourse marker use is examined within a given activity context. Role-play context is the exception to this general finding.

Keywords

Discourse markers, Gender differences, Children, Activity context

Scholarly

yes

DOI

10.1016/j.pragma.2006.08.013

Volume

41

Issue

12

First Page

2479

Last Page

2495

Disciplines

Psychology

Original Citation

Escalera, E. A. (2009). Gender differences in children's use of discourse markers: Separate worlds or different contexts? Journal of Pragmatics 41 (12), 2479-2495.

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