Reading 1

Kiesling, Scott F. (2004). Dude. American Speech 79(3): 281305.

Reading 2

Bucholtz, Mary (1999). Why Be Normal? Language in Society 28: 203223.

This week we read two articles that discuss very different cases: young men using the word dude, and teenage girls who identify as nerd girls , but both of them prove the same insight: everyday language does identity work. In both articles, speakers use language not just to communicate information but to position themselves in relation to others, to social norms, and to expectations about gender.

This short writing assignment asks you to put the two readings into conversation with each other.

Both Kiesling and Bucholtz argue that everyday language does identity work. Using one specific example from each article, explain how language is used to either perform or resist a gendered social identity. How are the two cases similar? How are they different?

What Your Response Should Include

Your response should do all of the following:

• Identify one specific linguistic example from each article (e.g., a word, phrase, address term, or pattern of speech) and briefly explain what it is.
• Use at least one concept from each article to analyze your examples. Relevant concepts include: stance, indexicality, address term, discourse of masculinity (Kiesling); community of practice, positive/negative identity practice, hegemonic femininity (Bucholtz).
• Discuss both similarity and difference between the two cases. Think about what the two examples share and where they diverge.
• Write in your own words. You do not need to quote the articles directly, but if you do quote, keep it brief and put it in quotation marks.

Format

Length: 600 words

Format: Typed, double-spaced, 12pt Times New Roman, 1-inch margins

A Few Tips

When you name a concept, briefly explain what it means in your own words before applying it. This shows understanding rather than just name-dropping.

The comparison section can be short. Even two or three sentences noting a meaningful similarity and a meaningful difference will be enough.

There is no single right answer here. The goal is to show that you are thinking carefully about what the authors argue and how their arguments connect

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