Sex roles and dirty word usage: A review of the literature and a reply to Haas.

Abstract

Haas reported on sex differences in male and female speech, noting that little evidence exists to distinguish between males ' and females ' use of dirty words. A careful review of the literature reveals numerous empirical studies of the comparative use of dirty words. Profanity and obscenity, although somewhat difficult to control, have been and can be submitted to laboratory study. Documentation of this phenomenon requires a contextual approach, wherein various sociolinguistic factors (speaker-listener characteristics, social-physical setting, and the intent of the message) should be accounted for in both labora-tory and field studies. A comparison of laboratory and field data is certainly in order for convergent validation of the process. Recently, Haas (1979) examined evidence for differences in male and female spoken language. Her article concentrated on the aspects of form, topic, content, and use to establish these differences. One of the forms Haas noted that distinguishes male and fe-male speech is the use of profanity, obscenity, or dirty words. Although it had been sus-pected for many years that males and females differ in their use of dirty words, Haas (1979) reported that little evidence exists to support this notion: A careful review of the literature revealed no em-pirical studies of the comparative use of expletives. Profanity and obscenity do not readily submit to laboratory study. Documentation of this stereotype would require recording speech of female-only, male-only, and mixed-sex groups in various settings. The speakers should certainly not know they are being observed, (p. 617) It is with this summary that I take issue. I have two main objections. First, there are a number of studies in the literature reporting differences in dirty word usage. Second, estab-lishing whether such differences exist does not necessarily require recording colloquial speech, nor would the phenomenon have to Requests for reprints should be sent to Timothy

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