Gender Differences in the Communication Styles of Vice-Chancellors: A Case Study of Professor (Mrs.) Rita Akosua Dickson and Professor Kwasi Obiri-Danso
This study explored gender differences in the communication styles of Vice-Chancellors in their investiture speeches. Adopting the Deficit Theory model, we compared the speeches of Professor (Mrs.) Rita Akosua Dickson (RAD), the current Vice-Chancellor (VC), and Professor Kwasi Obiri-Danso (KOD), a...
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Noyam Journals
2024-10-01
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| Series: | E-Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://noyam.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/EHASS202451324.pdf |
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| author | Esther Serwaah Afreh Obed Atta-Asamoah |
| author_facet | Esther Serwaah Afreh Obed Atta-Asamoah |
| author_sort | Esther Serwaah Afreh |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study explored gender differences in the communication styles of Vice-Chancellors in their investiture speeches. Adopting the Deficit Theory model, we compared the speeches of Professor (Mrs.) Rita Akosua Dickson (RAD), the current Vice-Chancellor (VC), and Professor Kwasi Obiri-Danso (KOD), a former VC of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). The analysis reveals partial support for Lakoff’s (1975) gender-sensitive linguistic items. RAD’s exclusive use of rhetorical questions aligns with the linguistic item’s association with women’s language for persuasion. However, both Vice-Chancellors used adjectives and intensifiers, with RAD potentially employing them more frequently. Similarly, RAD used a higher number of adverbial clauses, particularly purpose clauses, suggesting a focus on relational aspects of communication. Interestingly, both VCs preferred postposed adverbial clauses, highlighting the need for caution in generalising the position of adverbial clauses as a gendered marker. Additionally, RAD’s language-mixing (English and Akan) emphasises the influence of factors beyond gender in communication. This study highlights the complexity of gendered language use, urging future research to consider broader speaker samples, specific language element functions, and social contexts in analysing gender differences in English syntax. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-07087fe2c31745fcb5efdca897c6cd61 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2720-7722 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-10-01 |
| publisher | Noyam Journals |
| record_format | Article |
| series | E-Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences |
| spelling | doaj-art-07087fe2c31745fcb5efdca897c6cd612025-01-06T11:31:32ZengNoyam JournalsE-Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences2720-77222024-10-0151323132327https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.202451324Gender Differences in the Communication Styles of Vice-Chancellors: A Case Study of Professor (Mrs.) Rita Akosua Dickson and Professor Kwasi Obiri-DansoEsther Serwaah Afreh0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8823-9061 Obed Atta-Asamoah1https://orcid.org/0009-0005-2703-1784Department of English, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana.Languages Department, St. Ambrose College of Education, Dormaa Akwamu, GhanaThis study explored gender differences in the communication styles of Vice-Chancellors in their investiture speeches. Adopting the Deficit Theory model, we compared the speeches of Professor (Mrs.) Rita Akosua Dickson (RAD), the current Vice-Chancellor (VC), and Professor Kwasi Obiri-Danso (KOD), a former VC of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). The analysis reveals partial support for Lakoff’s (1975) gender-sensitive linguistic items. RAD’s exclusive use of rhetorical questions aligns with the linguistic item’s association with women’s language for persuasion. However, both Vice-Chancellors used adjectives and intensifiers, with RAD potentially employing them more frequently. Similarly, RAD used a higher number of adverbial clauses, particularly purpose clauses, suggesting a focus on relational aspects of communication. Interestingly, both VCs preferred postposed adverbial clauses, highlighting the need for caution in generalising the position of adverbial clauses as a gendered marker. Additionally, RAD’s language-mixing (English and Akan) emphasises the influence of factors beyond gender in communication. This study highlights the complexity of gendered language use, urging future research to consider broader speaker samples, specific language element functions, and social contexts in analysing gender differences in English syntax.https://noyam.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/EHASS202451324.pdfgender differencescommunication stylesinvestiture speechesdeficit theory |
| spellingShingle | Esther Serwaah Afreh Obed Atta-Asamoah Gender Differences in the Communication Styles of Vice-Chancellors: A Case Study of Professor (Mrs.) Rita Akosua Dickson and Professor Kwasi Obiri-Danso E-Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences gender differences communication styles investiture speeches deficit theory |
| title | Gender Differences in the Communication Styles of Vice-Chancellors: A Case Study of Professor (Mrs.) Rita Akosua Dickson and Professor Kwasi Obiri-Danso |
| title_full | Gender Differences in the Communication Styles of Vice-Chancellors: A Case Study of Professor (Mrs.) Rita Akosua Dickson and Professor Kwasi Obiri-Danso |
| title_fullStr | Gender Differences in the Communication Styles of Vice-Chancellors: A Case Study of Professor (Mrs.) Rita Akosua Dickson and Professor Kwasi Obiri-Danso |
| title_full_unstemmed | Gender Differences in the Communication Styles of Vice-Chancellors: A Case Study of Professor (Mrs.) Rita Akosua Dickson and Professor Kwasi Obiri-Danso |
| title_short | Gender Differences in the Communication Styles of Vice-Chancellors: A Case Study of Professor (Mrs.) Rita Akosua Dickson and Professor Kwasi Obiri-Danso |
| title_sort | gender differences in the communication styles of vice chancellors a case study of professor mrs rita akosua dickson and professor kwasi obiri danso |
| topic | gender differences communication styles investiture speeches deficit theory |
| url | https://noyam.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/EHASS202451324.pdf |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT estherserwaahafreh genderdifferencesinthecommunicationstylesofvicechancellorsacasestudyofprofessormrsritaakosuadicksonandprofessorkwasiobiridanso AT obedattaasamoah genderdifferencesinthecommunicationstylesofvicechancellorsacasestudyofprofessormrsritaakosuadicksonandprofessorkwasiobiridanso |