Reviews
The Myth of Mars and Venus: Do Men and Women Really Speak Different Languages? by Deborah Cameron
deborahwithanoh's review
A sociolinguistics book debunking the pop scientific theory that men and women use language differently. Fun fact: I found this book at a bookstore in downtown Champaign the day before I graduated! And it was written by one of the authors we read for my Language In Globalization class, and in this book she really tears into the findings of another author we read for my Language In Globalization class, who by the way is also named Deborah. Not for everyone, but the linguistics-pilled like me would find this interesting.
meganparfitt's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
I loved this book it put thoughts that I had been trying to express into word. I enjoyed Camerons's examinations of common myths about men and women's language styles and her rebuttals to these myths by looking at different intersections in society, <spoiler, I guess>for example the use of tag questions and profession, doctors regardless of gender are less likely to use tag questions whereas patients regardless of gender are more likely to . For 180 pages a lot is discussed and broken down into bit-size chapters. I would highly recommend this book to others and a good foundation in feminist literature, language differences are generally less discussed.
davidsteinsaltz's review against another edition
4.0
No question, this is an important book. The tide of sociobiological bullshit shows no sign of ebbing. Cameron rips apart the nonsense that passes for popular science on the issue of gender difference. How many decades can writers push a conventional and convenient sexist worldview, and call themselves bold seekers after truth? This book is a bit short, and so light on detail, but it's solid on what it covers, and sharp as a knife.
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