Gender and language: O'Barr and Atkins
William O'Barr and Bowman Atkins's research showing that language features attributed to women were actually markers of power and status rather than gender.
Real World
In courtroom footage from high-profile US trials, defence witnesses with low social status — male or female — consistently use more hedging and tag questions than expert witnesses, supporting O'Barr and Atkins's power hypothesis.
Exam Focus
Use O'Barr and Atkins to challenge Lakoff directly — stating that 'powerless language' correlates with status, not sex, is a precise evaluative move that gains AO3 marks.
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