A critical summary of Deborah Tannen’s “The Power of Talk...

A CRITICAL SUMMARY OF DEBORAH TANNEN S THE POWER OF TALK: WHO GETS HEARD AND WHY Tannen, D. 2001 The Power of Talk: Who Gets Heard and Why. From _Linguistics at Work: A Reader of Applications_, edited by Dallin D. Oaks 242-259. There is no particular way to communicate according the Deborah Tannen as communication is not just saying what you mean but how one communicates the meaning. Situation varies from one person to another. Language communicates ideas but a more powerful form of communication is social behavior (Tannen: 244). Language use is a learnt social behavior that allows us to negotiate relationships and it is influenced by cultural experience (Tannen 2001: 243). How we talk and express ourselves may be interpreted†¦show more content†¦Men tend to be sensitive to the power dynamics of interaction, speaking in ways that position themselves as one up and resisting being put in a one-down position by others. Women tend to react more strongly to the rapport dynamic, speaking in ways that save face for others and buffering statements that could be seen as putting others in a one-down position.(Tannen 2001: 246). This means that women are more likely to down grade their ability and not want to seem as