Cheris Kramare says that language is a Man-made construction and that womens words are discounted in our society making women a muted group. She also found that women were notable mostly by presence. Just like in the example of cartoons where only 20 of the 54 have females and only 10 of those women speak. Also in those cartoons women were seen as very wishy-washy compared to the males who were forceful in their speech and the words they used towards females were flowery and filled with adjectives like nice and pretty.

An example of this can be seen in the cartoon Tom and Jerry. We know there is a woman character in it but all we ever see is her legs and she rarely speaks. We don’t see her face at any point.

https://www.google.com/search?q=mother+in+Tom+and+Jerry&es_sm=93&tbm=isch&source=lnms&sa=X&ei=dH_iU6CuOqnmsATAvIAw&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAQ&biw=1600&bih=775&dpr=1#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=r3OzFhxf7_zuxM%253A%3BtkiWEGuhyF2CpM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fupload.wikimedia.org%252Fwikipedia%252Fen%252F4%252F40%252FMammytwoshoes.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fen.wikipedia.org%252Fwiki%252FTom_and_Jerry%3B432%3B369

This theory suggest the way people communicate and speak to one another is determined by a majority of social guidelines. Social class, race, gender and age all play a large part in this theory. This theory claims that wherever a distinct culture is found, a distinct speech code can be found. Many cultures have various speech codes in their society providing boundaries for speech depending on the social hierarchy. The six rules for this theory are as follows:

– Wherever there is a distinctive culture, there is to be found a distinctive speech code
– In any given speech community, multiple speech codes are deployed
– A speech code involves a culturally distinctive psychology, sociology, and rhetoric
– The significance of speaking, depends on the speech codes used by speakers and listeners to create and interpret their communication
– The terms, rules, and premises of a speech code are inextricably woven into speaking itself
– The artful use of a shared speech code is a sufficient condition for predicting, explaining, and controlling the form of discourse about the intelligibility, prudence, and morality of communication conduct

This theory (although technically it is not a theory), suggests that men and women grow up, adapt and live in different world simultaneously. The perspectives, communication styles and actions from both male and females can be completely different. Men on one side tend to have more report speech (trying to establish dominance and higher status then others) whereas women tend to have more rapport speech (trying to establish a relationship and connect with others). This difference can be seen from studies down on young men and women from the age of 5-15. Women also tend to apologize, and listen more then men do, making them more passive. Women also are far less likely to be involved in fights because of this discrepancy.

The standpoint theory was created by Sandra Harding and Julia Wood and was defined “a place from which to critically view the world around us. In this theory, it is known that many people in the society have different viewpoint about life and how they should live in it. The principle of standpoint is that it shapes our world view of the world around us. A good example of this would be someone from the lower class moving into the middle class, but having a lower class mindset about the world around them. Another example, would be two people from different background that have different viewpoint on the world around them.

Example: Uncle phil and Will disagree on on how to acting in a party environment.

This theory is defined as “a place from which to critically view the world around us”. Though our experiences we have different opinions and views on the world. Our standpoint can be determined by our gender, class, social status, race, etc. These different perspectives are core points for us on how we view the world. This theory suggests that these standpoints place a large role in on how our perspectives change and adapt socially, and to the world around us. Depending on ones situation, an individuals perspective can change drastically from one to the other.

An example of this could be found in the TV Series Breaking Bad, where Walter White, a school teacher must change and adapt to the underground drug world. He has different perspectives and interactions with people that are involved, until he himself must join them. He changes the way he talks, acts and carries himself once he discovers he is going to be a part of this new world.

The muted group theory discussed by Cheris Kramarae refers to the societal undermining of women. Kramarae continues to define the muted group as “people belonging to low power groups who must change their language when communicating publicly, thus, their ideas are often overlooked.” In many cases in modern America, we see women forced to take different approaches to gaining respect than men of an equal of even lesser status. Men respond when women either teeter on the verge of friendly flirting, not demand respect from a far. A good example of this would be the movie Honey. In this movie the main character Honey is a up and coming dancer from the streets of NY. Her agent keeps on promoting her as an artist until finally he makes his move on her and she denies him. Once she does this, he pulls all of her shows and she is no longer able to remain a dancer. However, eventually she goes back to the agent and fulfills his wishes in order to pursue her career as a dancer.

Honey

The standpoint theory addressed by Sandra Harding and Julia T. Wood refers to the different perspectives we each have as individuals. We each have completely different pasts so during conversations, we each take a very particular standpoint on the matter being addressed based on our past experiences. Different standpoints rely on things such as race, ethnicity, gender, etc. With this being said, these individualized standpoints we each have shapes our view of the world.

An example of this would be in one Family Guy episode. This episode has the main character, Peter Griffin, hanging out with his father in law, Mr. Pewtershmidt, who happens to be a billionaire. Peter joins Mr. Pewterschmidt for a card game with his fellow billionaire buddies (Bill Gates, Warren Buffet) and at one point they go on a drive and pass through a toll booth. To which Peter says “you have to pay them a quarter” and Bill Gates responds with “what’s a quarter?”. This displays the standpoint theory because it represents the standpoint to which Bill Gates views a quarter. With billions and billions of dollars to worry about, a quarter is merely insignificant.

family guy clip

According to Cheris Kramarae, language is a man-made construction, thus “women’s words are discounted in our society; women’s thoughts are devalued.” So, women are the muted group in this muted group theory. Muted group is defined as “people belonging to low power groups who must change their language when communicating publicly, thus, their ideas are often overlooked.” Kramarae lists three women’s stories about how they have to change their style of communication so they are heard and respected among the other men. Kramarae states that women with less self-confidence than these three women have a tough time working through the system organized by men. This relates to the events in The Devil Wears Prada. Andy lands the job that every girl in New York wants to have. However, she does not fit in at the workplace at all because of the way she looks and the fact that she doesn’t understand fashion. Along with everyone else she works with, Andy’s boss, Miranda, treats her poorly and makes fun of her terrible outfit choices. Miranda also makes Andy do almost impossible jobs, for example, assigning her the task to fly Miranda home in a huge thunderstorm. Although Miranda is a woman, Andy is still part of the muted group because she doesn’t speak up and say anything to defend herself.

http://www.imdb.com/video/hulu/vi1220608025/

In Cheris Kramarae’s muted group theory a muted group is defined as, “people belonging to low-power groups groups who must change their language when communicating publicly, thus, their ideas are often overlooked.” In this theory the low-power groups he is referring to is women. Women are always seen as being lower than men in various aspects of life.

Sexual harassment is “an unwanted imposition of sexual requirements in the context of a relationship of unequal power.” In most cases women are the ones being accused of this act happening to them. Normally a person who holds a position of high power are either sexually embarrassing, humiliating, or traumatizing a person who holds a lower position.

This reminds me of a scene from the TV series, One Tree Hill, when Peyton Sawyer works for a high end record label. The owner of the label is a man who doesn’t treat Peyton in a very nice way. He is always putting her down and making her do the dirty work. Peytons biggest aspiration is to be an owner of a record label and wishes she could get into the huge meeting thats about to take place which could make it all come true. She is told that the only way she is allowed to set foot into the meeting is to “drop a couple buttons on her shirt.” She is appalled by this statement and feels sexually harassed by her male boss. If Peyton had been a male, this definitely would not have happened.

Sandra Harding and Julia T. Wood are the Standpoint theorists who claim that “the social groups within which we are located powerfully shape what we experience and know as well as how we understand and communicate with ourselves, others, and the world.” Standpoint is “a place from which to critically view the world around us” and it affects our view of the world entirely. German Philosopher George Hegel claims that whatever a person “knows” about themselves, society, and others around them are dependent on whatever group they are a part of. In the classic movie, Tarzan, it is portrayed perfectly. Tarzan has been raised in the forest by animals and only knows the ways of the wild. When he encounters humans throughout the movie he is confused and unfamiliar with human behavior and ultimately rejects it. His standpoint is of the jungle life, so he isn’t clear about the human standpoint and does not like it.