Re: CHAT: BOOK/CHAT: FW: Lunatic Lovers of Language

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Laurie Gerholz wrote:
>Pablo Flores wrote:
>>
>> I agree. It's always been pointed out that women tend to speak more =
and
>> with more expressive terms. In many languages the vocabulary of women =
is
>> broader and more colorful than that of men. It seems to me that women
>> create subtly different words naturally from their sources as they =
need
>> them, while we men get stuck thinking... This must be related to the =
fact
>> that few women build model railroads or assemble motorbikes for fun, =
for
>> example. Women work with structures and change them -- men blow up =
the
>> structures and build new ones on top of them :-)
>>
>
>Sigh. I know that no one here meant any harm, and were simply pondering
>over an apparent discrepancy in activities between the genders. But I
>can't begin tell you how tired I get of the cliche "women are better
>with language, men are better with spatial/physical structures". I
>simply have to remind everyone that whereas perhaps there is a
>difference in the mean tendencies between the genders, there is also
>usually much more difference *within* each gender than there is between
>them.
You're right. I think I spoke too lightly and/or my purpose has been =
misunderstood. I only wish to make a few things clear:

1. "Women are better with language, men are better with spatial/physical =
structures" is not a cliche. As for language, the brain structures in =
women and men are remarkably different. At least that's what scientists =
say. I don't know if there's also been any research about the spatial =
capabilities of men and women, but empirical tests do show a difference. =
Now, whether that is natural or cultural, it's impossible to know so =
far.

2. My statements weren't meant to be personal. I know you and many other =
women (and men) are perfectly capable to excel in "constructive arts" as =
well as in "performing arts". I was only mentioning tendencies. If I =
were personal, it'd be a bit hypocratic of me. I don't have "masculine" =
spatial gifts; I don't know where the East and the West are if you take =
me out of this room, and I've never been able to assemble any structure =
more complicated than a Lego wall.

>And finally, I guess this is a hot button for me because I practice =
many
>"constructive" arts (as opposed to "performing" arts, like music or
>dance). Whenever the above generalization comes up, it is frequently
>accompanied by an implicit ignoring of all the construction/creation
>that women have actually done. I really *hate* it when it is implied
>that my work can't exist because I'm a woman and "women are better at
>language".
"All generalizations are false, including this one."
Generalizations are horrible constructs, but they help clarifying things =
sometimes. Don't take them too seriously. Tendencies are useful but =
still horrible. In the end, only single human beings count. And I would =
be the last to affirm that women/men are better/worse at anything than =
men/women, if I didn't have scientific proof to support me. And even =
there I'd be careful to say "IN GENERAL". If you don't fit in the =
generality, please say so! If the Universe had followed the general =
rules of physics, it'd be a maximum-entropy soup of hydrogen atoms at 3 =
degrees Kelvin, and nothing else.


--Pablo Flores
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