Gender-Related Usage of Direct and Indirect Directives in Children's Elementary English Storybooks

Abstract

The study provides a further perspective on Robin Lakoff’s gender-related assumptions. It examines the differential use of direct/indirect directives by males and females in children's storybooks of level two. The researcher attempts to find out whether this feature has been considered in storybooks. To compare the usage of direct/indirect directives by males and females in children's storybooks of level two, five subcategories of detective, ghost, life, love and social were selected randomly. Among each subcategory, two books were also selected randomly (stratified random sampling). The statistical analyses reveal some significant differences between men and women regarding the use of direct/indirect directives only in social storybooks of level two. This study found little distinction between men and women in the detective, ghost, life and love storybooks of level two at p<.05 level. The results and findings can be useful in determining the gender related of women in literature. EFL book compilers and curriculum planners can also benefit from the results to teach the gender related nature of language.