[Corpora-List] FW: Gender differences in language

[Michael Maxwell]

M.Eleonora Sciubba, of the Università Roma Tre, wrote:
> gender differences in language are acquired during the
> socalled "socialization age", that is when small children
> learn to speak and to interact with the people around them,
> _so_ gender differences are social constructs.

[emphasis added]

This is a non sequitur, related to the post hoc, ergo proctor hoc fallacy
(to use a couple phrases formerly used in Rome :-)).  One might as well
argue that the genitalia mature because of socialization during the
adolescent years.

Now I have no clue to what degree gender differences in language or first
or second language learning ability is genetic vs. due to socialization
(and maybe other aspects of the environment).  So I'm not claiming that
the "gender differences are social constructs" claim is wrong, just that
it cannot be demonstrated based on the evidence currently available.

   Mike Maxwell
   CASL/ U MD


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