Linguopragmatic Dimensions of Gendered Speech in Children: A Comparative Sociocultural Perspective

This study explores the linguopragmatic differentiation of children’s speech within Uzbek and English sociocultural contexts. Drawing on cross-cultural discourse data, it examines how gendered speech patterns emerge through familial interactions, educational practices, peer communication, and cultural norms. The findings underscore that gendered speech is not merely a linguistic phenomenon but a socioculturally mediated construct reinforced by discourse and pragmatic conditioning. By integrating frameworks from pragmatics (Grice’s maxims), politeness theory (Brown & Levinson), and gendered communication research (Tannen, Lakoff), this paper identifies patterns of dominance, politeness, and emotional expressivity in boys’ and girls’ speech, revealing the ways linguistic socialization reflects broader societal ideologies.