Exploratory Study of gendered-linked differences in word choice in a popular Panamanian talk show

Differences between men's and women's word choices have always motivated sociolinguistic studies that correlate these variations to the gender roles or stereotypes that generate social judgments about people's expressions. This exploratory study examined gendered-linked differences in word choices when discussing daily life issues. The data was collected using a descriptive statistics table that compiled all the euphemisms, diminutives, descriptive adjectives, and politeness markers used by four conductors (two men and two women) of a popular Panamanian TV show in six discussion forums. The information was later analyzed for response patterns, similarities, and differences within and across the two groups. Our findings indicate remarkable gendered-linked differences in the use of these words, evidence of word choice variation across genders. We conclude that these variations are part of daily life communication and illustrate the effect of social behaviors and ideologies on the use of language.