Who Does the Talking? Gender differences regarding speaking time and tag questions in the "BBC Antiques Roadshow"

Abstract

The aim of this study is to analyse gender differences in speaking time and use of tag questions and how contextual factors, such as status, gender composition of the group and topic of the conversation, influence the result. The material used for this research was five episodes of the "BBC Antiques Roadshow", series 32. The method was a quantitative/qualitative analysis of the experts' speech time and use of tag questions. The tag questions were then further analysed regarding speaking time, gender and context. This study shows that there are gender differences between the female and male experts in the "BBC Antiques Roadshow" and that these differences are affected by contextual factors. The male experts appear to dominate the conversations by holding the floor most of the time, especially talking to a woman, and the female experts seem to be more cooperative by using more tag questions. However, the examined tag questions have been used in many diferent ways, not least in order to control the conversation.