Харилцаа яриан дахь эрэгтэй, эмэгтэй хүний хариу үйлдэл үзүүлэх үг хэллэгийн хэрэглээ

The Use of Minimal Response by Men and Women in Conversation

Abstract

Within the field of sociolinguistics, gendered language variation has been systematically investigated since the 1970s. Numerous studies based on cross-linguistic evidence have demonstrated that male and female speakers exhibit differences at the levels of phonology, grammar, lexicon, and discourse style. However, in the case of Mongolian, empirical research examining gender-based differences in language use-particularly at the level of spoken discourse-remains limited.
Short responses such as aankhan [aːŋχʰən], mkhn [mːχʰŋ], za [ʦaː], and tiim [tʰiːm], which are frequently used in conversational interaction, function as discourse-supporting devices known as minimal responses or backchannels. These forms serve important pragmatic functions, including signaling active listenership, encouraging the speaker to continue, and indicating comprehension or alignment. Despite their significance in discourse, the gendered use of such forms has not yet been systematically examined in Mongolian linguistic research.
This study therefore investigates how minimal responses (backchannel devices) are employed by male and female speakers in conversational interaction. The analysis is based on a spoken corpus drawn from the television program “Tengisiin Ereg Deerh 24/7” broadcast by Central Television. The program was selected as research material primarily because it features a balanced proportion of male and female participants, allowing for a reliable gender-based comparison.
The findings indicate that female speakers use backchannel forms more frequently than male speakers in conversational contexts. Moreover, the pragmatic interpretation and perceived meaning of these forms differ according to gender. These results are consistent with the theoretical perspectives proposed by Victor H. Yngve (1970), Judith Maltz and Ruth Borker (1982), Deborah Tannen (1990), and Jennifer Coates (1996) regarding gender differences in conversational style.
Overall, this study represents one of the first empirical attempts to examine gendered discourse patterns in Mongolian and contributes to expanding both the theoretical and practical scope of gender-based sociolinguistic research in the language.