Week Five Blog: Chapter 15

The topic that I’d like to share with my classmates this week is on patronizing speech. In our textbook it is defined as the use of exaggerated intonation, high pitch, less respectful terms of address (ie honey, sweetie), infintalizing content, and emotional tone as well as overparenting and demeaning non verbal behavior. I thihnk we have all experienced this and I have one examples that I can share. One is a work reference. There is this girl in my department at work that calls everyone “honey” even if they are older or higher in status than her. I think that she thinks it is endearing but it really isn’t, it’s patronizing and makes you feel lower than her somehow.