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Gender marking on citizens band radio: Self-identity in a limited-channel speech community

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Abstract

Self-assigned “handles” (nicknames) connote gender images in citizens band radio (CB), a limited-channel, mass participation speech community. Semantic differential analysis of a sample of male and female handles reveals that men project virility, while women collectively refrain from any significant degree of gender marking. Male dominance, absence of nonverbal communication channels, and the newness of the community combine to account for present image patterns.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anthropology, University of South Florida, USA

    J. Jerome Smith

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  1. J. Jerome Smith
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Additional information

Research was supported by a grant from the University of South Florida Research Council. The author thanks R. Hansen, R. O'Hara, L. Penner, H. Vetter, W. Wheeler, and A. Wolfe for helpful suggestions; R. Fader, J. Fioroni, B. Johnson, and G. Wharton for technical assistance.

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Smith, J.J. Gender marking on citizens band radio: Self-identity in a limited-channel speech community. Sex Roles 7, 599–606 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00291747

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00291747

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