Feminine Style
What does it mean to speak in a feminine style? Research says Donald Trump could give us an idea. According to a post from Politico, Trump’s linguistic style has been much more feminine than that of his opponents. Researchers classify feminine style as speech with more tentative and emotion-laden words, more use of the word “I,”and words associated with a lower grade-level- among other characteristics. As seen in the graphic below, Trump ranks significantly higher in feminine language than 35 other political candidates. Speakers who use a feminine style are able to reach their audience through an emotional appeal, making the speaker seem more likable and trustworthy. Likely, this is why Trump is able to hold as many supporters as he has, giving them the backing to stand strong against fact-checkers.
Why Does it Matter?
Emotions are the basis for citizens’ votes, female and male. According to Drew Westen, “The political brain is an emotional brain. It is not a dispassionate calculating machine, objectively searching for the right facts, figures and policies to make a reasoned decision.” With the emotion in Trump’s feminine style, he is able to pull voters in, putting us at the current polls showing Clinton only one point above Trump at 46-45. The current debate is Trump’s “women problem” vs. Clinton’s emails, and voters are having to make decisions based not on facts, but what their hearts feel is less-destructive. For women, the decision is most often that the emails are less-destructive. A part
A Look at the Next 9 Days
As October surprises come to a close, emotions are running rampant. Both candidates are fighting for numbers in their chance for the Presidency, and the female vote is a deciding factor in who will win the election. As early voters go to the polls, women are voting for Hillary more than they are for Trump. This is likely because they feel a strong connection to their “tribe,” making is seem completely possible and often ideal that a woman secure the Presidency. With Trump’s continued attacks against women, his feminine style, though it gains a number of white male votes, isn’t yet gaining a majority of the feminine vote.