Evolution of Female Discourse in Why Women Kill

Abstract

This study examines the evolution of women’s language features across three different decades as portrayed by the female protagonists of the television series Why Women Kill. Drawing upon Robin Lakoff’s (1975) framework of women’s language, this study analyzes how each protagonist’s discourse reflects the gender norms of her era (1960s, 1980s, 2010s) and how female discourse has developed over time. The data consist of the dialogues of three main characters – Beth Ann, Simone, and Taylor – extracted from the show’s first season. Using AntConc corpus software to generate word frequency lists and word cloud visualizations, this study identifies linguistic features such as hedges, tag questions, intensifiers, “empty” adjectives, polite forms, and avoidance of strong expletives. The findings reveal clear shifts in language use: the 1960s character’s speech is characterized by frequent hedging, politeness and deference; the 1980s character’s language, while still elegant, shows increased assertiveness and strategic use of femininity; and the 2010s character’s discourse is the most direct and uninhibited, aligning with contemporary expectations of female empowerment. These results demonstrate a trajectory of change in women’s discourse, where traditionally “feminine” speech patterns have gradually given way to more assertive styles, reflecting broader social changes in women’s roles. This research contributes to the literature on language and gender by providing empirical insight into how Lakoff’s theorized features of women’s language manifest differently across time, and it highlights the role of social context in shaping gendered communication.