Thoughts on "Can't we Talk" by Deborah Tannen

Decided to type out some scribbles I wrote on the hard copy of the article by Deborah Tannen. The article can be found here. The scribbles are rather technical in nature though, and pertains more to the way the author structures her essay than to the content/arguments she raises.

1. The first point of contention I have is with the author herself (nothing personal, just biological, and perhaps sociological): She purports to highlight the difference between men and women, yet if the premise that men and women speak/view/act differently holds, then wouldn't her analysis/interpretation about men's views be inaccurate in this article too?

2. I like the introduction; she provides an anecdote that is humorous, interesting and yet relevant to the topic of discussion in the article to catch the reader's attention.

3. She adds a disclaimer right after she introduces the main argument/point of the article, which I thought was also another good move, since this creates a sense of "objectivity" to the reader, which then results in the reader accepting the arguments in the article more easily instead. However, it would be good to note that she does not raise the point again until right at the end.

4. Good use of sub-headers for clarity of points.

5. I like the way she structures each contrasting point of comparison made: point, anecdote, linkage back to the bigger picture. It provides a clear and concise understanding of the point to be conveyed in the paragraph. In addition, the frequent use of personal anecdotes (either self or friends) creates a "casual" atmosphere allows the reader to build a connection with the reader, creating a "feel good" effect which makes the reader less critical and more likely to be agreeable to the points raised, especially if they identify with the point.

6. Interestingly though, despite the use of sub-headers throughout, she does not create one for the conclusion, which sort of makes the transition from point to concluding remarks slightly messy.

7. The concluding remarks was excellent though, providing a succinct summary of the article's main thrust and it significance on society, which would leave an indelible impression on the reader, even if he/she does not really agree with some of the points raised. After all, the introduction and conclusion are the most significant aspects of an article.