Miyako Inoue, Vicarious language. Berkeley, CA:
University of California Press, 2006. Pp. xi, 323. Pb $24.95.
Japanese Women's Language (JWL) is not a new topic of research in
the social sciences, but Miyako Inoue's Vicarious language
is an original contribution to the field. According to Inoue, women's
language references linguistic forms distinguishing the speech of women
and brings with it certain connotations of “femininity” such
as politeness or nonassertiveness. In line with other current research,
Inoue asserts that JWL is not part of the linguistic repertoires of many
women.