Gender and languageHow does language influence our interaction with other genders? Language is the basis of every interaction. The language we use is essential to the perception that others have of us. We know this instinctively, so we adapt our language to how we want to be perceived by others. However, language is not the only factor in perception. Others' interpretation of our language is as important an ingredient in their perception of us as the language we use. Our perceptions of each other, more than anything else, determine our interactions with each other. The essential question is: does the interpretation of language vary between genders? To begin with, I don't want to narrowly define language as mere verbal communication. The language is much broader than that. In a few seconds, a person passing you on the street could tell you more about themselves with a sincere smile than they could with a few hasty words. Language includes all aspects of communication that improve the level of our interaction. The tone of our voice demonstrating our feelings on a topic or our body language indicating our level of interest are just as important in the interaction as verbally communicating the content. This is why I define language as any act involved in the interaction between two or more people. What language we use, how we use it, and why we use it are all essential elements in how others perceive us. If a man's first comment to someone is "Hey honey, how are you?" with a smug and boastful tone...... in the center of the paper...... interpretation of the language. “Women and men sometimes perceive that the same messages have different meanings” (Torppa). Everyone has seen the effects of this difference in interpretation in society. It's why there are more women at Celine Dion concerts and why there are more men attending heavy metal concerts. Essentially, we are all different. We use language differently and interpret language differently. This is what we base our perception of others on, so it is ultimately what determines our interaction with others. The fact that the interaction between men and women is different because the two sexes generally interpret things differently is not a strange phenomenon, because we are all different.