THE DEFICIT MODEL | ROBIN LAKOFF

In 1975 Robin Lakoff published 'Language on women's place', a study of the female language.
Her work is based on data recorded in a white - middle class context: she recorded some conversations between students of a university and the she analyzed them.

Lakoff's work has some issues: women's speeches might have changed because of the time passing for instance. 
Moreover, Robin has considered just a small sample of the American population, it might be not representative of all the women in the US and in the world.
Because of that her theory can be challenged.

The Deficit Model conclusions are:

• Women use hedging (sort of, kind of, it seems like...)

• Women use (super)polite forms (would you mind, if you don't mind...)

• Women use tag questions (isn't it?...)

• Women speak in italics (giving emphasis on adverbs like 'very')

• Women use empty adjectives (divine, adorable, lovely...)

• Women use hypercorrect grammar and pronunciation

• Women use direct quotations (she was like: "...")

• Women have a special lexicon (more wide vocabulary)

• Women use question intonation in declarative sentences, expressing uncertainty

• Women use 'wh' imperatives (why don't you open the door?...)

• Women speak less frequently

• Women overuse qualifiers (I think that...)

• Women apologize more (I'm sorry, but I think that...)

• Women use modal constructions (can, would, should...)

• Women avoid coarse language

• Women use indirect commands

• Women use more intensifier (I'm so glad...)

• Women have a lack of a sense of humor

Some observations:
Lakoff says that women use super-polite forms. It could be right in 1975, but now it happens less frequently.
Nowadays women tend to choose some language features that are more likely to by used by men. It is possibly due to the females' genuine need to be equal in power and in consideration as males.

Because of that women use more frequently a more direct language, that can include swears, shouting etc. This goes against another Principles of the deficit Model.

 

Let's consider an example: the actress Jennifer Lawrence posted an observation on Facebook (13 October). In her text, she swears, she uses empty adjectives as a parody of what a woman should act like, showing a great use of sarcasm and sense of humor.
It's evident from there that the Lakoff's model is weak today.