Gender Differences in the Communication Styles of Vice-Chancellors: A Case Study of Professor (Mrs.) Rita Akosua Dickson and Professor Kwasi Obiri-Danso

This study explored gender differences in the communication styles of Vice-Chancellors in their investiture speeches. Adopting the Deficit Theory model, we compared the speeches of Professor (Mrs.) Rita Akosua Dickson (RAD), the current Vice-Chancellor (VC), and Professor Kwasi Obiri-Danso (KOD), a former VC of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). The analysis reveals partial support for Lakoff’s (1975) gender-sensitive linguistic items. RAD’s exclusive use of rhetorical questions aligns with the linguistic item’s association with women’s language for persuasion. However, both Vice-Chancellors used adjectives and intensifiers, with RAD potentially employing them more frequently. Similarly, RAD used a higher number of adverbial clauses, particularly purpose clauses, suggesting a focus on relational aspects of communication. Interestingly, both VCs preferred postposed adverbial clauses, highlighting the need for caution in generalising the position of adverbial clauses as a gendered marker. Additionally, RAD’s language-mixing (English and Akan) emphasises the influence of factors beyond gender in communication. This study highlights the complexity of gendered language use, urging future research to consider broader speaker samples, specific language element functions, and social contexts in analysing gender differences in English syntax. Keywords:, Gender differences, Communication styles, Investiture Speeches, Deficit Theory