A Comparative Analysis of Male and Female Interruption in Jubilee’s ‘Middle Ground’ Discussions

Abstract

This study aims to examine interruptions in mixed-gender conversations within Jubilee's "Middle Ground" discussions on YouTube. Specifically, it explores the frequency, type, and function of interruptions between male and female participants. Using a qualitative method, the researcher collected data by analyzing selected episodes from the series. The data were taken from participant utterances containing interruptions and classified following Beattie's (1982) and Wardhaugh's (1985) frameworks. The findings revealed that women made more interruptions than men, with eighteen interruptions by women and twelve interruptions by men. There are seven simple interruptions by women and six by men. For butting-in interruptions, both genders had the same frequency (three each), while overlap interruptions showed a slight female dominance (three for men and eight for women). Our analysis on the function of interruptions reveal that men use interruption to express their dominance through disagreement, while women are more likely to use cooperative interruption to show agreement and build rapport, suggesting distinct interruption styles between the genders.