The Influence of Gender on English Language Proficiency among University Students

The idea that men and women are different in their ability to communicate has been one of the most popular beliefs about gender differences that exists to this day. Men and women have different styles in using a language to communicate, whether it is with words, tone of voice, emotional expression, or body language. Gender is an important factor in the acquisition and learning of any language. This study analyzed the influence of gender on the use of adjectives, to determine the influence of gender on the use of etiquette words and to analyze the relationship between gender and emotional expressions among the university students. Thresearch design. The target population was the Chuka University undergraduate students. A sample size of 240 students was drawn from both genders. Cluster sampling was used to select students proportionate to the population size i.e., first year to fourth year students. Random sampling was used to select female and male students from the various academic years. Data collection was carried out by use of questionnaires. Quantitative data was analyzed using SPSS version 26. The results were presented in tables, and descriptive statistics such as percentages and frequencies. The study showed a positive and statistically significant (p= 0.451, r= 0.001) relationship between gender and the use of adjectives. It further indicated a positive and statistically significant (p=0.560, r=0.000) relationship between gender and emotional expression. The study also showed a positive and statistically significant (p=0.021, r=0.000) relationship between gender and etiquette. The study concluded that male and female languages are quite different. The difference occurs mostly in adjectives, emotional expressions and etiquette. The study recommended that various learning institutions should conduct language seminars and workshops to enrich English and other language proficiency among the students.