Deborah Tannen and the difference model

• Orders vs Proposals - in conversations, men are far more likely to be direct in their language using imperatives to command others; women will avoid such a commanding tone and be more suggestive in their language choices.
• Status vs Support - men use language to show power and dominance in conversations; women are more likely to use language choices that support and agree with others.
• Conflict vs Compromise - men are more likely to use language to argue a point; women will use language to avoid such conflict and are far more likely to negotiate with others to try and find a solution or compromise.
• Advice vs Understanding - men are more likely to offer solutions to a problem through their language choices; women will show empathy and understanding to a given situation.
• Independence vs Intimacy - men will use language to show that they don't need to rely on others; women will prefer to use language as a way of connecting with others and maintaining closeness.
• Information vs Feelings - men are far more likely to be factual in their language choices; women, in contrast, will use language choices that are less factual and stem from a more emotional viewpoint.