Playing Board Games: A Case Study of Gender Differences in Language

Abstract

This case study investigates the variables of language and communication, as well as gender, in the board gaming community of practice. The study provides an analysis of gender and language during ten board gaming videos from YouTube using methods of digital ethnography, conversation analysis, and the community of practice framework. The levels of verbosity and other aspects of language are also investigated. The findings suggest that the differences in members’ behaviours are connected to core or peripheral memberships within the community of practice, rather than to the gender variable.

Keywords

• board games
• language and gender
• community of practice
• digital ethnography
• YouTube
• gender studies