本論文取材自當代女性主義文化產物 ─ HBO電視影集《慾望城市》，旨在反思社會語言學領域性別與語言理論的二元觀點。90年代以後，性別二元論的看法已廣泛被質疑。本研究以「敘事分析」（Narrative Analysis, Labov, 1972）及「批判論述分析」（Critical Discourse Analysis, Fairclough, 1995）為研究方法，希望藉由《慾望城市》論述中四位女性角色的語言使用，探究性別應如何重新概念化。為了探討性別語言理論中先入為主的二分法性別語言使用差異，能否與《慾望城市》裡的四位紐約城市女子的言談得到相互對應。本研究試圖發現的主題為：從凱莉、米蘭達、夏綠蒂、莎曼珊的語言使用來看，在當代女性主義文本《慾望城市》的背景之下，性別應如何概念化。
本研究之發現如下：四位紐約女性皆呈現不同特色的多元言談風格，如︰莎曼珊習以為常的競爭性風格，則是傳統男性說話的特性。藉由解構刻板印象的女性語言得知性別應予以概念化為不穩定、多變、和多元的見解。從批判論述的觀點來看，決定性的因素如：慾望、階級、年齡等也都會影響女性語言使用，而和性別產生複雜相互影響的面向。本文詳盡闡述了這些語言使用上的差異點，進而主張性別應予以重新概念化，從性別兩極化的中心轉向性別多元性的模式。

This thesis aims at rethinking the binary view of language and gender in sociolinguistics by analyzing the conversational data from the episodes of HBO TV series Sex and the City, a contemporary feminist cultural product. By the 1990s, the notion of gender as binary distinction in language and gender research has been challenged. Based on Labov’s (1972) narrative analysis, and Fairclough’s (1995) critical discourse analysis, this study looks for how gender is reconceptualized through the four female characters’ use of language in various discourses in Sex and the City. In order to explore whether the preconceived conception of ‘gender’ as binary distinction, male-female differences, in language and gender research fits in with the quartet of New York City women in Sex and the City, one question is addressed: How is ‘gender’ conceptualized through the four heroines’ use of language in Sex and the City, a contemporary feminist vehicle?
The findings of this study are as follows: The four New York women perform diverse language use, say, Samantha’s use of a more competitive speech style, typical of male styles of interaction. The deconstruction of preferred women’s styles of interaction provides evidence that ‘gender’ should be conceptualized as instable, variable, and plural. From a critical perspective, it is noted that the influence of determining factors, such as desires, class, and age on women’s ways of talking might interact with gender in complex ways. To illustrate these differences in language use, this study argues that ‘gender’ needs to be conceptualized in a way which moves it away from a focus on gender polarization to a model of gender diversity.

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