Mahshid Ghanea - affiliated with Kherameh Branch, Islamic Azad University, Kherameh, Iran
Mohammad Hasan Ghanea - affiliated with Kherameh Branch, Islamic Azad University, Kherameh, Iran.
Gholam Reza Mohsenzadeh - affiliated with Kherameh Branch, Islamic Azad University, Kherameh, Iran.

The present article seeks to formulate the differences of male and female characterizations in using a number of discursive structures such as Nominals, passives and address forms in English and Persian. This article also makes a comparison between using these structures in Persian and English. To do so, three English dramas and five Persian dramas and scenarios are selected. In each language, 120 dyads (pairs of speech act) are separately analyzed, 40 male-female dyads, 40 male-male dyads, and 40 female-female dyads. In this case, the frequency of using nominals, passives, first names, imperatives, and tag questions are computed. By using statistical test of nominal data such as chi-square the differences between male and female in using discursive structures are examined to see if the differences are significant or not. Also these differences in male-male interactions as well as female-female interactions are analyzed. This procedure is done both for the English and the Persian data. At the end, the similarities and differences between English and Persian in using nominals, passives and address forms are discussed.

English and Persian speakers, sex difference