Female Speech in Plautus’ <em>Cistellaria</em>

Abstract

In the Graeco-Roman world there was an awareness of the existence of differences between male and female speech. This article describes the various mechanisms that characterize the speech of female characters in the comedy Cistellaria, by Roman author Titus Maccius Plautus (II BC). Some of them include swear words normally used by women and politeness strategies, considered typical of female speech.