# Hedging: The language tool that can change your life | Alice Ashcroft | TEDxScarisbrick

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEqQUtTlbNg
Recap page: https://rapidrecap.app/video/YEqQUtTlbNg
Generated: 2025-11-11T13:31:34.355+00:00

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## Quick Overview

Dr. Alice Ashcroft argues that the common habit of using hedging language like "I think" or "maybe" undermines authority and credibility, especially for women, and advocates for replacing this linguistic self-sabotage with intentional, context-aware communication rooted in clearly articulated reasons, exemplified by her personal shift in professional interactions.

**Key Points:**
- The speaker, Dr. Alice Ashcroft, highlights the irony of giving a talk on hedging despite using it frequently in the past.
- Hedging language includes phrases like "I think," "maybe," and "sort of," which were found to be used by women more frequently than men in conversations and even in TED Talks.
- Research suggests that women who speak more directly face negative performance feedback compared to men using identical language, creating a 'double bind' where hedging undermines authority and directness undermines likeability/credibility.
- Ashcroft advocates for replacing hedging with intentional language based on context, audience, and goals, emphasizing the need to articulate the 'why' behind statements.
- She uses the analogy of buying a car: if you see the desired model everywhere after deciding on it, it illustrates how once you recognize hedging, you start seeing it constantly.
- The goal is to intentionally deploy or withhold hedging based on context, audience, and goals, rather than using it as an unconscious habit born from perceived weakness or social pressure.

![Screenshot at 00:18: Dr. Alice Ashcroft introduces the topic by acknowledging the irony of discussing hedging while admitting her past reliance on tentative phrases like "I think, maybe and sort of" in nearly every conversation.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/YEqQUtTlbNg/00-00-18.png)

**Context:** Dr. Alice Ashcroft delivers this TEDx talk focusing on the linguistic phenomenon of 'hedging'—the use of tentative language (like 'I think,' 'maybe,' 'sort of') in conversation. She explains how this habit, which she herself used extensively, is often unconsciously deployed, particularly by women, but has significant negative impacts on perceived authority and credibility in professional and social settings, especially when contrasted with research showing direct speakers face different negative feedback.

## Detailed Analysis

Dr. Alice Ashcroft's talk centers on the pervasive habit of using hedging language and how it serves as a form of linguistic self-sabotage, particularly impacting women. She notes that she spent years using phrases like "I think," "maybe," and "sort of" in every conversation, a habit she realized was linked to her frustration with software design decisions and her understanding of gendered communication styles. Research indicates that women use hedging more frequently than men, and women who speak directly often receive negative performance reviews compared to men using the same language, creating a 'double bind.' Ashcroft cites an anecdote from her PhD where a teacher's insistence on 'why' (the reason) over mere statements of fact helped her understand the importance of intent. She advocates for abandoning unconscious hedging and instead adopting intentional language—whether deploying or withholding hedges—based on context, audience, and goals. She provides three actionable steps for change: first, when making decisions, articulate the 'why' instead of hedging; second, stop hedging reasons or facts unless necessary for purpose; and third, actively question the reasons behind others' hedging to deconstruct the underlying structures that perpetuate this linguistic pattern.

### Introduction to Hedging

- Speaker acknowledges irony of discussing hedging while admitting past use of phrases like "I think, maybe, and sort of"
- This habit was linked to her frustrations in software design and understanding gendered language.

### The Problem of Hedging

- Research shows women use hedging more often than men, and that direct women face negative feedback (the 'double bind') compared to direct men
- Excessive softening undermines authority and credibility.

### The 'Why' is Key

- Citing a memory from her Sixth Form teacher, Ashcroft emphasizes that asking 'why' reveals the intent behind statements, which is crucial for impactful communication.

### The Button Example

- Ashcroft introduces the 'button example' from software development to illustrate the problem: stating a button should be on the left (a fact) versus explaining why (the reason) demonstrates the power of intent.

### Actionable Steps for Intentional Language

- 1. Articulate your 'why' instead of hedging when making decisions. 2. Stop hedging when it doesn't serve your purpose. 3. Question the reasons behind others' hedging to dismantle subconscious assumptions.

![Screenshot at 00:07: Speaker introduces the topic, acknowledging the irony of giving a talk on hedging while admitting to using it constantly.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/YEqQUtTlbNg/00-00-07.png)
![Screenshot at 00:18: On-screen text identifies the speaker as Dr. Alice Ashcroft, discussing her habit of using hedging language like 'I think, maybe and sort of'.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/YEqQUtTlbNg/00-00-18.png)
![Screenshot at 00:41: Speaker mentions encountering the term 'hedging' during her PhD research, which caused everything to click regarding language and gender.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/YEqQUtTlbNg/00-00-41.png)
![Screenshot at 01:10: Ashcroft describes hedging as language introduced by linguists in the 1970s, including phrases like 'I think, maybe, and sort of'.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/YEqQUtTlbNg/00-01-10.png)
![Screenshot at 02:25: The speaker explains that this constant hedging creates a 'double bind' where assertiveness is met with social penalties.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/YEqQUtTlbNg/00-02-25.png)
![Screenshot at 03:44: Ashcroft introduces her favorite technique for understanding the impact of hedging: asking 'Why?' and calling this 'The Power of Why'.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/YEqQUtTlbNg/00-03-44.png)
![Screenshot at 04:54: She highlights a real-life example where a client stated a decision was based on user research showing 98% preference for the left button, but she asked 'why' to understand the underlying reasoning.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/YEqQUtTlbNg/00-04-54.png)
![Screenshot at 06:36: The speaker proposes the solution: intentionally using language based on context, audience, and goals, rather than unconsciously hedging from weakness.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/YEqQUtTlbNg/00-06-36.png)
![Screenshot at 07:48: Ashcroft recounts a memory where a Year 6 teacher compelled her to explain the 'why' behind her assertion that 7 is not a prime number, illustrating the need for justification.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/YEqQUtTlbNg/00-07-48.png)