Duels and duets : why men and women talk so differently Why do men and women talk so differently And how do these differences interfere with communication between the sexes In search of an answer to these and other questions John Locke takes the reader on a fascinating journey from human evolution through ancient history to the present revealing why men speak as they do when attempting to impress or seduce women and why women adopt a very different way of talking when bonding with each other or discussing rivals. When men talk to men Locke argues they frequently engage in a type of dueling locking verbal horns with their rivals in a way that enables them to compete for the things they need mainly status and sex. By contrast much of womens talk sounds more like a verbal duet a harmonious way of achieving their goals by sharing intimate thoughts and feelings in private