This paper focuses on the role of language in understanding the inequality of male and female access to positions in educational administration. By applying techniques of sociolinguistics, the paper seeks to demonstrate the potential of the microanalysis of language for identifying the assumptions, norms, and values in the culture of school administration. As gender issue questions arose, studies revealed that more women than men designate education as their first career choice, that women attain administrative positions later in life than men, and that men achieve higher salary levels than their female counterparts. Recent research shows that the requirements of a male-oriented career have made women appear less competent and feel less comfortable with entry administration. If such positions are available to women, the superintendency is not one of them. Sociolinguistic research can serve as a new tool for analyzing the contributions in language differences among men and women, as well as demonstrating that women administrators offer a source of insight into the administrative culture. A range of research agendas using linguistic analysis would reveal particular norms and patterns for the empirical grounding of a serious critique that would expand leadership theory to incorporate the values and experiences of women. Such reformulation of the administrative culture should originate from the voices of women. Sixty-one references are appended. (CJH)