Abstract
What makes something an insult? There are various ways of insulting someone. We can insult directly or indirectly, via omission or commission, verbally or non-verbally, or with explicitly marked expressions or seemingly mundane language. What, if anything, ties all of these instances together under the banner of insult? And how does insult work? In this chapter, the concept of ‘insult’ is explored, offering a characterization of it as a mechanism that undermines reasonable expectations of respect. Attention is then turned to linguistic insults to investigate how they work, drawing on insights from Ernest Lepore and Matthew Stone. The chapter concludes with a discussion of how slur terms fit, raising and responding to possible objections to the account of their discursive role.
Original language | English (US) |
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Title of host publication | The Oxford Handbook of Taboo Words and Language |
Editors | Keith Allan |
Publisher | Oxford University Press |
Pages | 233-247 |
Number of pages | 15 |
ISBN (Electronic) | 9780191845871 |
ISBN (Print) | 9780198808190 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jan 1 2018 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Figurative language
- Imaginative engagement
- Insult
- Respect
- Slurs
- Speech act
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Arts and Humanities
- General Social Sciences