Open AccessSlurs: Departures from Genuine Uses and Derogation
Author(s) -
Delia Belleri
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
studies in logic, grammar and rhetoric/studies in logic, grammar and rhetoric
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.121
H-Index - 12
eISSN - 2199-6059
pISSN - 0860-150X
DOI - 10.2478/slgr-2020-0011
Subject(s) - derogation , distancing , feeling , psychology , social psychology , sociology , covid-19 , medicine , disease , pathology , infectious disease (medical specialty)
Some non-appropriated uses of slurs seem to be non–derogatory. In this paper, I argue that in a range of cases, the lack of derogation is owed to the term not being genuinely used . I first examine so–called pedagogical uses and show that they can be assimilated to what I call “distancing uses.” I then turn to a range of other apparently non–derogatory, non–appropriated uses of slurs – such as non–weapon uses, comedic uses – and argue that they can depart from standard, genuine usage in relevant ways. I finally turn to so–called “affectionate” uses, and show that, if the conditions in which they obtain can be described as standard, then they are derogatory because they are genuine uses, no matter the benevolent feelings of the speaker.