Open AccessManufactured and inherent pejorativity
Author(s) -
Charley Beller
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
proceedings from semantics and linguistic theory
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2163-5951
pISSN - 2163-5943
DOI - 10.3765/salt.v0i0.2669
Subject(s) - pejorative , noun , linguistics , semantics (computer science) , context (archaeology) , proper noun , psychology , computer science , philosophy , history , archaeology , programming language
In this paper I develop a semantics for pejorative nouns like jerk. As part of this I articulate a typology of [+human] nouns in English, with a primary distinction made between pejorative nouns like jerk and neutral nouns like doctor. The analysis formalizes three observations about pejorative nouns: (i) They are based on generalizations of observable behavioral properties, (ii) they express subjective evaluations, and (iii) these evaluations are gradable. I show that when features (i) and (ii) are provided by the context, neutral nouns like doctor can receive pejorative interpretations. I also argue that pejorative nouns contribute to the semantics as fully at-issue elements contra Potts (2007).