Keywords
insults
hate speech
neutral counterparts
Turkish language
How to Cite
Abstract
This article examines the complex phenomenon of Ethnic/Social Terms used as Insults (ESTIs) in Turkish, focusing on ethnic terms such as ‘Ermeni’ (Armenian), ‘Yunan’ (Greek), ‘Rum’ (Greek), and ‘Yahudi’ (Jew/Jewish). These terms uniquely function as both neutral ethnic descriptors and pejoratives for slurring. This research investigates the linguistic characteristics and pragmatic functions of ESTIs focusing on their dual derogatory nature in being both non-referential and restricted referential in their derogation. It also explores their pragmatic characteristics focusing on derogatory autonomy, negation, and rejection, by discussing their similarities and differences with typical slurs.
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