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Words[1] and phrases are pejorative if they imply disapproval[2] or contempt. When used as an adjective, pejorative is synonymous with derogatory, derisive, dyslogistic, and contemptuous. When used as a noun, pejorative means "a belittling or disparaging word or expression".
Pejorative expressions that are not inherently dyslogisms may also be used in a non-pejorative way, however, and determining the intent of the speaker is problematic — as with any implied meaning. Conversely, a common rhetorical ploy is to apply "pejorative" to a factual descriptor — as "toxic" might be applied to poison — and then decry it as "pejorative" to suit the agenda of those defending the substance as harmless.citation needed
Not every instance of criticism is pejorative.
Sometimes a term may begin as a pejorative word and eventually be adopted in a non-pejorative sense. This happened with the terms Big Bang, Quaker, Yankee, Okie, Tory and Whig, Ham radio operator, Methodist, Shaker, Unitarian, and Sooner or Republican which were originally slang insults but came to be used as non-pejorative standard words. In historical linguistics, this phenomenon is known as melioration, or amelioration. Sometimes a term is still considered as a pejorative word by some but not by others. In other cases, some groups have attempted to "reclaim" formerly offensive words applied against them, with limited success. Such terms as nigger, nigga, kike, redneck, cracker, white trash, redskin, dyke, queer, fairy, faggot, tranny, geek, nerd, retard, mamak, paki, chav, or cripple are considered pejorative if used by one who is not a member of the group in question. British English also incorporates many British regional slurs.citation needed
See also
- Euphemism treadmill
- Hypocoristic, a pet name (antonym)
- Semantic change
- Taunt
- Bully
- Pejorative suffix
- Historical linguistics
- Term of disparagement
- List of ethnic slurs
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- This page was last modified on 20 August 2008, at 14:13.
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