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Abstract: The article explores derogatory language targeting people and based on their gender. It focuses on the metaphorical meaning of gendered slurs in English. As a background to the analysis, the general nature of sexist discourse is discussed. The analysis of the metaphorical component of gendered slurs and labels is based on the cognitive concept of metaphor as the blending of two different conceptual spaces. The analysis reveals that there are some general differences in the schematic mappings of metaphorical slurs targeting women and those targeting men. These differences reflect the different social expectations for women and men. At the same time, it can be observed that conceptual correspondences in both types of slurs reveal judgements about social normativity and morality.
Key words: gender, language, sexism, slur, metaphor, conceptual blends
1. Introduction
This paper considers the metaphorical nature of gendered slurs by examining some of the common derogatory gendered labels used in English, which have a metaphorical origin. The metaphorical features of common sexist labels are described using the theoretical model of metaphor proposed by cognitive linguistics. Visual metaphors of the analyzed slurs are also invoked in order to illustrate the extent to which the conceptual features of the target and the source are intertwined. As a background to the analysis, the general purpose and characteristics of sexist discourse are discussed and the usefulness of exposing its origins is evaluated.
The paper is structured as follows: first some background to the sphere of sexist discourse and its consequences are provided. The usefulness of the explicit deconstruction of derogatory discourse is demonstrated, as it generates public awareness of the importance of language used for the perpetuation of people's subordination and marginalization based on gender. Then a list of commonly used sexist slurs based on metaphorical extension is presented, specifically targeting men and women. Following that, a descriptive model of metaphor in the framework of cognitive functional linguistics is introduced. I use this framework to analyze the interplay of metaphorical features of some frequent derogatory slurs foregrounding gender. It is argued here that there are some general differences in the conceptualization of metaphorical labels for women and for men. The paper concludes by pointing out the extent to which the principles of subordination and marginalization based...