Dysphemism

A dysphemism is an expression with connotations that are offensive either about the subject matter or to the audience, or both. Dysphemisms contrast with neutral or euphemistic expressions. Dysphemism is sometimes motivated by feelings such as fear, distaste, hatred, and contempt. Worded simply, a dysphemism is a derogatory or unpleasant term used instead of a pleasant or neutral one, such as 'loony bin' for 'mental hospital'. A dysphemism is an expression with connotations that are offensive either about the subject matter or to the audience, or both. Dysphemisms contrast with neutral or euphemistic expressions. Dysphemism is sometimes motivated by feelings such as fear, distaste, hatred, and contempt. Worded simply, a dysphemism is a derogatory or unpleasant term used instead of a pleasant or neutral one, such as 'loony bin' for 'mental hospital'. The word dysphemism comes from the Greek dys δύς 'mis-' and pheme φήμη 'speech, voice, reputation'. Related terms include malphemism (from the Latin malus 'bad'), and cacophemism (from the Greek kakos κακός 'bad'). A dysphemism is a marked form which expresses a speaker's view or attitude towards the listener or group, as opposed to a form that is typical of the speaker's speech. Thus marked forms are relative to the speaker and social context. Were a speaker to use exclusively intimate terms to address a person (e.g., the person's first name), that would be the speaker's norm. To show social distance or to express anger one would use a marked (atypical) form, for example a more formal form of address, such as adding a title or using the listener's last name. One kind of dysphemism is synecdochic, where a part is used to represent the whole, such as 'What an asshole.' Animal names are frequently used as dysphemistic epithets. By using one, the speaker offends the listener by targeting his or her humanity. Examples include 'pig', 'chicken', 'weasel', 'sheep', 'snake', and 'rat'. When a person uses another's name rather than an appropriate kinship term or title of address. The speaker uses a more casual or lower style than is appropriate given the social context.