Pejorative

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Template:Wiktionarypar A word or phrase is pejorative (frequently misspelled perjorative) if it implies contempt or disapproval. The adjective pejorative is synonymous with derogatory and dyslogistic (noun: dyslogism) (antonyms: meliorative, eulogistic, noun eulogism). Dyslogisms such as "pea-brain" and "bottom-feeder" are words and phrases essentially pejorative by their nature. Although pejorative (adj.) means much the same thing as disparaging, the latter term may be applied to a look or gesture as well as to spoken language— in the evocative language of gesture, it may not be easy to distinguish a disparaging gesture from a dismissive or merely skeptical one, however.

Pejorative expressions that are not 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.

Not every breath of criticism is pejorative: a "petty distinction" is indeed a petty distinction: in that case, the defender must demonstrate the authenticity and seriousness of the distinction, which may then be simply recognized as dismissive rather than pejorative.

Sometimes a term may begin as a pejorative word and eventually be adopted in a non-pejorative sense. This happened with the terms Quaker, Yankee, Tory and Whig, and Ham radio operator, which were originally slang insults but came to be worn with pride. Sometimes a term is still considered as a pejorative word by some, but not by others-- for example, Saturday night special. In other cases, some groups have attempted to reclaim formerly offensive words applied against them, with limited success. Such terms as nigger, redneck, cracker, dyke, queer, faggot, tranny, kraut, geek, chav, acidhead,or cripple are only considered pejorative if used by a non-member of the group. British English also incorporates many British regional slurs.

Conversely, a neutral (non-pejorative) term may grow to become pejorative: the term mentally retarded was originally used as a euphemism, as had been moron before, itself a euphemism for idiot, in order to avoid true dyslogisms such as feebleminded or half-witted. But it quickly grew to have a pejorative sense of its own. Another example is the use of the word cripple being replaced by handicapped. Both of these are considered pejorative with the term "physically challenged" as the current euphemism. This same progression, from neutral to pejorative, may be happening with the words challenged and special, used in the same sense, today. Language writer Steven Pinker has called this process "the euphemism treadmill."

Since meanings change over time, an up-to-date dictionary should be consulted for information on specific words.

Etymology

Unrelated to perjury, pejorative comes from the Latin pejoratus, "made worse", and made a surprisingly late entry in written English, 1882, probably deriving from a contemporary French usage, péjoratif. [1]. It is so frequently misspelled as perjorative that the Oxford English Dictionary website contains a FAQ entry about this misspelling.

See also

• Semantic change
• Term of disparagement
• List of ethnic slurs
• List of pejorative political slogans
• List of sexual slursda:Pejorativ

de:Pejoration es:Peyorativo hu:Pejoratív jelző nl:Pejoratief sv:Pejorativ