Not Only Slurs. A Pragma-rhetorical Approach to Verbal Abuse

The topic of this paper is the complex phenomenon of verbal abuse.The aim is to show the productivity of a pragma-rhetorical approach in addressing this issue. Indeed, integrating modern pragmatics with classical rhetoric, this approach does not isolate words from social practices and therefore is not exclusively focused on slurs (as is the case in the current debate on this topic in the field of the philosophy of language) but it concerns verbal abuse in general. I argue that this wider approach, especially thanks to its focus on the intertwining of linguistic and social components, is more adapted to shedding light on the role that words play in performing violence. Particularly, I take into account three (interrelated) controversial issues: (1). the question of whether intrinsically offensive words exist; (2). the problem concerning the existence of the so-called “neutral-counterpart” of a slurring word; (3). the reclamation or rehabilitation of a slur. Finally, I briefly focus on the case of the N-word as a paradigmatic example able to show the advantages of the pragma-rhetorical approach

'I always have the idea of sin in my mind...': family of origin, religion, and Chilean young gay men

This research aimed to explore the influences of family's values and religiosity on the sexual identity life course of Chilean young gay men. Volunteer participants were recruited through invitations published by two sexual minority organizations based in Santiago. Six same-sex-attracted Chilean men between 18 and 24 years old were interviewed using a semi-structured interview. Foucauldian discourse analysis was used to explore how discourses about their sexual identity development were constructed, including the implications for subjectivity and the location of these compressions within a social and historical context. Findings revealed feelings of self-rejection and self-recrimination featured in the life course development of participants’ sexual identities that were embedded within the familiar and sociohistorical context in which they lived. In particular, parents’ religious beliefs regarding the abnormal and unnatural view of “homosexuality” shaped by Catholic and Evangelical churches played a crucial role in lack of acceptance during their development. The study showed the internal struggle faced by these Chilean young gay men to achieve their own acceptance and perceived normalization of their sexual orientation. Implications for therapy and education with young gay men living in a predominantly Christian cultural context and Latino countries are reviewed