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Lewis MA Thesis.pdf (180.14 KB)

ETD Abstract Container

Abstract Header

"You're Not Like Other" Hate Speech

Lewis, Myles
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1377781968

Abstract Details

2014, Master of Arts, Case Western Reserve University, Cognitive Linguistics.
Traditional semantic and pragmatic accounts of hate speech do not account for the simultaneity of certain phrases being both complimentary and incredibly offensive. My account seeks to operationalize perlocutionary-based theories of hate speech in terms of cognitive linguistics, through mental spaces theory and common ground. My thesis concerns some curious cases which show how using intention alone as a basis for interpreting the semantics and pragmatics of speech fails to account for certain speech acts which are simultaneously complimentary and offensive. My analysis shall focus on the cognitive linguistic aspects of the construction "you're not like other"; where X is a sociological category (Black people, Women, Muslims, etc.). This analysis will show that previous methods of semantically and pragmatically analyzing hate speech are inadequate in capturing the full contextual features and mental states of the interlocutors, and that my interpretation is more representative of reality.
Todd Oakley , Ph.D (Committee Chair)
Vera Tobin , Ph.D (Committee Member)
Mark Turner, Ph.D (Committee Member)
45 p.
Language; Linguistics; Sociolinguistics
Hate Speech; Cognitive Linguistics; Pejoration; Mental Spaces; Pragmatics; Politeness; Frames; ICMS; Common Ground; Speech Acts; Offensive Speech; Offense

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Citations

  • Lewis, M. (2014). "You're Not Like Other" Hate Speech [Master's thesis, Case Western Reserve University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1377781968

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Lewis, Myles. "You're Not Like Other" Hate Speech. 2014. Case Western Reserve University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1377781968.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Lewis, Myles. ""You're Not Like Other" Hate Speech." Master's thesis, Case Western Reserve University, 2014. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1377781968

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

case1377781968
2,193
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This open access ETD is published by Case Western Reserve University School of Graduate Studies and OhioLINK.