Article outline

• 1.1What is pejoration?
• 1.2Pejoration at the interface of semantics and pragmatics
• 1.3A linguistic interpretation of pejoratives
• 1.4A two-dimensional analysis of pejorative lexis
• 1.5Pejoratives: What for?
• 1.6Pejoration and X-phemisms
  • 1.6.1Euphemisms as neutralizers of pejorative meaning
  • 1.6.2Dysphemisms as enhancers of pejorative meaning
• 1.7Pejoration and slang
• 1.8Pejoratives and the conceptualization of taboo
• Notes