Models of linguistic impoliteness. A theoretical framework for digitally mediated far-right discourse

Abstract

Online verbal attacks against a particular group have become a prominent feature of authoritarian and populist political discourse. In this chapter, we offer a fresh look at how creating deep disagreements and employing the language of conflict can work as strategies to gradually erode democracy and rights in the name of a fictional majority. We argue that the models of linguistic impoliteness can offer a valuable and comprehensive perspective for describing and understanding the phenomena of online misogyny, sexism, transphobia, and the attacks on the judiciary system, as well as their repercussions for plurality and the integrity of democracy. This theoretical framework for investigating the digitally mediated far-right discourse context of the rights of women and the rights of LGBT+ people is best supported by case study analysis combining qualitative and quantitative methods. The quantitative methodology is based on the use of Google Developer’s API and corpora tools concerning selected social media platforms, a topic we explain in the following Chapter 2. Through the lens of the models of linguistic impoliteness, i.e., adopting the expressions “impolite language”, “shameless normalization of impoliteness” and “shamelessness”, we make the case that the blurred distinction in the threshold of acceptability of verbal aggression suggests the enthroning of a “new online discursive trend”. We test this assumption in Chapter 3.