Comme une bitch ? Exploration des variations d’usage et de sens entre « bitch » et « chienne » en tant qu’insultes sexistes

This article aims to examine the semantic gap between “chienne” and “bitch” —slurs that conjure up the image of a female dog, yet characterize it in different ways. Evaluating the extent of that gap, by using both conventional and specialized dictionaries, allows us to consider potential semantic ev...

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Main Author: Aure Espilondo
Format: Article
Language:fra
Published: Association Genres, sexualités, langage 2024-12-01
Series:Glad!
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.openedition.org/glad/9539
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author Aure Espilondo
author_facet Aure Espilondo
author_sort Aure Espilondo
collection DOAJ
description This article aims to examine the semantic gap between “chienne” and “bitch” —slurs that conjure up the image of a female dog, yet characterize it in different ways. Evaluating the extent of that gap, by using both conventional and specialized dictionaries, allows us to consider potential semantic evolutions: in the United-States, « bitch » is undergoing a process of positive appropriation driven by its plasticity and by a reevaluation of its connotations. Could “chienne” undergo a similar process in metropolitan France despite its radically different characteristics? This possibility is assessed through a case study on the usage of “chienne” and “bitch” by three French female singers and rappers: Aya Nakamura, Tracy de Sá, and Liza Monet. That study shows that, although there is no current widespread positive usage of the insult “chienne”, its meaning is already being challenged.
format Article
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institution Kabale University
issn 2551-0819
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publishDate 2024-12-01
publisher Association Genres, sexualités, langage
record_format Article
series Glad!
spelling doaj-art-c517d48fa86848c1bfb387655a3b698f2025-01-30T10:37:26ZfraAssociation Genres, sexualités, langageGlad!2551-08192024-12-011710.4000/133caComme une bitch ? Exploration des variations d’usage et de sens entre « bitch » et « chienne » en tant qu’insultes sexistesAure EspilondoThis article aims to examine the semantic gap between “chienne” and “bitch” —slurs that conjure up the image of a female dog, yet characterize it in different ways. Evaluating the extent of that gap, by using both conventional and specialized dictionaries, allows us to consider potential semantic evolutions: in the United-States, « bitch » is undergoing a process of positive appropriation driven by its plasticity and by a reevaluation of its connotations. Could “chienne” undergo a similar process in metropolitan France despite its radically different characteristics? This possibility is assessed through a case study on the usage of “chienne” and “bitch” by three French female singers and rappers: Aya Nakamura, Tracy de Sá, and Liza Monet. That study shows that, although there is no current widespread positive usage of the insult “chienne”, its meaning is already being challenged.https://journals.openedition.org/glad/9539translationsociolinguisticssexismtranslation theoryslur
spellingShingle Aure Espilondo
Comme une bitch ? Exploration des variations d’usage et de sens entre « bitch » et « chienne » en tant qu’insultes sexistes
Glad!
translation
sociolinguistics
sexism
translation theory
slur
title Comme une bitch ? Exploration des variations d’usage et de sens entre « bitch » et « chienne » en tant qu’insultes sexistes
title_full Comme une bitch ? Exploration des variations d’usage et de sens entre « bitch » et « chienne » en tant qu’insultes sexistes
title_fullStr Comme une bitch ? Exploration des variations d’usage et de sens entre « bitch » et « chienne » en tant qu’insultes sexistes
title_full_unstemmed Comme une bitch ? Exploration des variations d’usage et de sens entre « bitch » et « chienne » en tant qu’insultes sexistes
title_short Comme une bitch ? Exploration des variations d’usage et de sens entre « bitch » et « chienne » en tant qu’insultes sexistes
title_sort comme une bitch exploration des variations d usage et de sens entre bitch et chienne en tant qu insultes sexistes
topic translation
sociolinguistics
sexism
translation theory
slur
url https://journals.openedition.org/glad/9539
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