Dysphemisms and language change in ZANU-PF and MDC political discourse
Abstract
The aim of this paper is to explore dysphemisms that are used by the Zimbabwe African National Union
Patriotic Front, (ZANU-PF) and the Movement For Democratic Change (MDC) politicians in six
Zimbabwean newspapers before and after the signing of the SADC mediated Global Political Agreement
(GPA) that ended the political deadlock between the parties in 2008. In this study, I argue that after the
signing of the GPA, political discourse between the parties does not only change considerably, but it also
becomes progressively and markedly more dysphemistic and more combative in nature than was the
case before the GPA was signed. I hold the view that linguistic analysis of this genre of political discourse
might shed light on the psychology of those who use it.
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