Context and the use of the word zdzira in feminist discourse

Abstract

This article attempts to examine the conceptual differences between lexical units as determined by the context of their use. The issue is illustrated using the word “zdzira” as an example. For the purposes of this study, the author makes a distinction between linguistic and extralinguistic contexts, within which the selected lexeme is analysed by comparing its dictionary definitions with its usage as it functions within feminist discourse. As defined by Anna Duszak, discourse is understood as the totality of the communicative act – a prototype of text and situation, as well as strategies involved in the creation of texts and utterances. The paper compares the basic meaning – i.e., the obvious denotative (lexical) meaning – with the pragmatic (discursive) one, examining their similarities and differences. The corpus for the systemic perspective consists of Polish dictionaries, while for a discursive perspective, it consists of articles published in feminist magazines(“Wysokie Obcasy”, “G’rls Room”). The analysis is supplemented with references to the extralinguistic elements, such as issues and principles important to certain feminist circles centered around the idea of sex-positivity, e.g., opposing slut-shaming. The results of the analysis indicate that there are few semantic differences between the two uses of the word. In both cases, characteristics associated with an immoral lifestyle are evident. The only difference lies in the valence of the word “zdzira”, which in the discourse is positive and may be associated with a communicative strategy known as “semantic reversal”. The reason behind this lies in the conditions of the discourse itself, namely the desire to guarantee women sexual freedom, which is particularly important for the sex-positive feminist movement.