JoLIE 15:2/2022

Back to issue page

LINGUISTIC MEANS OF DEHUMANISATION OF THE ENEMY IN THE DISCOURSE OF THE ARMED CONFLICT IN UKRAINE

Olha Kyryliuk

Volodymyr Vynnychenko Central Ukrainian State Pedagogical University, Kropyvnytskyi, Ukraine

Abstract

This paper considers linguistic means of inciting hostility during the Russian–Ukrainian armed conflict (in particular, the annexation of Crimea and military operations in the Donbas). Coverage of military operations in the media and social networks is an important component of infowar; well-chosen words in news reports help to mobilise society to fight against the enemy. In the process of analysing Russian and Ukrainian military discourses, 301 language tools (words and expressions) with a dehumanising effect were identified. The studied set of words is grouped into three categories: 1) vocabulary with semantics of full and partial dehumanisation; 2) language means of demonisation; 3) euphemisms of dehumanising content with an entertaining connotation. Such words are used to achieve the effect of depopulation, to encourage society to stop seeing the enemy as human; thus, they are means of inciting hostility. These language units are used mainly in the plural or as collective nouns. The names are often based on metonymic and metaphorical hyphenations that equate with animals, plants, or objects, and their death with ordinary everyday events.

Keywords: Hate speech; Dehumanisation; Demonisation; Euphemisms; Connotative onyms.

References

112 Channel. (2014). Ukrainian punishers brutally destroyed the inhabitants of Donbass. Retrieved 30 September, 2021, from https://rg.ru/2014/09/24/karateli-site.html

Apostrophe. (2016). Named the reason for the failure of “Novorossiya”. Retrieved 30 September, 2021, from https://apostrophe.ua/ua/news/world/ex-ussr/2016-05-31/nazvana-prichina-provala-novorossii/60846

Auanassova, A.M., Nurpeisov, E.K., Auanassova, K.M., Karasayev, G.M., & Zhumagulov, B.S. (2018). Soviet power and hidden policy of neocolonialism and totalitarianism. Astra Salvensis, 6(1), 223-237.

Baider, F., & Constantinou, M. (2017). “At night we’ll come and find you, traitors”: Cybercommunication in the Greek-Cypriot ultra-nationalist space. In O. Hatzidaki, & D. Goutsos (Eds.) Greece in crisis: Combining critical discourse and corpus linguistics perspectives (pp. 413-454). Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing. doi: https://doi.org/10.1075/dapsac.70.12bai

Baider, F., & Constantinou, M. (2020). Covert hate speech: A contrastive study of Greek and Greek Cypriot online discussions with an emphasis on irony. Journal of Language Aggression and Conflict, Special Issue 8(2), 262–287. doi: https://doi.org/10.1075/jlac.00040.bai

Boyte, K. (2017). An analysis of the social-media technology, tactics, and narratives used to control perception in the propaganda war over Ukraine. Journal of Information Warfare, 16(1), 72–86.

Brown, A. (2015). Hate speech law: A philosophical examination. London: Routledge.

5 Channel. (2021). Channel 5 reported on the “warm meeting” between Giva and Motorola. Retrieved 27 September, 2021, from https://detector.media/medialife/article/123004/2017-02-09-5-kanal-soobshchyl-o-teploy-vstreche-gyvy-y-motoroly-vydeo/

Des Forges, A. (1999). Leave none to tell the story: Genocide in Rwanda. Retrieved 30 September, 2021, from https://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/media_2020/12/rwanda-leave-none-to-tell-the-story.pdf

Detector Media. (2021). Poroshenko is a cynical rapist. Retrieved 28 September, 2021, from https://video.detector.media/blogs/feyky-pro-alinu-pash-nefodov-i-stryptyz-infernalne-chyslo-avakova-nyuspalm-44-i1019

Enge, E. (2015). Dehumanization as the central prerequisite for slavery. Grin Verlag, Article number 3.

Fabiszak, М. (2007). A conceptual metaphor approach to war discourse and its implications. Poznan: Wydawnictwo Naukowe UAM.

Anti-vsepropalschik/Anti-populist [@antivsepropalshik]. (2019). Selected. Facebook. Retrieved 28 September, 2021, from https://www.facebook.com/antivsepropalshik.vybran

Fialkova, L., & Yelenevskaya, M. (2015). The crisis in Ukraine and the split of identity in the russian-speaking world. Folklorica, XIX. Retrieved 29 September, 2021, from https://journals.ku.edu/folklorica/article/view/5721

Glavred Info. (2021). They let Besik go: the Armed Forces eliminated the occupier with an exotic name. Retrieved 30 September, 2021, from https://glavred.net/ukraine/byl-besik-da-ves-vyshel-vsu-likvidirovali-okkupanta-s-ekzoticheskim-imenem-10430225.html

Goble, P. (2016). Russian national identity and the Ukrainian crisis. Communist and Post-Communist Studies, 49(1), 37–43.

Goriacheva, D. (2016). Understanding the “Ukrainian Crisis”: Metaphors used by Ukrainian, German, and British leaders in 2014-16. Ideology and Politics, 1(6), 86–152.

Haslam, N. (2006). Dehumanization: An integrative review. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 10(3), 252–264. doi: https://doi.org/10.1207%2Fs15327957pspr1003_4

Hatzidaki, O., & Goutsos, D. (Eds.), Greece in crisis: Combining critical discourse and corpus linguistics perspectives (pp. 413–454). Amsterdam: John Benjamins.

Hiemer, E. (1938). Der Giftpilz. Retrieved 30 September, 2021, from https://research.calvin.edu/german-propaganda-archive/thumb.htm

Hurko, O.V. (2020). Intersection of affirmative meanings in the Ukrainian literary language (on the materials of contemporary fiction). Astra Salvensis, 605-617.

Hussaini, S., & Morris, T. (2020). The Taliban’s information war: The tactical use of frames. Journal of Information Warfare, 19(4), 46-51.

Jantunen, S. (2014). Kill, capture… or neutralize? How operational planning changes the language of communicating war. Journal of Information Warfare, 13(1), 72–86.

Kirilyuk, O. (2014). Linguistic reactions to socio-political processes (on the example of Internet discourse). Scientific Journal of NPU named after M.P. Drahomanov. Problems of Grammar and Lexicology of the Ukrainian Language, 10, 187-190.

Knoblock, N. (2020). Language of conflict: Discourses of the Ukrainian crisis. New York: Bloomsbury Academic.

Lakoff, G. (1991). Metaphor and war: The metaphor system used to justify war in the gulf. Viet Nam Generation Journal & Newsletter, 3(3), 32-39.

Law of Ukraine No 2268-VIII “On the peculiarities of state policy to ensure the state sovereignty of Ukraine in the temporarily occupied territories in Donetsk and Luhansk regions”. (2018). Retrieved 29 September, 2021, from https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/2268-19#Text

Linkodrom. (2021). Poroshenko is the Herostratus of Ukraine. Crazy maniac who writes his name in stories based on lies and hatred. Retrieved 28 September, 2021, from https://linkodrom.com/links/604516.htm?cDir=desc

Minsk agreements. (2015). A set of measures for the implementation of the Minsk agreements. Retrieved 30 September, 2021, from https://www.osce.org/files/f/documents/5/b/140221.pdf

National Security & Human Rights. (2021). Amnesty International. Retrieved 30 September, 2021, https://www.amnestyusa.org/issues/national-security/

News-Front.Info. (2020). Ukrainian tanks in residential areas or heavy equipment of looters of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Retrieved 28 September, 2021, from https://news-front.info/2020/03/11/ukrainskie-tanki-v-zhilyh-kvartalah-ili-tyazhelaya-tehnika-maroderov-vsu/

New Voice. (2017). Stream from hell, or How to learn to talk about death. Retrieved 30 September, 2021, from https://nv.ua/ukr/opinion/strim-z-pekla-abo-jak-navchitisja-govoriti-pro-smert-658913.html

Novynarnia. (2018). Flew and stung the “colorads” a little. Retrieved 29 September, 2021, from https://novynarnia.com/2018/10/08/poletili-i-trohi-vzhalili-koloradiv-ofitser-zsu-pro-znishhenu-pozitsiyu-boyovikiv-na-donbasi-video/

Patrioty of Ukraine. (2021). “Vata” cries for Kobzon: The “Star” of “Balzakovsky Age” published the last photo with the deceased. Retrieved 30 September, 2021, from http://patrioty.org.ua/society/vata-plache-za-kobzonom-zirka-balzakovskoho-vozrasta-opublikuvala-ostannie-foto-z-pomerlym-245041.html

Pynnoniemi, K., & Racz, A. (2016). Fog of falsehood: Russian strategy of deception and the conflict in Ukraine. Helsinki: Finnish Institute of International Affairs.

Radio Svoboda. (2018). Kolomoisky commented on the words about the “complete inadequacy” of Putin and Yanukovych. Retrieved 27 September, 2021, from https://www.radiosvoboda.org/a/news/29231511.html

Regnum. (2018). Anti-Bolshevik Bloc: Fascist roots of modern Ukraine. Retrieved 30 September, 2021, from https://regnum.ru/news/2466793.html

Sample, Ch., McAlaney, J., Bakdash, J., & Thackray, H. (2018). A cultural exploration of social media manipulators. Journal of Information Warfare, 17(4), 19-21.

Samsung permanently stops Galaxy Note 7 production. (2016). BBC. Retrieved 27 September, 2021, from https://www.bbc.com/news/business-37618618

Segodnya. (2017). Givi goes to the theatre: The reaction of social networks to the elimination of the action movie. Retrieved 29 September, 2021, from https://kiev.segodnya.ua/ua/regions/donetsk/givi-v-teatr-poedet-reakciya-socsetey-na-likvidaciyu-boevika-795909.html

Silberstein, S. (2002). War of words. Language, politics and 9/11. New York: Routledge.

Smoor, L. (2017). Understanding the narratives explaining the ukrainian crisis: Identity divisions and complex diversity in Ukraine. Acta Universitatis Sapientiae, European and Regional Studies, 11(1), 63–96. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/auseur-2017-0004

Steuter, E., & Wills, D. (2008). At war with metaphor: Media, propaganda, and racism in the war on terror. New York: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.

Strukov, V., & Hudspith, S. (2018). Russian culture in the age of globalization. New York: Routledge.

SUM-20. Dictionary of the Ukrainian language. In 20 volumes. (2021). Retrieved 27 September, 2021, from https://services.ulif.org.ua/expl/Entry/index?wordid=1&page=0

Szostek, J. (2017). The power and limits of Russia’s strategic narrative in Ukraine: The role of linkage. Perspectives on Politics, 15(2), 379–395. doi: https://doi.org/10.1017/S153759271700007X

Russia-1. (2014). Juice “Blood of Russian Babies”. Retrieved 29 September, 2021, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqhnA8B0UuU

Ukraine 24. (2021). “Homeless flea-bitten bitch”. Boris Kolesnikov scolded the writer Larisa Nitsoi live. Retrieved 28 September, 2021, from https://detector.media/medialife/article/185524/2021-03-05-bezdomnaya-blokhastaya-suchka-borys-kolesnikov-vylayav-v-pryamomu-eteri-pysmennytsyu-larysu-nitsoy-video/

Tvzvezda. (2021). Modern Ukraine has fascist roots. Retrieved 29 September, 2021, from https://tvzvezda.ru/news/201504240324-d2ik.htm

Galina_W [@galadriel999]. (2022). Galina_W_(@galadriel999). Twitter. Retrieved 30 September, 2021, from https://mobile.twitter.com/galadriel999

Van Dijk, T. (2006). Politics, ideology, and discourse. Encyclopedia of Language & Linguistics, 728–740.

Versii. (2015). Cannibalism with blood. Retrieved 27 September, 2021, from https://versii.com/news/319830/

Vesti. (2016). Punishers destroyed civilians of the DPR with special cruelty. Retrieved 28 September, 2021, from https://www.vesti.ru/article/1556500

Vgolos. (2019). Bought a ticket to Kobzon’s concert: Russian militants in the Donbas are panicking and dying. Retrieved 29 September, 2021, from https://vgolos.ua/news/kupyly-kvytok-na-kontsert-kobzona-u-rosijskyh-bojovykiv-na-donbasi-panika-ta-smerti_1118838.html

Zapotichny, B. (2020). Sorosyata: A hidden threat (history of the term and narrative). NaUKMA School of Political Analysis. Retrieved 27 September, 2021, from https://spa.ukma.edu.ua/sorosiata-pryhovana-zahroza/

Zhurzhenko, T. (2014). Russia’s never-ending war against “Fascism”. Memory Politics in the Russian-Ukrainian Conflict. Retrieved 30 September, 2021, from https://www.iwm.at/transit-online/russias-never-ending-war-against-fascism-memory-politics-in-the-russian

ZIK TV. (2021). Smells of Soros. Retrieved 30 September, 2021, from https://cje.org.ua/complaints/rishennya-kzhe-shchodo-telemarafonu-telekanalu-zik-thne-sorosom-vid-28-lyutogo-2020-r/

Znaj Ua. (2020). Putin’s berserk militants in Donbas gathered a “human shield” of small Ukrainians. Retrieved 29 September, 2021, from https://znaj.ua/society/292515-ozvirili-putinski-boyoviki-na-donbasi-zibrali-zhiviy-shchit-z-malenkih-ukrajinciv-kadri-ne-dlya-slabkoduhih

How to cite this article: Kyryliuk, O. (2022). Linguistic means of dehumanisation of the enemy in the discourse of the armed conflict in Ukraine. Journal of Linguistic and Intercultural Education – JoLIE, 15(2), 145-168. doi: https://doi.org/10.29302/jolie.2022.15.2.11

For details on subscription, go to: http://jolie.uab.ro/index.php?pagina=-&id=19&l=en