I agree with Hornsby's general definition of derogatory words. I think they are generally known for being both commonly understood to convey hatred and contempt, and there could be another word used in place of a derogatory one applied to the same people (Hornsby 2001, p. 128). Overall, these are good guidelines to go by when looking at derogatory words.
One aspect of Hornsby's work that I am not quite sure I agree with is when she talks about derogatory words being "useless". Although I do not think we should use derogatory words, they still express some uses even if those uses are negative and have only negative connotations. Derogatory words can be used to express negative emotions toward someone or something, and even though I do not morally support using them, derogatory words, in my opinion, cannot really be deemed useless.
A question I might have about Hornsby's writing involves situations where we might be joking around. Using derogatory words when joking around with a friend or sibling can still have a negative connotation, but I am not sure that all uses of these words have to be filled with nothing but hatred. What is Hornsby's opinion about situations such as this?
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