Dysphemism as a Language Strategy for Expressing Emotional Intensity in Sabrina Carpenter’s Man’s Best Friend Album
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.61132/sintaksis.v4i3.2628Keywords:
Dysphemism, Emotional Expression, Linguistic Analysis, Sabrina Carpenter’s Album, Song LyricsAbstract
This study examines the use of dysphemistic language in selected songs from Sabrina Carpenter’s Man’s Best Friend album. The research aims to identify the dysphemistic expressions found in the lyrics and to analyze how these expressions are linguistically constructed to convey emotional intensity and communicative meaning. The study applies a qualitative descriptive approach. The data consist of dysphemistic expressions collected from the selected song lyrics and classified according to the dysphemism categories proposed by Keith Allan and Kate Burridge. The analysis focuses on identifying the types of dysphemism and examining their function as a language strategy within the lyrical context. The findings indicate that dysphemistic expressions appear consistently in the lyrics and contribute to the expression of emotional tension and interpersonal conflict. These expressions also function as a stylistic device that shapes the tone and communicative impact of the songs. The study highlights the role of dysphemistic language as part of the expressive and stylistic resources used in contemporary pop music lyrics.
Downloads
References
AL-Ghizzy, M. J. D., & Obied, D. I. M. (2025). A stylistic study of dysphemism in Irvine Welsh's novel Filth. American Journal of Social and Humanitarian Research, 6(2), 361–383. https://globalresearchnetwork.us/index.php/ajshr/article/view/3328
Alfiansyah, R. A., & Arifin, M. B. (2025). An analysis of dysphemism uttered by the main characters in Bottoms (2023) film. Jurnal Ilmu Budaya, 9(4), 805–816. https://e-journals.unmul.ac.id/index.php/JBSSB/article/download/21655/7322
Allan, K., & Burridge, K. (1991). Euphemism and dysphemism: Language used as shield and weapon. Oxford University Press. https://www.worldcat.org/title/euphemism-and-dysphemism-language-used-as-shield-and-weapon/oclc/22100523
Allan, K., & Burridge, K. (2006). Forbidden words: Taboo and the censoring of language. Cambridge University Press. https://www.cambridge.org/9780521529descended
Chukwu, E. A., & Onebunne, L. A. (2023). Dysphemism strategies in President Buhari's Arise TV interview. Studies in Pragmatics and Discourse Analysis, 4(2), 33–43. https://sabapub.com/index.php/spda/article/view/874/467
Cook, G. (2000). The discourse of advertising (2nd ed.). Routledge. https://www.routledge.com/The-Discourse-of-Advertising/Cook/p/book/9780415231213
Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (4th ed.). SAGE Publications. https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/research-design/book237357
Denzin, N. K., & Lincoln, Y. S. (2011). The SAGE handbook of qualitative research (4th ed.). SAGE Publications. https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/the-sage-handbook-of-qualitative-research/book234982
Frith, S. (1996). Performing rites: On the value of popular music. Harvard University Press. https://www.hup.harvard.edu/books/9780674661516
Hamza, M. H., Nordin, N. R. M., & Abbood, H. A. (2023). A pragmatic study of dysphemism in Steven Berkoff's play East. Journal of Namibian Studies: History Politics Culture, 33, 1921–1936. https://namibian-studies.com/index.php/JNS/article/view/599
Holmes, J. (2013). An introduction to sociolinguistics (4th ed.). Routledge. https://www.routledge.com/An-Introduction-to-Sociolinguistics/Holmes/p/book/9781138950481
Jay, T. (2009). The utility and ubiquity of taboo words. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 4(2), 153–161. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1111/j.1745-6924.2009.01115.x
Ljung, M. (2011). Swearing: A cross-cultural linguistic study. Palgrave Macmillan. https://link.springer.com/book/10.1057/9780230305versatile
Maulana, I., Aziz, Z. A., & Daud, B. (2020). Dysphemism used in Prohaba newspaper. English Education Journal, 11(4), 519–531. https://jurnal.usk.ac.id/EEJ/article/view/17281
Murfin, R., & Ray, S. M. (2003). The Bedford glossary of critical and literary terms (2nd ed.). Bedford/St. Martin's. https://www.macmillanlearning.com/college/us/product/The-Bedford-Glossary-of-Critical-and-Literary-Terms/p/0312259360
Rawson, H. (1981). A dictionary of euphemisms and other doubletalk. Crown Publishers. https://www.worldcat.org/title/dictionary-of-euphemisms-and-other-doubletalk/oclc/7763013
Sari, Masri, & Aso. (2025). Sexual euphemisms in Megan Thee Stallion's album. Jurnal Penelitian Bahasa dan Sastra. https://doi.org/10.33772/yb08bw69
Wald, E. (2012). How the Beatles destroyed rock 'n' roll: An alternative history of American popular music. Oxford University Press. https://global.oup.com/academic/product/how-the-beatles-destroyed-rock-n-roll-9780199990870
Yule, G. (1996). The study of language (2nd ed.). Cambridge University Press. https://www.cambridge.org/highereducation/books/study-of-language/versatile
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Sintaksis : Publikasi Para ahli Bahasa dan Sastra Inggris

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.



