Jelena Grubor, Katarina Subanović 397 UDC 811.111ʼ38:070 Admir Gorčević State University of Novi Pazar Department of Philology English Language and Literature DYSPHEMISMS IN BRITISH PRINT MEDIA – INEVITABLE NEGATIVE ALTERNATIVE OR TREND? Abstract: Dysphemisms, expressions motivated by hatred, contempt, fear, or envy, appear when a neutrally or positively keyed expression is deliberately replaced with another with negative associations. The use of dysphemisms in mass media largely creates an image of society and social life. This language, being short, sharp and clear, adapted to and suitable for readership with diverse social status and sensibility, should not include dysphemisms for their negative character, although we infrequently come across them. We have presumed dysphemisms to be used in every kind of newspaper, at a diferent level and frequency. The research is based on identifcation, classifcation and analysis of dysphemisms used in British newspapers (The broadsheet papers - The Daily Telegraph, The Guardian and The Times, and the tabloids - The Sun, The Mirror and The Daily Mail). In order to show their frequency in everyday discourse, the examples found in the media have been cross-checked against the native language corpora – British National Corpus (BNC) and Corpus of Contemporary American English (COCA). The results show that all processed newspapers and magazines contain dysphemisms, depending on the type and format. Low quality tabloids and sensationalist press use them more frequently (with a higher level of ofence) than the informative press with better quality content. Key words: BNC, British press, COCA, discourse analysis, dysphemism, mass media, newspapers. 1. Introduction Language is constantly censored by its users, while political correctness is described as an aspect of tabooing behaviour. Trudgill (2000, p. 18) claims that the social values of a language community greatly infuence taboo words and the language itself. Speakers behave as if there is a very real connection between the actual physical shape of the words and their taboo sense, consequently describing them as dirty. The censorship of language is one of the main reasons and motives for language change, which manifests through the creation of new expressions or the change of vocabulary. According to Allan and Burridge (1991, p. 31) taboo is an https://doi.org/10.46630/jkaj.2022.24