View source for Insult

{{Short description|Expression, statement which is disrespectful or scornful}}
{{other uses}}
[[File:Charles I Insulted by Cromwell's Soldiers.jpg|thumb|280px|A portion of [[Hippolyte Delaroche]]'s 1836 oil painting ''[[Charles I Insulted by Cromwell's Soldiers]]'']]
[[File:Albert Edelfelt - Duke Karl Insulting the Corpse of Klas Fleming.jpg|thumb|240px|''[[Charles IX of Sweden|Duke Karl]] Insulting the Corpse of [[Klaus Fleming]]'', [[Albert Edelfelt]], 1878. Fleming's wife [[Ebba Stenbock]] on the right.]]

An '''insult''' is an expression, statement, or behavior that is often deliberately [[disrespect]]ful, offensive, scornful, or [[Pejorative|derogatory]] towards an individual or a group. 
Insults can be intentional or unintentional, and they often aim to belittle, offend, or [[humiliate]] the target. While insults may sometimes include [[fact]]ual information, such information is typically presented in a pejorative manner, intended to provoke a negative emotional response or to [[Social undermining|socially undermine]] or [[discredit]] the target. Insults can also be made unintentionally or in a playful way, but these can, in some cases, also have [[Unintended consequences|unintended negative impacts]] and effects.

Insults can have varying impacts, effects, and meanings depending on intent, use, recipient's understanding of the meaning, intent behind the action or words, and [[social setting]] and [[social norm]]s, including cultural references and meanings.

==History==
In [[ancient Rome]], political speeches and debates were known to include strong harshness and personal attacks. Historians suggest that insults and verbal attacks were common in the political discourse of the time. This practice reflected the highly confrontational nature of political engagement in ancient Rome.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://phys.org/news/2018-08-ancient-rome-insults-politics-knew.html | title=In ancient Rome, insults in politics knew hardly any boundaries }}</ref>

Many religious texts and beliefs have also contributed to views on insults and the implications of making insults in [[anger]]. [[Buddhism]] teaches 'Right Speech' is a part of the [[Noble Eightfold Path]].<ref>O’Brien, B. (2019, January 21). What does buddhism teach about right speech?. Learn Religions. https://www.learnreligions.com/right-speech-450072 </ref>

In [[Christianity]], for example, the [[Sermon on the Mount]] delivered by [[Jesus]] includes teachings on the significance of anger. Jesus emphasized the importance of managing one's emotions and non judgment in this example.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.ministrymatters.com/all/entry/7301/jesus-best-insults | title=Jesus' best insults }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/gills-exposition-of-the-bible/matthew-5-22.html | title=Matthew 5:22 - Bible Verse Meaning and Commentary }}</ref>

In addition to political contexts, history also reveals unusual instances of insults. The [[Cadaver Synod]], was an event where [[Pope Stephen VI]] held a [[Posthumous execution|posthumous trial]] for [[Pope Formosus]] in 897 AD. Stephen became the Pope after Pope Formosus and had his body dug up, dressed, and placed on a throne to stand trial even after his death.<ref name=trial1>Carrie Whitney, Ph. D. (2020, April 24). The cadaver synod: When a dead Pope was put on trial. HowStuffWorks. https://history.howstuffworks.com/historical-events/dead-pope-put-on-trial.htm </ref>

==Unintentional insults==
{{See also|Microaggression}}
An example of an unintentional insult may be not tasting a dessert made by a host.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/insult|title=Insult - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms &#124; Vocabulary.com}}</ref> 
Careless social actions can also become unintentional insults; for example, comments about facial features, personality traits, personal taste (e.g., in music), underestimating personal abilities or interests, use or acknowledgement of [[stereotype]]s,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.succeedsocially.com/unintentionalinsult|title=Social Mistake: Unintentionally Insulting People &#124; www.succeedsocially.com}}</ref> jokes, or even walking away from someone are among some things that may be misinterpreted as intentional and accidentally cause offence.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/microaggression | title=Microaggression &#124; Psychology Today }}</ref>

==Jocular exchange==
[[Jacques Lacan]] considered insults a primary form of [[social interaction]], central to the [[The Imaginary (psychoanalysis)|imaginary order]] – "a situation that is symbolized in the 'Yah-boo, so are you' of the transitivist quarrel, the original form of aggressive communication".{{clarify|date=April 2015}}<!-- WTF with this transitivist yah-boo? This is encyclopedia, supposed to explain things, not for wisecracks--><ref>Jacques Lacan, ''Écrits: A Selection'' (1997) p. 138</ref>

[[Erving Goffman]] points out that every "crack or remark set up the possibility of a counter-riposte, topper, or squelch, that is, a comeback".<ref>Goffman, pp. 215–216</ref> He cites the example of possible interchanges at a dance in a school gym:
{{blockquote|
* A one-liner: Boy: "Care to dance?" Girl: "No, I came here to play basketball" Boy: (crumbles)
* A comeback: Boy: "Care to dance?" Girl: "No, I came here to play basketball" Boy: "Sorry, I should have guessed by the way you're dressed".<ref>''Mad'', quoted in Goffman, p. 216</ref>
}}

== Backhanded compliments ==
{{See also|Passive aggression}}
A backhanded (or left-handed) compliment, or [[wikt:asteism|asteism]], is an insult that is disguised as, or accompanied by, a [[wikt:compliment|compliment]], especially in situations where the belittling or condescension is intentional.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/backhanded |title=Backhanded&nbsp;– Definition of Backhanded at Dictionary.com |publisher=Dictionary.reference.com |access-date=2010-01-27| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100211212617/http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/backhanded| archive-date= 11 February 2010 | url-status= live}}</ref>

Examples of backhanded compliments include, but are not limited to:

*"I did not expect you to ace that exam. Good for you.", which could impugn the target's success as a fluke.<ref name=AboutRela>{{cite web|last=Burbach|first=Cherie|title=Backhanded Compliment. About Relationships. n.d.|website=about.com|access-date=2 January 2015|url=http://friendship.about.com/od/Friendship_Definitions/g/Backhanded-Compliment.htm|archive-date=3 January 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150103052153/http://friendship.about.com/od/Friendship_Definitions/g/Backhanded-Compliment.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref>
*"That skirt makes you look far thinner.", insinuating hidden fat.<ref name=AboutRela />
*"I wish I could be as straightforward as you, but I always try to get along with everyone.", insinuating an overbearing attitude.<ref name=AboutRela />
*"I like you. You have the boldness of a much younger person.", insinuating decline with age.<ref name=AboutRela />

[[Negging]] is a type of backhanded compliment used for [[emotional manipulation]] or as a [[Pickup artist#Practices|seduction method]]. The term was coined and prescribed by [[pickup artist]]s.<ref name="psychologytoday">{{cite web|last1=Nicholson|first1=Jeremy|title=Can an Insult Make You Fall in Love?|url=https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-attraction-doctor/201308/can-insult-make-you-fall-in-love|work=[[Psychology Today]]|accessdate=21 April 2015|date=31 August 2013}}</ref> Negging is often viewed as a straightforward insult rather than as a pick-up line,<ref>{{cite news|last1=Woolf|first1=Nicky|title='Negging': the anatomy of a dating trend|url=http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/voices/2012/05/negging-latest-dating-trend|accessdate=21 April 2015|work=[[New Statesman]]|date=25 May 2012}}</ref> in spite of the fact that proponents of the technique traditionally stress it is not an insult.

==Personal attacks==
{{Main|Personal attack}}
A personal attack is an insult which is directed at some attribute of the person.

The [[Federal Communications Commission]]'s [[personal attack rule]] defined a personal attack as one made upon honesty, character, integrity, or like personal qualities<ref>{{cite book |title=Federal Register |date=August 1978 |publisher=Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Service, General Services Administration |page=36389 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=z-91zYCz47EC&q=%22attack%20is%20made%20upon%20the%20honesty%2C%20character%2C%20integrity%2C%20or%20like%20personal%20qualities%20of%20an%20identified%20person%20or%20group%22&pg=PA36389 |language=en}}</ref> in the [[Communications Act of 1934]].

Personal attacks are generally considered a [[fallacy]] when used in arguments since they do not attempt to debunk the opposing sides argument, rather attacking the qualities of a person.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ad Hominem Fallacy |url=https://owl.excelsior.edu/argument-and-critical-thinking/logical-fallacies/logical-fallacies-ad-hominem/ |access-date=2022-09-11 |website=Excelsior University OWL |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Sexuality==
Verbal insults often take a [[Prick (slang)|phallic]] or [[Pussy#Weakness|pudendal]] form. This includes [[profanity]],<ref>Desmond Morris, ''The Naked Ape Trilogy'' (London 1994) p. 241</ref><ref>Emma Renold, ''Girls, Boys, and Junior Sexualities'' (2005) p. 130</ref> and may also include insults to one's [[sexuality]]. There are also insults pertaining to the extent of one's [[sexual activity]]. For example, according to [[James Bloodworth (journalist)|James Bloodworth]], ''[[incel]]'' “has gradually crept into the vocabulary of every [[internet troll]], sometimes being used against men who blame and harass women for not wanting to sleep with them.” <ref>{{Cite web |last=Bloodworth |first=James |date=2020-02-13 |title=Why Incels are the losers in the age of Tinder |url=https://unherd.com/2020/02/why-incels-are-the-losers-in-the-age-of-tinder/ |access-date=2022-08-26 |website=UnHerd |language=en-GB}}</ref>

==Entertainment==
Insults in poetic form is practiced throughout history, more often as entertainment rather than maliciousness. [[Flyting]] is a contest consisting of the exchange of insults between two parties, often conducted in verse and became public entertainment in Scotland in the 15th and 16th centuries.<ref>{{Britannica|211736|flyting}}</ref> [[Senna (poetic)|Senna]] is a form of [[Old Norse]] [[Eddic poetry]] consisting of an exchange of insults between participants.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Harris |first1=Joseph C. |title=The Senna: From Description to Literary Theory |journal=Michigan Germanic Studies|volume= 5 |pages= 65–74 |date=May 1979 |url=https://www.academia.edu/11493700}}</ref>

[[O du eselhafter Peierl]] (Oh, you asinine Peierl), composed by [[Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart]], was meant for fun, mocking, scatological humor directed at a friend of Mozart's.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Karhausen |first1=Lucien |title=The Bleeding of Mozart |date=2011 |publisher=Xlibris Corporation |isbn=978-1456850760 |pages=83–84 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YZsNAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA82 |language=en}}</ref><!-- This citation appears self published, but Lucien Karhausen is published in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine on the subject and other journals. -->

More modern versions include [[poetry slam]], [[Dozens (game)|dozens]], [[Roast (comedy)|roast]]s, [[Diss (music)|diss track]]s and [[battle rap]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Flyting Was Medieval England's Version of an Insult-Trading Rap Battle – Atlas Obscura |url=https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/flyting-was-medieval-england-s-version-of-an-insult-trading-rap-battle.amp |access-date=2022-09-11 |website=www.atlasobscura.com|date=14 January 2016 }}</ref> In the 1980s ''[[Masters of the Universe]]'' franchise, the character [[Skeletor]] became known for insulting those around him with comedic putdowns.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.avclub.com/up-your-insult-game-by-taking-lessons-from-skeletor-s-b-1798273817 | title = Up your insult game by taking lessons from Skeletor's best put-downs | first = William | last = Hughes | date = 5 November 2014 | access-date = 5 March 2024 | publisher = [[The A.V. Club]] }}</ref> There is also a comedy genre of [[insult comedy]].

==Anatomies==
[[File:Uwot.jpg|thumb|The use of the [[V sign]] as an insult, combined with the upwards swing movement]]

Various typologies of insults have been proposed over the years. [[Ethologist]] [[Desmond Morris]], noting that "almost any action can operate as an Insult Signal if it is performed out of its appropriate context – at the wrong time or in the wrong place", classes such signals in ten "basic categories":<ref>[[Desmond Morris]], ''Manwatching'' (London 1987) pp. 186–192. {{ISBN|978-0810913103}}</ref>
# Uninterest signals
# Boredom signals
# Impatience signals
# Superiority signals
# Deformed-compliment signals
# Mock-discomfort signals
# Rejection signals
# Mockery signals
# Symbolic insults
# Dirt signals

[[Elizabethans]] took great interest in such analyses, distinguishing, for example, the "fleering frump ... when we give a mock with a scornful countenance as in some smiling sort looking aside or by drawing the lip awry, or shrinking up the nose".<ref>[[George Puttenham]] in Boris Ford ed., ''The Age of Shakespeare'' (1973) pp. 72–73</ref> Shakespeare humorously set up an insult-hierarchy of seven-fold "degrees. The first, the Retort Courteous; the second, the Quip Modest; the third, the Reply Churlish; the fourth, the Reproof Valiant; the fifth, the Countercheck Quarrelsome; the sixth, the Lie with Circumstance; the seventh, the Lie Direct".<ref>[[William Shakespeare]]. ''[[As You Like It]]'', Act V, Scene IV</ref>

==Perceptions==
What qualifies as an insult is also determined both by the individual social situation and by changing social [[mores]]. Thus, on one hand the insulting "obscene invitations of a man to a strange girl can be the spicy endearments of a husband to his wife".<ref>Erving Goffman, ''Relations in Public'' (1972) p. 412</ref>

== See also ==

{{wiktionary-inline|Jibe}}
* {{annotated link|Ad hominem}}
* {{annotated link|Bless your heart}}
* {{annotated link|Cyber defamation law}}
* {{annotated link|Damning with faint praise}}
* {{annotated link|Defamation}}
* {{annotated link|Flag desecration}}
* {{annotated link|Lèse-majesté}}
* {{annotated link|List of ethnic slurs}}
* {{annotated link|List of shoe-throwing incidents}}
* {{annotated link|List of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy characters#Wowbagger, the Infinitely Prolonged}}
* {{annotated link|Maledicta}}
* {{annotated link|Maledictology}}
* {{annotated link|Maternal insult}}
* {{annotated link|Mooning}}
* {{annotated link|Name calling}}
* {{annotated link|One-upmanship}}
* {{annotated link|Pejorative}}
* {{annotated link|Profanity}}
* {{annotated link|List of religious slurs}}
* {{annotated link|Rudeness}}
* {{annotated link|Taunting}}
* {{annotated link|The Dozens}}
* {{annotated link|Yo mama joke}}

==References==
{{Reflist|colwidth=40em}}

==Further reading==
* Thomas Conley: ''Toward a rhetoric of insult''. University of Chicago Press, 2010, {{ISBN|0-226-11478-3}}.
* {{cite journal|doi=10.1016/j.langsci.2010.11.005 |title=Slurs |year=2011 |last1=Croom |first1=Adam M. |journal=Language Sciences |volume=33 |issue=3 |pages=343–358 }}

==External links==
{{Wiktionary}}
{{wikiquote|Insults}}
* {{commons category-inline|Insults}}

{{abuse}}
{{Bullying}}
{{emotion-footer}}

[[Category:Abuse]]
[[Category:Harassment and bullying]]
[[Category:Emotions]]
[[Category:Pejorative terms|*]]