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“#COVIDSchmovid! #SummerTreats” : The usage and functions of schm-reduplications in corona virus related discourse

Manninen, Satu LU and Wiktorsson, Maria (2020) In Lund Journal of English Studies 1(1). p.1-46
Abstract
The aim of this paper is to investigate the uses of schm-reduplications, also known as deprecative reduplications, in current corona virus related discourse. The investigation shows that schm-reduplications, such as covid schmovid, corona schmorona and pandemic schmandemic, are often used in a spirit-lifting function, to show that, despite all the threats and complications posed by the virus and national lockdowns, we are still able to do things and that we also continue to have a sense of humour in our lives. Another common function of schm-reduplications is criticism of other people’s irresponsible behaviour. The functions identified in previous work on schm-reduplications—associations with aspects of irony, scorn, scepticism,... (More)
The aim of this paper is to investigate the uses of schm-reduplications, also known as deprecative reduplications, in current corona virus related discourse. The investigation shows that schm-reduplications, such as covid schmovid, corona schmorona and pandemic schmandemic, are often used in a spirit-lifting function, to show that, despite all the threats and complications posed by the virus and national lockdowns, we are still able to do things and that we also continue to have a sense of humour in our lives. Another common function of schm-reduplications is criticism of other people’s irresponsible behaviour. The functions identified in previous work on schm-reduplications—associations with aspects of irony, scorn, scepticism, disparagement and dismissal—are seldom present in the corona virus related formations. (Less)
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author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
reduplication, schm-reduplication, deprecative reduplication, coronavirus, pandemic, English, ideophones, Covid-19
in
Lund Journal of English Studies
volume
1
issue
1
pages
1 - 46
ISSN
2003-7597
DOI
10.48148/ljes.v1i1.22268
project
Mumbo-jumbo and other gobbledygook. Ideophones in English, Swedish and Finnish.
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
db5b6023-7529-4b43-9d48-867a7f2d525a
date added to LUP
2020-11-17 15:32:15
date last changed
2020-11-30 13:17:10
@article{db5b6023-7529-4b43-9d48-867a7f2d525a,
  abstract     = {{The aim of this paper is to investigate the uses of schm-reduplications, also known as deprecative reduplications, in current corona virus related discourse. The investigation shows that schm-reduplications, such as covid schmovid, corona schmorona and pandemic schmandemic, are often used in a spirit-lifting function, to show that, despite all the threats and complications posed by the virus and national lockdowns, we are still able to do things and that we also continue to have a sense of humour in our lives. Another common function of schm-reduplications is criticism of other people’s irresponsible behaviour. The functions identified in previous work on schm-reduplications—associations with aspects of irony, scorn, scepticism, disparagement and dismissal—are seldom present in the corona virus related formations.}},
  author       = {{Manninen, Satu and Wiktorsson, Maria}},
  issn         = {{2003-7597}},
  keywords     = {{reduplication; schm-reduplication; deprecative reduplication; coronavirus; pandemic; English; ideophones; Covid-19}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{1--46}},
  series       = {{Lund Journal of English Studies}},
  title        = {{“#COVIDSchmovid! #SummerTreats” : The usage and functions of schm-reduplications in corona virus related discourse}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.48148/ljes.v1i1.22268}},
  doi          = {{10.48148/ljes.v1i1.22268}},
  volume       = {{1}},
  year         = {{2020}},
}