A corpus-linguistic look at Incel Lingo

Talk with Kim Ebensgaard Jensen.

Abstract

As a virtual community whose … masculine identity and sexuality, what is sometimes referred to as the incel subculture is part of the manosphere, a generally right-leaning portion of the internet where different types of masculinities are practiced. From interactions on incel platforms, a variety of English – a type of internet register – has emerged with its own specialized vocabulary, phraseology, and derivational morphology. Not only does use of this lingo reflect a particular masculine identity but also an underlying generally misanthropic worldview. In this talk, we present some findings from a corpus study of discourse on a range of incel platforms with a view to identifying, mapping, and discussing a number of emergent norms in incel lingo.