Impolite, uncivil and underage: a case study about the influence of socio-demographic factors on discursive sanctioning

Abstract According to the literature on impoliteness and political incivility, the evaluation of a transgressive communicative act depends on the context of the speech, the characteristics of the speaker and the audience, and many other factors. This paper examines how the socio-demographic background of a high school girl – who gave a profanity-laden public speech aimed at the political leaders of the country – can influence the evaluation as well as the discursive sanctions. Discursive sanctioning is conceptualized as the verbal proposal of retribution, describing the negative consequences the transgressor should endure. This research employs the methodology of frame analysis to investigate comments written by citizens in response to news media articles shared on Facebook, then creates a typology of discursive sanctions ranging from benign and constructive to harsh and destructive. Results show that age is a more prominent factor influencing the evaluation than gender, even though swearing is usually associated with young people. Results also show the overwhelming support of commenters; however, discursive sanctions include severe age- and gender-specific punishments.