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Literary notes about Derogatory (AI summary)

The term "derogatory" in literature is often employed to mark the tone or intent behind labels and language, highlighting whether a word is meant to belittle or simply describe. In some texts, such as in [1] and [2], a nickname like “Abramka” is noted to be non-derogatory, suggesting that the impact of names depends largely on the context and the perceptions of those who bear them. In contrast, in [3] the word is directly associated with an expectation of diminished respect, as the speaker naively questions whether certain literary pursuits might be seen as degrading. Meanwhile, [4] emphasizes a moral stance by noting the absence of any derogatory remarks aimed at demeaning groups of people. Together, these examples reveal how authors navigate the complexity of language—using "derogatory" both as a descriptor for intended insult and as a marker for nuanced judgments about social labels and cultural norms.
  1. Ever since his apprenticeship he had been called “Abramka,” which did not strike him as at all derogatory or unfitting.
    — from Best Russian Short Stories
  2. Ever since his apprenticeship he had been called “Abramka,” which did not strike him as at all derogatory or unfitting.
    — from Project Gutenberg Compilation of Short Stories by Chekhov by Anton Pavlovich Chekhov
  3. “Do gentlemen, then, make verses?” asked Raoul, naively, “I thought it was derogatory.”
    — from Twenty years after by Alexandre Dumas and Auguste Maquet
  4. Nor did she say a single derogatory word concerning any portion of mankind.
    — from Anne's House of Dreams by L. M. Montgomery

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