Derogative nicknames and language use

In this paper, I consider and discuss derogatory nicknames and I distinguish them from abbreviated forms and from eulogical nicknames. Often, the interpretation of the descriptive part of the nickname is related to the person in question (the person referred to) through pragmatic inference. The descriptive part of the nickname, however, does not act like a definite description in restricting the reference, given that the nickname used is directly referential and rigid in interpretation. Nicknames that are inherited clearly show that this is the case, as the description need not be satisfied by the referent (Sandru Scarparu may simply refer to the son of ‘U scarparu’). I make the case that there can be eulogical uses and these can be cases of ironic interpretation (so we can distinguish between a eulogical use of an expression and a eulogical speech act). I distinguish derogatory nicknames from quasi-proper names and proper names. I argue that nicknames cannot be used to address or call a person, as the person in question may not have knowledge of her own nickname. I also argue that derogatory nicknames are even more efficient than proper-names in individuating a referent. They are like quasi-proper names in this respect, but they differ from them in that quasiproper names can be used to address or call someone, while derogatory nicknames cannot.