Grammar-Nazi: verbal aggression and naive lexicography

The article analyses the activities of grammar nazi, “defending the purity of the native language” in two aspects, as the form of naive linguistics and as the verbal aggression. The aim of the article is to describe the new forms of verbal aggression used by grammar-nazi for insulting and humiliation of opponents, e.g. linguistic trolling, flame, steb, slogans and internet-memes, special threats. The analysis concludes that all these items are different forms of personal hate speech. Moreover the main purpose of grammar-Nazis is to humiliate an opponent due to persecution on the grounds of his/her language and speech, but not to defend the purity and beauty of the native language. The special attention is paid to the so-called "Firing grammatical list" that has been analysed as a sample of the new naive lexicography as well as a representation of a new form of verbal aggression. The article provides a rich illustrative material, demonstrating a variety of forms and means of grammar-nazi verbal aggression. It concludes that aggressive verbal behaviour of the Russian grammar-nazi is a product of contemporary times and modern society.