PEJORATIVE EVALUATION IN POLITICAL LEADERS' SPEECH: IRONY AND SARCASM AS SEMANTIC STRATEGIES

Pejorative evaluation is a hallmark of modern political rhetoric, functioning to delegitimize opponents, consolidate in-group identity, and draw ideological boundaries. Framed within hybrid semantics and pragmatics, this article foregrounds irony and sarcasm as central strategies that convert descriptive content into negative evaluative force. We outline the semantic mechanism of pragmaticalization, emphasize the contextual plasticity of pejoratives, and discuss the rhetorical utility of humorous derision in political communication. The analysis highlights the regulative, image-shaping, and audience-alignment functions of irony and sarcasm and argues for an integrated semantic-pragmatic approach to evaluative language in political discourse.