Why do Words with Negative Connotations Still Exist? A Corpus-Based Analysis of the Words ‘Handicapped’, ‘Diffable’, and ‘Disability’

Abstract

This corpus-based study examines the persistence of negatively connoted words in the Indonesian, particularly focusing on cacat (handicapped). Cacat is compared to its synonyms, namely difabel (difable) and disabilitas (disability). The study employs a mixed-methods approach, using data from Indonesian corpora, specifically ‘ind_mixed_2013’ and ‘Korpus Indonesia.’ The analysis results indicate a gradual transition from the use of the word cacat to disabilitas in discussions about human conditions, while cacat still retains important metaphorical meanings in specific contexts and is irreplaceable. Recommendations encompass a review of language term absorption rules in Indonesian, stipulating that new words must be euphemistic and free from negative connotations, to be undertaken by the government.