Naming bodies at work: Considering the gendered and emotional dimensions of nicknaming

This paper applies historical and social-constructionist perspectives and methods to examine nicknaming processes in the workplace. By highlighting how the aesthetic and symbolic aspects of derogatory nicknames create links between the physical, sentient and social body/ies, it demonstrates the way certain patterns of talk provide a medium for emotional actions, interactions and reactions, which have important implications for the regulation of gendered identities, expectations and relations. It is argued that attention to the corporeal, gendered and symbolic nature of nicknaming offers insights into social embodiment in specific emotional arenas.