Galantería Falsa: sexismo encubierto, humor y resistenciaen la frontera norte mexicana

This study examines the sociopragmatic and discursive functions of 67 copies of the newspaper P.M. from Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, on the U.S.-Mexico border. Through qualitative analysis, this study reveals the rhetorical and discursive strategies of diminutive and augmentative suffixes as part of humorous sociopragmatic styles in Mexican border Caló. Our results show that while these linguistic practices reflect a working-class solidarity within a context of systemic violence, they also reinforce heteronormative and patriarchal perspectives. These strategies are framed under the concept we propose here as galantería falsa (mock gallantry), which refers to covert forms of sexism articulated through humor pretending endearment. This study, although limited to a corpus of this type of stereotypical heteronormative suffixes, highlights how language and discourse in sensationalist media play a major role in reproducing harmful gender stereotypes and norms in society.