Next, we analyzed all tweets labeled as offensive to better understand how Arabic speakers use offensive language. Here is a breakdown of usage:

Direct name calling: The most frequent attack is to call a person an animal name, and the most used animals were كلب> (“klb” – “dog”), حمار> (“HmAr” – “donkey”), and بهيم> (“bhym” – “beast”). The second most common was insulting mental abilities using words such as غبي> (“gby” – “stupid”) and عبيط> (“EbyT” –“idiot”). Some culture-specific differences should be considered. Not all animal names are used as insults. For example, animals such as أسد> (“Asd” – “lion”), صقر> (“Sqr” – “falcon”), and غزال> (“gzAl” – “gazelle”) are typically used for praise. For other insults, people use: some bird names such as دجاجة> (“djAjp” – “chicken”), بومة> (“bwmp” – “owl”), and غراب> (“grAb” – “crow”); insects such as ذبابة> (“*bAbp” – “fly”), صرصور> (“SrSwr” – “cockroach”), and حشرة> (“H$rp” – “insect”); microorganisms such as جرثومة> (“jrvwmp” – “microbe”) and طحالب> (“THAlb” – “algae”); inanimate objects such as جزمة> (“jzmp” – “shoes”) and سطل> (“sTl” – “bucket”) among other usages.

Simile and metaphor: Users use simile and metaphor were they would compare a person to: an animal as in زي الثور> (“zy Alvwr” – “like a bull”), سمعني نهيقك> (“smEny nhyqk” – “let me hear your braying”), and هز ديلك> (“hz dylk” – “wag your tail”); a person with mental or physical disability such as منغولي> (“mngwly” – “Mongolian (down-syndrome)”), معوق> (“mEwq” – “disabled”), and قزم> (“qzm” – “dwarf”); and to the opposite gender such as جيش نوال> (“jy$ nwAl” – “Nawal's army (Nawal is female name)”) and نادي زيزي> (“nAdy zyzy” – “Zizi's club (Zizi is a female pet name)”).

Indirect speech: This type of offensive language includes: sarcasm such as أذكى إخواتك> (“A*kY AxwAtk” – “smartest one of your siblings”) and فيلسوف الحمير> (“fylswf AlHmyr” – “the donkeys' philosopher”); questions such as ايه كل الغباء ده> (“Ayh kl AlgbA dh” – “what is all this stupidity”); and indirect speech such as النقاش مع البهايم غير مثمر> (“AlnqA$ mE AlbhAym gyr mvmr” – “no use talking to cattle”).

Wishing Evil: This entails wishing death or major harm to befall someone such as ربنا ياخدك> (“rbnA yAxdk” – “May God take (kill) you”), الله يلعنك> (“Allh ylEnk” – “may Allah/God curse you”), and روح في داهية> (“rwH fy dAhyp” – equivalent to “go to hell”).

Name alteration: One common way to insult others is to change a letter or two in their names to produce new offensive words that rhyme with the original names. Some examples of such include changing الجزيرة> (“Aljzyrp” – “Aljazeera (channel)”) to الخنزيرة> (“Alxnzyrp” – “the pig”) and خلفان> (“xlfAn” – “Khalfan (person name)”) to خرفان> (“xrfAn” – “crazed”).

Societal stratification: Some insults are associated with: certain jobs such as بواب> (“bwAb” – “doorman”) or خادم> (“xAdm” – “servant”); and specific societal components such بدوي> (“bdwy” – “bedouin”) and فلاح> (“flAH” – “farmer”).

Immoral behavior: These insults are associated with negative moral traits or behaviors such as حقير> (“Hqyr” – “vile”), خاين> (“xAyn” – “traitor”), and منافق> (“mnAfq” – “hypocrite”).

Sexually related: They include expressions such as خول> (“xwl” – “gay”), وسخة> (“wsxp” – “prostitute”), and عرص> (“ErS” – “pimp”).
Output: What are the distinctive characteristics of how Arabic speakers use offensive language?