Weaponized Words: Metaphorical Neologisms in Disinformation and Hate Speech

Abstract

This study examines the psycholinguistic and political role of metaphorical neologisms in Albanian written media, focusing on the recurrent use of “mafia” constructions such as mafia energjetike (energy mafia), mafia e kancerit (cancer mafia), mafia e plehrave/mbeturinave (waste mafia), and mafia e ndërtimit (construction mafia) (VoxKosova 2024). Based on a corpus of 60 media documents from Kosovo, Albania, and North Macedonia, analyzed through qualitative coding and frequency analysis in Taguette, the study combines linguistic, psycholinguistic, and political communication approaches to investigate framing strategies and voice attribution among journalists, political actors, activists, and institutions. The findings demonstrate that these neologistic metaphors function as cognitive shortcuts and instruments of symbolic manipulation, framing complex socio-political issues as conspiratorial and morally charged threats. Journalists employ them to dramatize systemic failures, populist political actors instrumentalize them to mobilize fear, distrust, and public outrage, while activists amplify them to reinforce antagonistic narratives. The analysis further demonstrates that such neologisms operate not only as linguistic innovations but also as frames of populist persuasion, amplifying emotional resonance and polarizing public discourse (Canaj et al.2025). By mapping their frequency and contextual voices, the study highlights how metaphor-driven hate speech in Albanian media contributes to the normalization of antagonistic rhetoric, undermining democratic dialogue and weakening democratic resilience (Tokrri R. et al. 2026). The research underscores the need for critical literacy and media awareness, as the psycholinguistic power of metaphor in hate speech can destabilize public trust, undermine epistemic security, and entrench populist manipulation (Wodak 2002, Wodak 2015). By situating Albanian media discourse within broader debates on language, cognition, populism, and political communication in the Balkan countries, the study offers new insights into how neologisms function as tools of discursive control and ideological persuasion.

Received: 20 February 2026  │  Accepted: 10 June 2026  │  Published: 23 July 2026