ABSTRACT
Although language is a way of making personal sense of the world and is also a means of bringing people closer to others, it is also a weapon in the mouths of many boys. Boys spar with language in their daily interactions in the classroom, corridor, sports field and street. They use language to keep others, particularly other boys, at a distance while also demonstrating and celebrating their own power and importance. Insults are the language weapon of control and they come in many forms, including sexual abuse, racist remarks and mocking humour. The weapon is being used to tell the receiver not to get too close-to back off.
