IMPRECATIONS, RELIGION, AND SYMBOLIC POWER: A BOURDIEUSIAN SOCIOLINGUISTIC ANALYSIS OF THE FILM THE EXORCIST

Annotasiya

This study explores the relationship between religious beliefs and the use of imprecations in the film The Exorcist through the theoretical framework of Pierre Bourdieu. Using a mixed-methods approach, the research combines quantitative analysis of frequency and distribution with qualitative interpretation of contextual usage. The data are analyzed with regard to religious roles, moral positioning, and symbolic authority. The findings indicate that imprecations are not merely expressive utterances but function as forms of symbolic power embedded in religious discourse. Institutional religious figures employ controlled and legitimized language, while imprecations associated with demonic speech invert and challenge established norms. Drawing on Bourdieu’s concepts of habitus, field, and linguistic capital, the study demonstrates that imprecations play a crucial role in constructing moral boundaries and negotiating symbolic power within the film. The paper contributes to sociolinguistic research by highlighting the interaction between language, religion, and power in cinematic discourse.