Mehmet Hakkı Suçin & Aysel Bayramoğlu
Abstract
This study aims to examine euphemistic expressions used in the Arabic dialect spoken in the Defne district of Hatay, Turkey, from both linguistic and socio-cultural perspectives. Euphemisms related to socially sensitive or private topics such as death, illness, sexuality, bodily functions, menstruation and menopause, social status, and clothing were analyzed within a thematic framework. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with native Arabic speakers of varying ages, genders, and educational backgrounds and analyzed using thematic analysis.
The findings reveal that the use of euphemisms is not merely a matter of individual linguistic preference but functions as a communicative strategy grounded in societal norms, religious beliefs, cultural values, and understandings of privacy. The data show that euphemisms are most commonly employed in relation to death and sexuality, often involving indirect expressions, metaphors, and religious references. Furthermore, the study identifies a gendered pattern in euphemism use, with female participants tending to use euphemistic expressions more frequently. Overall, the study demonstrates that euphemisms in Defne Arabic serve as indicators of both cultural continuity and linguistic creativity, offering valuable insights into the socio-cultural dynamics of local language use.
Keywords: euphemism · Arabic dialect · Defne · sociolinguistics · taboo · language and culture
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Cite this work
Chicago
Suçin, Mehmet Hakkı, and Aysel Bayramoğlu. “Ölümden Cinselliğe Dilin Dolaylı Anlatımı: Defne (Hatay) Arapçasında Örtmece İfadeler” [From Death to Sexuality: Euphemistic Expressions as Indirect Language in Defne (Hatay) Arabic]. Lisanî İlimler Dergisi 3, no. 2 (2025): 139–160. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18030813.
APA
Suçin, M. H., & Bayramoğlu, A. (2025). Ölümden cinselliğe dilin dolaylı anlatımı: Defne (Hatay) Arapçasında örtmece ifadeler [From death to sexuality: Euphemistic expressions as indirect language in Defne (Hatay) Arabic]. Lisanî İlimler Dergisi, 3(2), 139–160. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18030813
Publication details
Lisanî İlimler Dergisi / Journal of Linguistic Studies
Authors: Mehmet Hakkı Suçin, Aysel Bayramoğlu
Volume: 3
Issue: 2
Date: December 2025
Pages: 139–160
DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.18030813
Type: Peer-reviewed research article
Language of the text: Turkish