The landscape of Gendered Language in the Family Interaction: Reinforcement and Belittling

Abstract

Gendered language plays a significant role in constructing and perpetuating gender roles, expectations, and hierarchies. In Iraqi Kurdistan, a region with deeply rooted traditions and social norms, family discourse reflects both the reinforcement and belittling through the use of language. On the one hand, individuals are marginalized or belittled based on their gender; on the other hand, others might be reinforced due to their gender and social expectations. In many traditional Kurdish households, parents might consciously use a gendered language that reinforces unequal expectations, customizing their language to sustain gender roles and undermine individuals based on their gender. This qualitative research explores the dynamics of gendered language within family interactions, focusing on the mechanisms of reinforcement and belittling from sociolinguistic frameworks, daily expressions, and existing proverbs. The research examines how linguistic practices within familial settings contribute to gender norm perpetuation. Through focus group discussions and thematic analysis, the study identifies recurring patterns in parental language, interactions, and communication that reinforce traditional gender roles or undermine individuals' agency based on gender. Findings highlight how everyday conversational exchanges serve as vehicles for reinforcing androcentric ideologies, with implications for childhood socialization and long-term identity. The study concludes by discussing potential gendered language in family discourse that leans on socio-cultural, economic status, and religious hegemony rooted in the language to show the significant role of these discourses in genderizing the language.