- Count View : 12
- آدرس کوتاه شده مقاله: https://bahareadab.com/article_id/1985
- کد IranDOI مقاله: IranDOI :10.irandoi.2002/bahareadab.2026 .19 .8119
volume Number : 19
number In Volume : 2
issue Number : 120
Journal of the stylistic of Persian poem and prose
volume Number 19،
number In Volume 2،
،
issue Number 120
An Analysis of the Attributes Ascribed to Women in Persian Proverbs within the Framework of Cultural Linguistics
Kimia Kiyanpour , Behzad Rahbar (Author in Charge), Mohammadreza Ouroji
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Proverbs, as mirrors, reflect the cultural and social characteristics of their respective societies. This study aims to examine social and cultural perspectives on women and their rights within the framework of Sharifian’s (2017) cultural linguistics, using a descriptive-analytical approach with a focus on proverbs. It seeks to explore Iranian society’s views regarding categories, schemas, and cultural metaphors related to women.
METHODOLOGY: The dataset includes 2,723 proverbs collected from two authoritative sources: The Great Dictionary of Persian Proverbs (Zolfaghari, 2013) and Folk Culture (Amini, 2013). Cultural linguistic analysis tools were applied to examine, separate, and categorize proverbs associated with women, particularly in contrast with men, to analyze women’s categories, schemas, and cultural metaphors.
FINDINGS: The findings reveal that these proverbs predominantly emphasize negative aspects of women’s character in the role of wife, with negative connotations outweighing positive ones compared to their role as mothers. Women’s status varies: as mothers, they are described respectfully and occupy a high position, whereas as wives, they are judged harshly and often unfairly, sometimes to an extreme degree. Moreover, the study shows that changes in linguistic structures of proverbs do not correspond to social changes; the evolution of women’s roles from housewives to active social and cultural agents is not reflected.
CONCLUSION: Considering that contemporary Iranian society generally holds more positive views of women and conditions for improving their status have emerged, the differences in perspectives and beliefs deserve careful investigation. These findings can benefit sociolinguists, anthropologists, and intercultural studies scholars.
Keyword
cultural linguistics
, Persian proverbs
, sexism
, women’s attributes
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