‘I have been degraded’: The Representation of Honour and Dignity through Swear Words in Trabzon
Acta Orientalia, 2026 (AHCI, Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Basım Tarihi: 2026
- Doi Numarası: 10.1556/062.2026.00565
- Dergi Adı: Acta Orientalia
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Arts and Humanities Citation Index (AHCI), Scopus, IBZ Online, Periodicals Index Online, L'Année philologique, Historical Abstracts, Index Islamicus, Linguistic Bibliography, MLA - Modern Language Association Database, MLA International Bibliography
- Anahtar Kelimeler: Defamation, Honor, Slanderous Accusation of Fornication, Swearing, Trabzon
- Karadeniz Teknik Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
This study examines the role of swearing, insults, and slanderous accusations of fornication within the legal, moral, and social frameworks of pre-modern Ottoman Trabzon with particular emphasis on the seventeenth century. By analysing court records, it considers how such expressions were perceived and adjudicated under Ottoman law and Islamic legal principles, which significantly influenced judicial practices. The study argues that swearing and insults not only undermined individual dignity and honor but also had broader implications for religious and moral norms. It also highlights cases where personal honor conflicted with the authority and dignity of the state, revealing a complex interplay between individual and institutional values.