The way of dealing with taboo topics in a language class: the case of the Department of French at Salahaddin University in Erbil, Iraq Cover Image

Comment aborder les sujets tabous en classe de langue : le cas du département de français de l’Université Salahaddin à Erbil en Irak
The way of dealing with taboo topics in a language class: the case of the Department of French at Salahaddin University in Erbil, Iraq

Author(s): Ibrahim Khaleel Abdulbaqi
Subject(s): Philology
Published by: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Łódzkiego
Keywords: linguistic taboo; religion; ethnic diversity; strategy; image; society; customs; tabou linguistique; religion; diversité ethnique; stratégie; image; coutumes

Summary/Abstract: Teaching a foreign language in a multi-ethnic oriental society is fraught with a lot of linguistic and cultural difficulties, the most prominent of which is the fact that some expressions and topics are considered taboo for religious and/or cultural reasons. This study aims at highlighting some of the words and topics that both students and professors avoid using in French classes at Salahaddin University. The data is collected from teacher-student interaction in the Department of French in Erbil. The prohibited topics usually appear in some basic classes such as literature, French civilization, conversation and translation. We have put forward, at the end of the research, some effective solutions which were reached during the field study. // Le tabou linguistique est considéré comme un des obstacles que l’on peut rencontrer lors de l’enseignement de la langue étrangère notamment dans un pays multiculturel comme l’Irak. Dans cet article, nous jetons la lumière sur les expressions linguistiques et les faits sociolinguistiques jugés tabous par les étudiants du département de français d’Erbil. De même, nous montrons les types de sujets tabous ainsi que les cours dans lesquels ils apparaissent. Nous expliquons également les stratégies menées par les enseignants pour ne pas gêner leurs étudiants. Nous proposons à la fin quelques solutions pratiques pour aborder le tabou linguistique en classe de langue.

  • Issue Year: 2017
  • Issue No: 12
  • Page Range: 303-309
  • Page Count: 7
  • Language: French