Cultural model of sexuality in Persian: A cognitive linguistic investigation of key concepts in Iranian culture

Abstract

This research is a cognitive linguistic investigation of the concepts of GHEIRAT 'moral vigilance', HAYA 'self-restraint', EFFAT 'chastity', and HEJAB 'veiling', which comprise the core of control mechanism in Iranian culture. The study aimed to find out whether these moral values are interrelated and examine how cognitive linguistics can contribute to discovering the ways in which they are connected to each other and fulfill their functions in the course of controlling the sexuality of men and women. The study finds that the Persian concepts are interrelated and form a conceptual cluster that operates to regulate the sexuality of Iranians. The interrelationship between the concepts and their systematic functioning was demonstrated through lexical collocates, shared conceptual metaphors, conceptual metonymies, categorization, and embodiment.The analysis reveals that gheirat, haya, effat, and hejab are part of a larger cultural model that operates to keep a legitimate, safe distance between men and women. According to the analysis, the cultural model of sexuality in Persian is founded on and guided by the Islamic principle of mahramiyat 'legitimate intimacy', which pulls together gheirat 'moral vigilance', haya 'self-restraint', effat 'chastity', âberu 'face/public image', nâmus 'female family members', harim 'holy space/border', and hejab 'veiling' in order to keep the sexes segregated.Within the identified model, mahramiyat 'legitimate intimacy' defines the specific category of people toward whom one should maintain a certain physical and social distance.Gheirat surveils the situations in which social interactions take place. It monitors the conducts of individuals, triggering reactions in people to tackle cases of taboo violation through admonishing, criticizing, fighting with, and, in extreme cases, through murdering the perpetrators. Haya 'self-restraint' operates to prevent the self from causing and feeling (further) shame through holding back the self, setting up a barrier between the self and what is considered as taboo, offensive, shameful, and unpleasant. Effat 'chastity' exclusively functions to discipline the body and set limits to bodily desires. It specifically deals with concealing illegitimate sexual desire so as to prevent the person from transgressing norms of conduct. Nâmus 'female family members' represents the heightened significance of women as holders of the family's honor and of their manner of conduct in society. Female family members are also strongly protected by men against social threats, such as sexually charged looks, sexual comments, and rape. Harim 'holy space/border' marks the boundary between cultural values and taboo behavior, assigning a high degree of sanctity to cultural values, and