GÜLMENİN İNCİTİCİ YÖNÜ: ÇOK KÜLTÜRLÜ DİL SINIFLARINDA GELOTOFOBİ VE TOPLUMDİLBİLİMSEL ENGELLER

Year 2025, Volume: 9 Issue: 3, 457 - 472, 17.10.2025

Kadri Nazlı , Berivan Uzun Seyitvan

Abstract

Mizah genellikle olumlu bir iletişim kaynağı olarak görülse de alay, küçümseme veya aşağılamaya dönüştüğünde dışlanmaya ve psikolojik zarara yol açabilir. Bu ikili yapı, çok kültürlü dil sınıflarında “alay edilme korkusu” olarak tanımlanan gelotofobinin tartışılması için kavramsal bir zemin sunmaktadır. Gelotofobi çoğunlukla psikolojik bir olgu olarak incelenmiş olsa da bu çalışma gülme ve alayın aksan, kod değiştirme veya pragmatik farklılıklar gibi dilsel varyasyonlara verilen toplumsal tepkiler aracılığıyla aynı zamanda toplumdilbilimsel bir mesele oluşturduğunu ileri sürmektedir.
Psikoloji alanındaki araştırmalar (Titze, 1996, 2009; Ruch & Proyer, 2008) ve yabancı/ikinci dil eğitiminde iletişime gönüllülük çerçeveleri (MacIntyre vd., 1998; Khajavy, MacIntyre & Barabadi, 2017) temel alınarak, alay edilme korkusunun öğrencilerin öz güvenini nasıl zayıflattığı, katılımı sınırladığı ve dil gelişimi için gerekli etkileşim fırsatlarını azalttığı tartışılmaktadır. Gelotofobik öğrenciler çoğu zaman konuşmaktan kaçınmakta, gülmeyi düşmanca yorumlamakta ve grup çalışmalarından geri çekilmektedir; bu da hem dilsel gelişimi hem de kültürlerarası iş birliğini kısıtlamaktadır.
Bu çalışma, psikoloji, toplumdilbilim ve uygulamalı dilbilim alanlarından bulguları bütünleştiren betimleyici bir literatür incelemesine dayanmaktadır. Ayrıca, gülmenin öğrenicilerin iletişime gönüllülüğünü nasıl etkilediğini gösteren kavramsal bir model önermekte ve öğretmen normları, mizah okuryazarlığı, akran iklimi ve kültürel bağlam gibi düzenleyici değişkenlerin bu sürecin etkisini artırabileceğini veya azaltabileceğini vurgulamaktadır. Çalışma yalnızca gelotofobinin kuramsal temellerini değil, aynı zamanda pedagojik yansımalarını da öne çıkarmaktadır. Küçük grup çalışmaları, mizahın sınıfta açıkça tartışılması, kültürel açıdan duyarlı öğretim, mizah okuryazarlığının geliştirilmesi ve öğretmen farkındalığının artırılması gibi stratejiler, kaygıyı azaltarak kapsayıcı ortamların oluşturulmasına katkı sağlayabilir.
Sonuç olarak, bu çalışma, alay edilme korkusunun iletişimi nasıl şekillendirdiğini daha iyi anlamak için psikolojik bakış açılarının toplumdilbilimsel perspektiflerle bütünleştirilmesi gerektiğini ortaya koymaktadır. Gelotofobiyi hem bireysel hem de toplumsal bir mesele olarak yeniden çerçeveleyerek, iletişime gönüllülüğü, dilsel başarıyı ve sosyal aidiyeti destekleyen kapsayıcı, empatik ve kültürel olarak duyarlı pedagojik yaklaşımlara ihtiyaç olduğunu vurgulamaktadır.

Keywords

Gelotofobi , Toplumdilbilim , İletişime Gönüllülük , Çok Kültürlü Dil Sınıfları , Kapsayıcı Pedagoji

Ethical Statement

Bu çalışma kapsamında etik kurul onayı gerektiren bir durum bulunmamaktadır. Çalışmada akademik etik ilkelere riayet edilmiştir.

Supporting Institution

Çalışma, herhangi bir kurum/kuruluştan destek almamıştır.

WHEN LAUGHTER HURTS: GELOTOPHOBIA AS A SOCIOLINGUISTIC BARRIER IN MULTICULTURAL LANGUAGE CLASSROOMS

Abstract

Humor is often regarded as a positive communicative resource, yet its darker dimension—mockery, ridicule, or belittlement—can foster exclusion and psychological harm. This ambivalence provides the conceptual basis for discussing gelotophobia, the pathological fear of being laughed at, within multicultural language classrooms. While gelotophobia has been studied primarily as a psychological phenomenon, this paper argues that it also constitutes a sociolinguistic issue, since laughter and ridicule are socially meaningful responses to linguistic variation such as accent, code-switching, or pragmatic differences.
Drawing on psychological research (Titze, 1996, 2009; Ruch & Proyer, 2008) and applied linguistics frameworks on willingness to communicate (MacIntyre et al., 1998; Khajavy, MacIntyre, & Barabadi, 2017), the paper explores how fear of ridicule undermines learners’ self-confidence, limits participation, and reduces opportunities for interactional practice essential for second language development. Gelotophobic learners often avoid speaking, misinterpret laughter as hostile, and withdraw from group tasks, thereby restricting both linguistic growth and cross-cultural collaboration.
Beyond conceptual synthesis, the article employs a narrative review methodology, integrating findings across psychology, sociolinguistics, and applied linguistics. It further proposes a conceptual model illustrating the mechanisms through which laughter can affect learners’ willingness to communicate, while emphasizing the moderating role of teacher norms, humor literacy, peer climate, and cultural context. The study highlights not only the theoretical underpinnings of gelotophobia but also its pedagogical implications. Strategies such as small-group activities, explicit discussions of humor, culturally responsive teaching, humor literacy, and awareness-raising among teachers can mitigate anxiety and foster inclusive environments.
Ultimately, this study underscores the need to integrate psychological insights with sociolinguistic perspectives to better understand how fear of ridicule shapes communication. By reframing gelotophobia as both an individual and a socially embedded concern, the paper calls for inclusive, empathetic, and culturally sensitive pedagogical approaches that promote willingness to communicate, linguistic achievement, and social belonging.

Keywords

Gelotophobia , Sociolinguistics , Willingness to Communicate , Multicultural Language Classrooms , Inclusive Pedagogy

Ethical Statement

This study does not include any procedures requiring ethics committee approval. All stages of the research were conducted in accordance with academic ethical standards.

Supporting Institution

The study received no financial support from any institution or organization.

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