Compassion or Condescension? Introducing the Concept of Elderspeak into the Turkish Language Literature

Öz

The field of aging studies has garnered significant scholarly attention, particularly over the past three decades. While this domain has long been a focus of medical sciences, it has increasingly evolved into an interdisciplinary field with the growing engagement of social sciences. Ageism has become particularly visible in societal discourse, especially during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The transition from traditional societies to industrialized and urbanized modern societies has played a crucial role in the emergence of age discrimination. Ageism manifests not only at the individual level but also institutionally. It is widely acknowledged that individuals who interact with older adults, particularly healthcare providers, may inadvertently or systematically contribute to ageist practices. This review aims to introduce the concept of “yaşçı dil” (elderspeak) which has emerged as a different category of ageism, to the Turkish literature, to pioneer new studies, and to draw attention to ageism that occurs through language and communication.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Elderspeak
• Ageism
• Old age
• Communication

Şefkat mi, Küçümseme mi? Yaşçı Dil (Elderspeak) Kavramının Türkçe Literatüre Kazandırılması

Öz

Yaşlılık çalışmaları, özellikle son 30 yılda hızla artan bir önemde bilimin alanına girmiştir. Akademik dünyanın uzunca bir süredir hemhâl olduğu bu alan, son yıllarda sosyal bilimlerin de ilgisinin artmasıyla disiplinler arası bir hâle bürünmüştür. Yaşlı ayrımcılığı ise toplumsal alanda, özellikle COVID-19 pandemisi ve sonrasında oldukça görünür hâle gelmiştir. Geleneksel toplumlardan, sanayileşmiş/kentleşmiş modern toplumlara doğru evrilen sürecin yaş ayrımcılığını ortaya çıkardığı söylenebilir. Yaşlı ayrımcılığı sadece bireysel olarak değil kurumsal olarak da uygulanmaktadır. Sağlık hizmetlerini sağlayıcılar başta olmak üzere, yaşlı bireylerle iletişim hâlinde olan herkesin yaşlı ayrımcılığının aktörü olabileceği kabul edilmektedir. Bu derleme yaşlı ayrımcılığının farklı bir kategorisi olarak ortaya çıkan “yaşçı dil” (elderspeak) kavramını Türkçe literatüre kazandırmak, yeni çalışmalara öncü olmak, dil ve iletişim üzerinden oluşan yaşlı ayrımcılığına dikkat çekmeyi amaçlamaktadır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Yaşçı dil
• Yaşlı ayrımcılığı
• Yaşlılık
• İletişim

Kaynakça

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