Shoes in the Arabic Socio-Cultural Space and in the Lexical-Semantic Field

Abstract

The article is devoted to the analysis of stable lexical structures in the Iraqi dialect, which include various lexemes denoting shoes. The author of the article examines the issue of cultural traditions associated with shoes in the Arab world, noting the existing negative connotations: the deliberate display of shoe soles is considered indecent in Arab society, and hitting with shoes is regarded as a humiliating insult. Researchers believe that these traditions can be correlated with various factors: both religious and cultural, and perhaps also historical. The author of the article also gives the most striking examples of the manifestation of such an attitude (nicknames of political leaders, the situation with shoes thrown at the US President during a press conference, etc.). Shoes often symbolize baseness, spiritual decline and inappropriate human behavior, and
therefore are often mentioned in descriptions of political figures. There are also many proverbs, sayings and superstitions related to shoes in Iraqi folklore. Unique amulets against the evil eye, made in the form of shoes, both real and decorative, are common in Iraq. Shoes, as an element of Iraqi culture, are used in cartoons and can also appear in surnames. The article emphasizes the importance of understanding not only cultural, but also lexical features associated with shoes, as
this contributes to the establishment of high-quality intercultural dialogue.

Keywords:

Arab culture, Arabic language, shoes, vocabulary, ethnography