Social Dissemination and Representation of Femininity Through Language: A CDA and SFL Analysis of Turkish TV Series

Turkish series have been both domestically and globally popular, and they serve as a fruitful site for both linguistic and discursive analysis. Therefore, this study addresses the significant topic that is the analysis of discursive elements in Turkish television series. The language use in these series can serve as a tool of soft power that disseminates gendered ideologies. In this regard, despite their worldwide popularity, there exists a critical research gap regarding the discursive construction of femininity in these series. This linguistic phenomenon can be, particularly, analyzed through the lens of Critical Discourse Analysis. In this sense, this research aims to examine the linguistic construction and representation of two feminine characters in one of the popular Turkish series, Kırmızı Oda (The Red Room) (2020-2022). Thus, it also allows for a comparison to identify the overlapping and diverging linguistic features in their narratives. By employing Critical Discourse Analysis, this study reveals how evaluative and figurative language use is utilized to reinforce the internalized patriarchal norms and eventual resistance to them. Additionally, Transitivity Analysis from Systemic Functional Linguistics indicates that there is a stark divergence in the characters’ agency. One character’s empowerment is relationally adhered to her motherhood, whereas the other achieves cognitive and autonomous selfhood. The implications of this study suggest that language in media is a primary site for not only promoting but also challenging patriarchal norms. Therefore, this study offers a toolkit for critical media literacy, and it emphasizes the responsibilities of content creators.