A Sociolinguistic Analysis of Hyperbole among Kirkuk's Kurdish Population

Abstract

This study focuses on hyperbolic expressions in everyday conversations among the Kurdish Sorani-speaking population in Kirkuk, Iraq. Hyperbole, a linguistic phenomenon characterized by deliberate exaggeration, servers to amplify or minimizes entities, emotions, or actions, creating meanings that contrast with reality yet are perceived as natural. Hyperbole is a technique for exaggerating someone or something to make them appear larger, better, worse, or more than they are. Hyperbole produces a meaning that contrasts with reality but is perceived as natural, not as a falsehood. This study aims to shed light on the sociolinguistic dimensions of hyperbole, which has been underexplored in formal texts. By analyzing a various selected hyperbolic expressions, the study identifies the unique features and communicative functions of hyperbole in Kurdish discourse, considering the influence of social factors such as cultural knowledge, social status and situational context.The findings shows that hyperbole plays an important role in expressing emotions, establishing of social relationships and the reinforcing of cultural norms within the Kurdish community. The primary purpose of this study is to investigate the unique features of rhetorical devices used by Kurdish speakers, especially in Kirkuk City. It highlights in everyday conversations and the use of hyperbole across various lexical contexts. Therefore, the study analyzes these expressions from a sociolinguistic perspective. It is widely recognized that linguistic context along with metalinguistic factors such as cultural norms and social cues - significantly influences how concepts are structured and comprehended.