The word ostracize is perhaps one of the most intriguing in the English language, both for its meaning and its origins. It means to “expel from a group or community; ban; cast out; shun; or boycott.” The noun form is ostracization. As for its origin, “ostracize” comes from the Latinized version of the Greek word ostrakizein, which means “to banish or exclude.” The term first appeared in English around the 1640s and was used to describe the act of excluding someone from society.
Here are some examples:
- Her ostracization from the group was a result of her different opinions, leaving her feeling isolated and unwelcome.
- In ancient Greece, political leaders could be ostracized for ten years, a process designed to protect the city-state from potential tyrants.
- Ostracizing people who are different can hurt both the individuals and the community.
“We” (vokapedia team workers) presume that people with this particular social facade often cultivate a form of “ostracizing behavior” that mirrors the instinctive acts of regurgitation or defecation. They deceive themselves into believing that this act of marginalizing the humble, the diligent, and the simply occupied is some sort of refined skill. Such a propensity lurks within them, always ready to manifest.
The Turkish equivalents of the word ostracize are “ötekileştirmek“, “dışlamak“, or “yabancılaştırmak“. These words carry similar connotations of exclusion or marginalization. For example, in a school setting, a student who is constantly ignored or left out of group activities by their peers may be said to be dışlanmış. Similarly, someone who is treated unfairly or viewed as “the other” due to their ethnicity, beliefs, or social background can be described as “ötekileştirilmiş” in Turkish society.
The verb “yabancılaştırmak” is often used in more psychological or emotional contexts—such as when someone feels increasingly alienated from their own family or community, e.g., Ailesi onun farklı yaşam tarzı yüzünden onu yabancılaştırdı (“His family alienated him because of his different lifestyle”).
These words highlight how social exclusion can take many forms, whether overt or subtle, and reflect the cultural nuances of marginalization in both English and Turkish. Here are some examples in Turkish.
1. Ötekileştirmek:
* Toplum, farklı giyinen insanları hemen ötekileştiriyor.
Society immediately ostracizes people who dress differently.
* Farklı düşüncelere sahip insanları ötekileştirmek sağlıklı bir toplum yapısına zarar verir.
Ostracizing people with different opinions harms the structure of a healthy society.
2. Dışlamak:
* Yeni gelen öğrenciyi kimse grubuna almadı, tamamen dışladılar.
No one included the new student in their group; they completely ostracized him.
* Onu sadece farklı bir aksanı olduğu için dışladılar.
They ostracized him just because he had a different accent.
3. Yabancılaştırmak:
* Sürekli eleştirilmek, insanı ailesine karşı yabancılaştırabilir.
Constant criticism can alienate a person from their family.
* Şehir hayatı, bazı insanları doğup büyüdükleri köylerine karşı yabancılaştırıyor.
City life alienates some people from the villages where they were born and raised.
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