engelli

Engelli is a Turkish term used as both an adjective and a noun to refer to disability or to a person who has a disability. As an adjective, it describes conditions that may limit physical, sensory, intellectual, or mental health functioning. As a noun, phrases like bir engelli or engelli bireyler refer to people with disabilities. The related noun engellilik denotes the concept or condition of disability. In modern Turkish, engelli is widely used in official language, media, and everyday speech; some older terms, such as özürlü, are less common or considered less neutral in contemporary usage.

Origin and form: Engelli comes from the Turkish word engel meaning obstacle, with the suffix -li meaning having or bearing. The construction literally signifies “having an obstacle.” This reflects a linguistic approach that describes disability as a condition related to barriers rather than defining the person by a single label.

Social and legal context: The term is embedded in discussions of disability rights, accessibility, and inclusive policy. Phrases like engellilerin hakları (the rights of people with disabilities) and erişilebilirlik (accessibility) are common. International and national frameworks influence Turkish policy, with emphasis on removing barriers in education, transportation, employment, and public spaces. In usage, some advocate for person-first language, for example engelli bireyler, to foreground the person before the condition, alongside other contexts where the simple plural engelliler remains standard.