kinâye

Kinâye, also transliterated kināye, is a rhetorical figure used in Turkish and related Arabic-influenced literary traditions. It denotes an indirect statement or allusion intended to convey meaning without naming it directly. In kinâye, the speaker signals the referent by association, circumstance, or circumlocution, inviting the listener to infer the message from context.

Etymology and scope: The term comes from Arabic kināya, meaning "allusion" or "indirect speech," and entered Turkish through Ottoman literary culture. In classical poetry, prose, and court discourse, kinâye served to address delicate topics, praise or censure, or to add nuance without explicit assertion. It overlaps with metaphor and metonymy but is distinguished by its emphasis on indirectness and context-driven interpretation.

Forms and examples: Common forms include using a related object or attribute to refer to a person or thing (synecdoche-like) or employing a phrase that alludes to the status or role rather than naming it. For instance, referring to a king as "the crown" or to the throne as if it spoke can be considered kinâye, since the message is communicated through an indirect reference rather than direct speech.

Modern usage and study: Kinâye remains a topic in rhetoric and literary analysis in Turkish and Arabic traditions. It appears in poetry, narrative, and public discourse, where writers and speakers rely on shared cultural associations to convey meaning with subtlety, politeness, or rhetorical effect.