The neologism "Shtrafstan" has become common among Kazakhstanis due to the tightening of penalties for administrative offenses in 2024. It was first used on a political platform by Mazhilis deputy Azat Peruashev in December last year, and a month later he regretted it when the president subtly hinted in one of his speeches at the "impropriety of labeling his own country."
"I used an unfortunate term. It will be a lesson. You need to use the official language in Parliament," Peruashev later defended himself, apparently completely unaware that this political embarrassment would further increase the popularity of the neologism he loved so much. Indeed, after this remark, memes and jokes using "Shtrafstan" began to pour out as from a cornucopia with renewed vigor.
Why is "Shtrafstan" so "caught on" in the speech of Kazakhstanis?
Making fun of painful topics is a new trend in socio–political communications in Kazakhstan, generated by the lack of open public discussions in the media and a great demand for justice. Making jokes about harsh laws and controversial government initiatives is not just a way to vent discontent, but also a tool for adapting to a new reality. The more severe the measures, the more folk creativity there is in understanding them.
The "Shtrafstan" not only plays up the tightening of sanctions, but also contains a hidden reference to the broader social context. On the one hand, it rhymes with the "stan", a reference to the state, which is familiar to residents of the region. On the other hand, it carries the connotation of total control. "Shtrafstan" is transformed from a word into a joking, sometimes witty, interpreted image or text – a super-popular political meme, there are hundreds of these in Kaznet.
How memes work
Making memes is a vivid indicator of public sentiment. The popularity of memes signals that the topic causes citizens not only anxiety, but also the need to express their attitude in the safest, most accessible, emotionally colored form.
Internet memes usually don't last long. However, the phenomenon of such linguistic discoveries is unlikely to disappear: each new wave of reforms and restrictions will generate fresh verbal markers that will become a kind of mirror of the moods of Kazakhstani society.
Do memes contribute to effective communication?
Partially, yes. Information in the form of jokes spreads extremely quickly and involves as many people as possible. But there are risks of shallow understanding of the topic, stereotyping, information manipulation, narrowing the space for dialogue. Therefore, it is important that memes do not become the only form of expression of public discontent, because the mass ridicule of government decisions indicates a decrease in trust, a state of hopelessness, a desire to protest, signaling in addition to this serious shortcomings in communications.
"I used an unfortunate term. It will be a lesson. You need to use the official language in Parliament," Peruashev later defended himself, apparently completely unaware that this political embarrassment would further increase the popularity of the neologism he loved so much. Indeed, after this remark, memes and jokes using "Shtrafstan" began to pour out as from a cornucopia with renewed vigor.
Why is "Shtrafstan" so "caught on" in the speech of Kazakhstanis?
Making fun of painful topics is a new trend in socio–political communications in Kazakhstan, generated by the lack of open public discussions in the media and a great demand for justice. Making jokes about harsh laws and controversial government initiatives is not just a way to vent discontent, but also a tool for adapting to a new reality. The more severe the measures, the more folk creativity there is in understanding them.
The "Shtrafstan" not only plays up the tightening of sanctions, but also contains a hidden reference to the broader social context. On the one hand, it rhymes with the "stan", a reference to the state, which is familiar to residents of the region. On the other hand, it carries the connotation of total control. "Shtrafstan" is transformed from a word into a joking, sometimes witty, interpreted image or text – a super-popular political meme, there are hundreds of these in Kaznet.
How memes work
Making memes is a vivid indicator of public sentiment. The popularity of memes signals that the topic causes citizens not only anxiety, but also the need to express their attitude in the safest, most accessible, emotionally colored form.
Internet memes usually don't last long. However, the phenomenon of such linguistic discoveries is unlikely to disappear: each new wave of reforms and restrictions will generate fresh verbal markers that will become a kind of mirror of the moods of Kazakhstani society.
Do memes contribute to effective communication?
Partially, yes. Information in the form of jokes spreads extremely quickly and involves as many people as possible. But there are risks of shallow understanding of the topic, stereotyping, information manipulation, narrowing the space for dialogue. Therefore, it is important that memes do not become the only form of expression of public discontent, because the mass ridicule of government decisions indicates a decrease in trust, a state of hopelessness, a desire to protest, signaling in addition to this serious shortcomings in communications.