The Turkish Language Reform

This is the first full account of the transformation of Ottoman Turkish into modern Turkish. It is based on the author's knowledge, experience and continuing study of the language, history, and people of Turkey. That transformation of the Turkish language is probably the most thorough-going piece of linguistics engineering in history. Its prelude came in 1928, when the Arabo-Persian alphabet was outlawed and replaced by the Latin alphabet. Itbegan in earnest in 1930 when Ataturk declared: Turkish is one of the richest of languages. It needs only to be used with discrimination. The Turkish nation, which is well ableto protect its territory and its sublime independence, must also liberate its language from the yoke of foreign languages. A government-sponsored campaign was waged to replace words of Arabic or Persian origin by words collected from popular speech, or resurrected from ancient texts, or coined from native roots and suffixes. The snag - identified by the author as one element in the catastrophic aspect of the reform - was that when these sources failed to provide theneeded words, the reformers simply invented them. The reform was central to the young republic's aspiration to be western and secular, but it did not please those who remainedwedded to their mother tongue or to the Islamic past. The controversy is by no means over, but Ottoman Turkish is dead. Professor Lewis both acquaints the general reader with the often bizarre, sometimes tragicomic but never dull story of the reform, and provides a lively and incisive account for students of Turkish and the relations between culture, politics and language with some stimulating reading. The author draws on his own wide experience of Turkey and hispersonal knowledge of many of the leading actors. The general reader will not be at a disadvantage, because no Turkish word or quotation has been left untranslated. This book isimportant for the light it throws on twentieth-century Turkish politics and society, as much as it is for the study of linguistic change. It is not only scholarly and accessible; it is also an extremely good read.

“'very informative - especially for the nonspecialist - and worthwhilereading.'Wolfgang-E. Scharlipp, Anthropological Linguistics, 42, No.2.”

Lewis' passion for his subject matter is clear'Journal of Sociolinguistics 5/2, 2001The Turkish Language Reform is a dramatic story, entertainingly written, and not overly long. What is more, it provides a great insight into the practicalities of language planning.'Journal of Sociolinguistics 5/2, 2001From the moment you read 'A catastrophic success' in the subtitle you know that Lewis's intention is to provide interesting, entertaining reading. The story is a great one ... and well worth the read.'Journal of Sociolinguistics 5/2 2001Professor Lewis has written a fascinating book and he deserves the gratitude and appreciation of both colleagues and non-specialists alike. Lewis has succeeded in making a demanding task seem particularly easy and even graceful. As a stylist, Lewis is incisive, sometime brutally candid, and almost always witty. The book is sure to remain the last word on the language reform for a long time to come.'Benjamin C. Fortna, Journal of Middle Eastern Studies, Vol. 37, No.1, Jan 2001This subject has long awaited a full-length treatment in English and it would be hard to imagine anyone better able to provide it than Geoffrey Lewis. Lewis ... draws on the experience of a distinguished career to provide both a wealth of anecdotal material and the advantages of long-term perspective.'Benjamin C. Fortna, Journal of Middle Eastern Studies, Vol.37, No.1, Jan 2001very informative - especially for the nonspecialist - and worthwhile reading.'Wolfgang-E. Scharlipp, Anthropological Linguistics, 42, No.2.this book can and must be recommended to anyone interested in the modern Turkish language.'Wolfgang-E. Scharlipp, Anthropological Linguistics, 42, No.2.Lewis's book is learned, eloquent, and witty.'Reviews IX, Sino-Platonic Papers, 107, Sept. 2000.Particularly effective and entertaining are those passages which he skillfully translates twice -- first in their unadulterated form with their full complement of words of non-Turkic origin, then in their clean-up, "pure" Turkic form.'Reviews IX, Sino-Platonic Papers, 107, Sept. 2000.Lewis ... writes in a lively and witty style. Absolutely essential for collections supporting Turkish and linguistics departments at all levels.'W.L. Hanaway, Choice, Vol.38, No.1.`this book is a fascinating description of what can happen when language reform is attempted in an unplanned but enthusiastic fashion.'W.L. Hanaway, Choice, Vol.38, No.1.

Geoffrey Lewis, FBA 1979, has been Emeritus Professor of Turkish at the University of Oxford since 1986 and a Fellow of St Anthony's College since 1961 (now Emeritus). He was Oxford University Visiting Professor at Robert College Istanbul 195968, and has been a visiting professor at Princeton, UCLA,
and the Royal College of Istanbul, and holds honorary doctorates of the University of Istanbul and the University of the Bosphorus. His books include the original Teach yourself Turkish (1953 and 1988).

This is the first full account of the transformation of Ottoman Turkish into modern Turkish. It is based on the author's knowledge, experience and continuing study of the language, history, and people of Turkey. That transformation of the Turkish language is probably the most thorough-going piece of linguistics engineering in history. Its prelude came in 1928, when the Arabo-Persian alphabet was outlawed and replaced by the Latin alphabet. It began in earnest in 1930 when Ataturk declared: Turkish is one of the richest of languages. It needs only to be used with discrimination. The Turkish nation, which is well able to protect its territory and its sublime independence, must also liberate its language from the yoke of foreign languages. A government-sponsored campaign was waged to replace words of Arabic or Persian origin by words collected from popular speech, or resurrected from ancient texts, or coined from native roots and suffixes. The snag - identified by the author as one element in the catastrophic aspect of the reform - was that when these sources failed to provide the needed words, the reformers simply invented them. The reform was central to the young republic's aspiration to be western and secular, but it did not please those who remained wedded to their mother tongue or to the Islamic past. The controversy is by no means over, but Ottoman Turkish is dead. Professor Lewis both acquaints the general reader with the often bizarre, sometimes tragicomic but never dull story of the reform, and provides a lively and incisive account for students of Turkish and the relations between culture, politics and language with some stimulating reading. The author draws on his own wide experience of Turkey and his personal knowledge of many of the leading actors. The general reader will not be at a disadvantage, because no Turkish word or quotation has been left untranslated. This book is important for the light it throws on twentieth-century Turkish politics and society, as much as it is for the study of linguistic change. It is not only scholarly and accessible; it is also an extremely good read.

This item is eligible for free returns within 30 days of delivery. See our returns policy for further details.