The Turkish language is full of fascinating features and unique characteristics. Here are 15 interesting facts that showcase its richness and complexity.
1. Speak Softly and Carry a Big Stick: The Turkish Vowel Harmony
Turkish is known for its vowel harmony, a feature that requires vowels within a word to harmonize or ‘match’ with each other in terms of certain features. This can make Turkish sound very ‘melodious’ to the ear. For example, in the word ‘karpuz’ (watermelon), both ‘a’ and ‘u’ are rounded vowels, creating a pleasant sound harmony.
2. Respect Matters in Turkish
Turkish language has a strong T–V distinction. This means that it makes specific linguistic distinctions based on varying levels of politeness, social distance, age, courtesy, or familiarity toward the addressee. For example, the plural second-person pronoun and verb forms are used when referring to a single person out of respect. So, how you address someone in Turkish can say a lot about your relationship with them.
3. The Harmonious Agglutinator
Turkish has some distinctive linguistic features. It is an agglutinative language, which means words are often formed by adding various suffixes and prefixes. So, a single word in Turkish can convey what would take an entire sentence in English! Turkish is also known for its vowel harmony, a system where vowels in a word must harmonize with each other, creating a pleasing sound to the ear.
4. Turkish, the Big Talker
Turkish, known as ‘Türkçe’ or ‘Türk dili’ in its native form, is quite the popular language. It’s the most widely spoken among the Turkic languages, boasting an impressive 90 million speakers. This makes it the 18th most spoken language in the world. Turkish isn’t just confined to Turkey; it has a significant presence in places like Cyprus, Germany, Austria, Bulgaria, and even parts of Central Asia, Iraq, and Syria.
5. The Language Where East Meets West
The Turkish language is a unique blend of eastern and western influences. Its roots lie in the Turkic languages of Central Asia, but it has also been heavily influenced by Arabic and Persian due to the Ottoman Empire’s close ties with these cultures. However, in the 20th century, as part of a major language reform, Turkish adopted a Latin script and purged many of its Arabic and Persian influences, marking a shift towards the West.
6. A Language of Many Dialects
Just like many other languages, Turkish has several different dialects. These include Istanbul Turkish, Cypriot Turkish, Iraqi Turkmen, Karamanli Turkish, Meskhetian Turkish, and Rumelian Turkish. Each dialect has its own distinct pronunciation, vocabulary, and sometimes, grammar. So, even within the same language, there can be a plethora of ways to express the same idea.
7. Forget About Gender in Turkish!
In Turkish, you don’t need to worry about grammatical gender. Unlike many languages such as French, Spanish, or German, Turkish doesn’t classify nouns into masculine, feminine, or neuter categories. This makes things simpler for learners. Instead of having to memorize the gender of each noun, you can focus on mastering the rich vocabulary and complex grammar rules.
8. From Old Turkic to Modern Turkish
The roots of the Turkish language trace back to the Old Turkic language. The earliest known inscriptions in Old Turkic are the monumental Orkhon inscriptions found in modern Mongolia, dating back to the Second Turkic Khaganate (682–744 CE). From these ancient beginnings in Central Asia, the language evolved over the centuries, influenced by various historical events and cultures, to become the modern Turkish we know today.
9. From Runes to Latin: The Turkish Alphabet’s Metamorphosis
The Turkish alphabet has had quite a journey. The earliest known inscriptions in Turkish were written in the Old Turkic alphabet, sometimes referred to as ‘Turkic runes’ due to their similarity to the Germanic runic alphabets. However, in the 20th century, as part of a major language reform, Turkey adopted the Latin alphabet, which is still in use today.
10. Once Upon a Time in Ottoman Turkish
In the past, a variety of Turkish known as Ottoman Turkish was used as the administrative and literary language of the powerful Ottoman Empire. Ottoman Turkish was heavily influenced by Arabic and Persian, and was written using a Perso-Arabic script. However, with the fall of the Ottoman Empire and the rise of the Republic of Turkey, the language underwent a significant transformation, adopting a Latin script and purging many of its Arabic and Persian influences.
11. Standard Turkish, Courtesy of Istanbul
The standard form of Turkish is based on Istanbul Turkish. Istanbul, being Turkey’s largest city and cultural hub, has a significant influence on the language. This standard version of Turkish is taught in schools, used in official documents, and spoken in media. However, regional dialects continue to thrive, adding a rich variety to the Turkish linguistic landscape.
12. The Language of Many Names
Turkish has a few different names in its own language. It’s known as ‘Türkçe’, ‘Türk dili’, or ‘Türkiye Türkçesi’. All of these names mean ‘Turkish’ in English, but each has a slightly different connotation. ‘Türkçe’ and ‘Türk dili’ literally mean ‘Turkish language’, while ‘Türkiye Türkçesi’ translates as ‘Turkish of Turkey’, emphasizing its status as the national language of Turkey.
13. A Family Affair: Turkish and the Turkic Clan
Turkish is a member of the Oghuz group of the Turkic family of languages. Other members of this linguistic family include Azerbaijani, Gagauz, Qashqai, and Turkmen. But Turkish is the most widely spoken member of this family, with about 90 million speakers. Though they’re all part of the same family, each of these languages has its own unique characteristics and intricacies.
14. The Language that Doesn’t Stick to the Script
The Turkish language has used different scripts throughout its history. Originally, Turkish was written in a script known as the Old Turkic alphabet, which was similar to Germanic runes. Later, under the influence of the Persian and Arabic cultures, the Ottoman Turks used a script based on the Perso-Arabic script. But, in a dramatic turn of events in 1928, Turkey adopted the Latin script, which is still in use today.
15. Turkish’s Alphabetical Transformation
The Turkish language underwent a dramatic transformation in 1928. As a part of Atatürk’s reforms in the early years of the Republic of Turkey, the language’s previous alphabet, based on the Perso-Arabic script, was replaced with a Latin script-based alphabet. This change was part of an effort to modernize and westernize the country, making it easier for Turkish citizens to learn to read and write.
Why Turkish Stands Out
These are just a few of the many interesting aspects of the Turkish language. Each fact reveals something unique about its structure, history, or cultural significance.
Whether you’re a language enthusiast or just curious, Turkish offers a fascinating window into a rich linguistic world. What’s your favorite fact about Turkish?
Hey fellow Linguaholics! It’s me, Marcel. I am the proud owner of linguaholic.com. Languages have always been my passion and I have studied Linguistics, Computational Linguistics and Sinology at the University of Zurich. It is my utmost pleasure to share with all of you guys what I know about languages and linguistics in general.