The Essence of Turkish Calligraphy

At its heart, Turkish calligraphy is a celebration of form, balance and artistic expression. This ancient practice employs a variety of styles, but they all share a commitment to creating a visual melody on paper. The graceful curves and intricate details of Turkish calligraphy transform the written word into a dance of elegance.

The Legacy of Ottoman Script

The pinnacle of Turkish calligraphy lies in the Ottoman script, a distinctive style characterized by its flowing lines and intricate loops. Developed during the Ottoman Empire, this script served not only as a means of communication but also as a form of artistic expression. The calligrapher, often referred to as a “khattat,” employs traditional tools like a reed pen to craft each letter with precision and care.

A Cultural and Spiritual Connection

Turkish calligraphy goes beyond the superficial act of writing; it serves as a powerful link to Turkey’s cultural and spiritual heritage. Many practitioners approach their craft with a deep sense of reverence, considering it a spiritual journey. It becomes a form of meditation, a way for the calligrapher to connect with both the written word and a higher realm.

Preserving Tradition

In an era dominated by digital communication, Turkish calligraphy still attracts people eager to learn the delicate art. Workshops and classes across Turkey provide a space for both beginners and seasoned calligraphers. As modern practitioners pick up the reed pen, they not only preserve a cultural legacy but also ensure that the beauty of Turkish calligraphy continues to flourish in a contemporary context.

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Folktales have been an integral part of Turkish culture for centuries, as they have passed down from generation to generation. These stories not only entertain but they offer deep insights into Turkish culture, values and language. 

Here are descriptions of some well-known Turkish folktales:

1. Nasreddin Hodja
   • Nasreddin Hodja is perhaps one of the most famous figures in Turkish folklore. He is a wise and often comical character. He is known for his clever anecdotes and humorous adventures. These stories often contain a moral or a clever twist, illustrating the wisdom of Nasreddin Hodja.
2. Keloglan:
   • Keloglan is a popular Turkish folklore character. He is typically depicted as a young and adventurous boy. He is known for his intelligence and resourcefulness. He often gets himself into challenging situations and finds creative solutions to problems.
3. Karagöz and Hacivat:
   • Karagöz and Hacivat are characters from traditional Turkish shadow puppetry and oral storytelling. Karagöz is a common man, while Hacivat is an educated one. These characters engage in humorous and insightful dialogues that reflect important issues that concern people. These dialogues ften serve as a form of social commentary.
4. The Maiden’s Tower (Kız Kulesi):
   • The Maiden’s Tower is a popular Turkish legend. There are variations in different regions. It tells the story of a princess who is locked in a tower to protect her from a prophecy, but eventually she is bitten by a snake that is hidden in a fruit basket. This legend has been the inspiration for many poems, stories and even a famous structure in Istanbul.
5. The Golden Fish (Altın Balık):
   • This folktale revolves around a fisherman who catches a golden fish. The fish pleads for its life. In return, it grants the fisherman wishes. However, the fisherman’s greed leads to a series of events that emphasize the importance of contentment.
6. The Crane and the Crab (Turna ile Yengeç):
   • In this folktale a crane and a crab engage in a competition to determine who is the wiser of the two. The story is filled with clever tricks and reversals, demonstrating wit and resourcefulness.
7. The Girl with the Rose (Gülistan Kızı):
   • This is a story of a girl with a rose growing from her navel. She is destined to marry a man who can guess her secret. Many try, but it’s a humble shepherd who, through kindness and honesty, solves the mystery.
8. The Story of Sarı Saltuk:
   • Sarı Saltuk is a legendary character. He is often depicted as a wandering dervish who embarks on adventures, shares wisdom and helps those in need. His stories emphasize themes of spirituality and the value of a simple, humble life.

You can find individual Turkish folktales on YouTube

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Cultural Exploration

Turkish is spoken by approximately 80 million people, primarily in Turkey, but also in Cyprus and in many communities of Turkish speakers around the world. By learning Turkish you gain access to a rich and diverse culture, which includes literature, music, art and history. Being able to connect with the traditions, customs and values of Turkish society opens up new avenues for exploration and understanding.

Communication Opportunities

Learning Turkish provides you with the ability to communicate with native Turkish speakers. It allows you to engage in real conversations, build relationships and foster cross-cultural understanding. Whether you’re planning to travel to Turkey for leisure or business purposes, knowing the local language can enhance your experience and make interactions far more enjoyable.

Professional Advantages

Turkey an attractive destination for business opportunities. Knowledge of Turkish can be a valuable asset for those interested in pursuing careers in areas such as international business, tourism or diplomacy.  Being able to speak Turkish demonstrates your commitment to cross-cultural communication.

Travel and Tourism

Turkey is a remarkable travel destination. It is known for its stunning landscapes, historical sites and vibrant cities. By learning Turkish you can navigate through local markets, order traditional dishes, negotiate prices and connect more deeply with the local population. Your travel experience will be enriched and as you will be able to immerse yourself in the cultural fabric of the country.

Linguistic Insights

Turkish belongs to the Turkic language family. It has a distinct structure and grammar. Learning Turkish can expand your understanding of language diversity and offer insights into linguistic concepts such as vowel harmony and word formation. A knowledge of Turkish helps you develop new perspectives on language and communication.

For more information about the Turkish language and word formation, please watch our video.

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Like many software developers and publishers of elearning content, we used Adobe Flash Player for our Turkish courses. There were many reasons for this decision. The Flash Player could be installed in every browser. It worked on every platform and every computer. It wasn’t necessary to create versions for Apple or Microsoft. The Flash Player also made many interactions possible, which allowed developers to create interesting and exciting courses.

However, the decision by Apple and Google to stop supporting the Flash Player confronted developers with a number of challenges, the main one being to find software solutions that could create the same interactions and the same learning experiences.

Handsonturkish.com has been re-programmed – without the Flash-Player

The Flash Player will no longer be supported after the end of December 2020. This does not mean the end of Handsonturkish.com courses that use the Flash Player. Over the past 12 months we have been preparing for this change and the new Handsonturkish.com version without Flash is now online. In a series of articles, which we will post here, we will explain what we have been doing in the background and how we have prepared our courses for the transition in January 2021.

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When learning any language, it is helpful to not think too far ahead. When you focus on how many words there are yet to learn, it can be overwhelming and lead to less progress. On the other hand, remind yourself often of how far you have come. Perhaps not long ago, you would not have been able to recognise any words in your chosen language. Now they are imprinted clearly in your memory. Be present and set aside time each day to work on your language.

2. Become confident with speaking incorrectly! 

Build up set of stock phrases

When people start learning a language, it is tempting to imagine that they will achieve fluency in a relatively short time. Language learning is a long-term commitment. It is good practice to acquire a set of phrases and key vocabulary to depend on. This can help you find the confidence to make that jump to engaging in conversation.

HandsonTurkish,com is designed to enable you to learn and remember such key phrases. 

Let go of perfection

The next step is to let go of perfection and have fun with it. You can only get better by taking that leap. The worst thing that could happen is that you make a mistake and someone doesn’t understand. Even then, in most cases, people are happy to help find the right word or correct your pronunciation. 

Grow listening skills

Similarly, remember that you will not be able to understand everything that is said to you. Try to be comfortable with this lack of clarity. People who speak two or more languages are much more effective communicators in their native tongue. This is because they can listen and understand an unclear message. Through engaging in conversation, even if you understand only a little, you are developing this skill all the time. 

Just by speaking to real people, your confidence comes on in leaps and bounds. 

3. Find someone to practice with

In our interconnected world, it is easier than you might expect to find a language partner.

Taxi Drivers

In my experience, taxi drivers are always happy to exchange words in their language and have a lot of patience if you are a beginner. For a set time, you have a designated speaking lesson with a native tutor. 

Local Restaurant and Shop Staff

Learning a language is about more than just grammar. It is also a wonderful way to discover culture and food. In most cities there is a range of different restaurants and local shops offering food and products from abroad. The waiter or shop assistant might not always speak the language you are learning but often you can find a good language partner. Being curious about the available foods can also be a very good conversation starter. This kind of communication could develop into a regular opportunity to practice your language.

Stay present, make mistakes, speak to people

by Stephanie Scullion

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It is quite understandable that users want to get advice and recommendations from internet sites, but frequently people intentionally post misleading or malicious comments advising people not to use a certain site. Negative comments may be from a disgruntled client. But they may also be simply malicious. Or they may be posted by a competitor wishing to affect the sales of a competing site. How do you know then that the advice or recommendations are not biased?

With handsonturkish.com it is very easy to validate the website and check whether this is a serious website with serious content.

Who owns the Handsonturkish.com?

Handsonturkish.com belongs to Pendragon Educational Publishers Ltd, a UK-based company that specialises in the development of language learning courses and related products. The address of the company is clearly given at the bottom of the home page. The company has proper offices and colleagues who work there.

Can you contact the website?

The website has a contact us page with an online form. The contact page also gives a company phone number.

How do I know the quality of the courses is good?

Firstly, you can do a taster course “First Steps Turkish” which gives you an impression how the full course of Turkish is structured.

Secondly, the project has been developed with the support of the Lifelong Learning Programme of the European Union.

How do I know my payment is secure?

HandsonTurkish.com works with secure payment gateway, 2Checkout.com. No credit card details are stored by Arabic Online or Pendragon Educational Publishers. Furthermore, no private data is sold or passed on to third parties for advertising purposes.

What syllabus does the Turkish course follow?

Our Turkish course meets the requirements of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR), which is the internationally-recognised benchmark for assessing language learning achievements. By subscribing to handsonturkish.com you can be sure that you are following an internationally recognised syllabus leading to internationally-recognised outcomes.

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Passive verbs are generally formed by the addition of -il (for verb stems ending in consonants) or -n (for verb stems ending in vowels), and less often by -l, -in, or -len in making a noun into a verb:

Ayşe kötü yaptı – Ayşe did it badly

Kötü yapıldı – It was done badly

Kimliğini öğrendim – I learnt his/her identity

Kimliği öğrenildi – His/her identity was learnt

Cenk evi temizledi – Cenk cleaned the house

Ev temizlendi – The house was cleaned

Reflexive sentences also have -in or -n (and much less often -l or -il) added to the verb. These are different to the passives, and you will come to recognise them over time. They are also, unlike passive verbs, able to take a subject:

Soyundum – I have taken my clothes off.

Uyandın – You woke (yourself) up

Abdullah yıkandı – Abdullah washed himself

Çok sevindim – I pleased (myself) very much (meaning “I became very pleased”)

Kız süslendi – The girl decorated herself (meaning “the girl dressed up”)

Causatives are marked by -r, -t, -ir or -tir/-dir (according to consonant harmony):

Yattım – I lay down

Yatırdım – I lay someone else down or I put down/invested some money

Musa öldü – Musa died

Harun Musa’yı öldürdü – Harun murdered Musa

Harun Defne’ye Musa’yı öldürttü – Harun had Defne murder Musa (double causative)

Yapıyorum – I am doing (it).

Yaptırıyorum – I am having it done (by someone else).

Ararım – I will look (for it)

Aratırım – I will have it searched for (by someone else).

Saçını mı kestirdin? – Did you have your hair cut (by someone else)?

Reciprocal elements are used when two things are acting on one another rather than a single subject acting on an object. They are -ş or -iş, or occasionally -leş in making a noun into a verb:

Sevmek – To like/love/caress

Sevişmek – To make love together

Bakmak – To look

Bakışmak – To exchange glances

Telefon ettim – I telephoned (him/her)

Telefonlaştık – We talked on the telephone

You can often include causative, passive, reflexive, and reciprocal elements together:

Musa öldürüldü – Musa was murdered (to die + causative + passive)

Uyuşturuldum – I was anaesthetised (to sleep + reciprocal + causative + passive)

Kabullendireceğim – I will make (him/her/them) accept (it) (acceptance + passive verb + causative)

Tartışıldı – It was debated (to weigh + reflexive + passive)

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The main argument of the talk was that the concept of a Monolingual/Bilingual binary is out of date and incorrect. Instead, we should measure bilingualism and multilingualism on a sliding scale.

What do these terms mean?

A monolingual is effectively someone that speaks and understands a single language.

A bilingual is someone who speaks 2 languages, which strictly speaking, includes dialects of a language. So someone from Glasgow, Scotland, is technically a bilingual as they learn to speak and write standard English at school but also speak Glaswegian, a dialect of English that can be really quite different from English.

A trilingual speaks three languages and so on until to you reach the multilingual or polyglot status of speaking multiple languages.

What do we mean by ‘speak’?

Does to ‘speak’ a language mean native level fluency? Perhaps conversational proficiency? Here again we meet a sliding scale.

I remember when I first went to Morocco, having studied formal Arabic for a year at University and could communicate in a formal setting about fairly ambitious terms. For example, I could say ‘My father is an officer, specialised in translation, who works for the United Nations’ but I could not ask simple questions such as ‘where is the bathroom?  While my level of Arabic may have been to a high standard, I was by no means fluent in a natural setting.

Personally, I like to think of ‘fluent’ as being comfortable in a language; being understood even if making many mistakes.

Monolinguals are disappearing

The speaker explained that monolinguals are becoming more and more rare in the current global climate where many nations live together in cosmopolitan areas and with people all across the world learning a second or third language at school. This is a good thing as it increases cultural and linguistic tolerance of others and it has neurological benefits as well!

Learning a Language Changes your Brain

Even if you live in an environment where you are passively exposed to other languages, changes begin to occur in your brain. A study was conducted to compare ‘monolinguals’ living in the multilingual state of California with monolinguals living in largely homogenous Pennsylvania. Participants from both areas were analysed while they undertook to learn Finnish, a very difficult and rare language. The results showed that the Californian participants were significantly better learners of Finnish simply because they had been exposed to other languages in their environment. This includes overheard conversations, signage in another language and so on.

Blurring the Lines

Learning or knowing additional languages has an impact on your native language. I have experienced this phenomenon known as ‘language attrition’. Sometimes it takes me longer to come up with English terms than foreign ones.  Language attrition can also be found on a grammatical level. I noticed that my sentence order was a lot more free, so much so that I could be found saying phrases such as the completely ungrammatical  ‘do you want to with me go to the shop?’. This can feel like you are losing you own language but actually, it is just proof that your mind is comfortable with multiple language structures.

The topic of the bilingual vs. monolingual brain is a large one that could move onto all sorts of concepts such as ‘Do you have a different personality in a different language?’.  Perhaps this will be a future article! In the meantime, enjoy the fascinating side-effects of learning another language!

Stephanie Scullion

The post Reflections on Becoming Bilingual appeared first on HandsOnTurkish.

Normal adjective: Tatlı kız – sweet girl

Verbal adjective: Tatlı olan kız. – The girl who is sweet.

Verbal adjective: Evleneceğim kız. – The girl whom I am going to marry.

However, if there is no headword, a headword is implied and must be deduced from context:

En tatlı olan kazansın. – May the sweetest one (girl? cake?) win.

Verbal adjectives are an extremely important way in which sentences are made more complex in Turkish:

Spor salonuna gitmeyen adam yaptıklarımı bilmez zaten. – A man who does not go to the gym would not know the things I am doing, anyhow.

Orta Anadolu’nun her yerinde şanlı bir tarihe sahip olan Hititlere ait pek bilinmeyen şehirler var. – There are cities that are not well known belonging to the Hittites, who have/had a glorious history, everywhere in central Anatolia.

Past or present verbal adjectives without a possessive ending are of the form -an or -en according to vowel harmony (with a -y- added in-between for verb stems ending in a vowel):

Halı satan kadın bize de çay ikram etti. – The woman selling rugs also gave us tea.

“Hayır!” diyen yoktu. – No-one said “No!” (lit. there was no (person) who said “No!”)

Past or present verbal adjectives with a possessive ending are of the form -tik, -tık, -tük, or –tuk (according to vowel harmony, and it can also start with a “d” instead of a “t” according to consonant harmony):

Yüzdüğüm havuzlar – Pools I have swum (in)

Yaptığını beğenmedim. – I didn’t like what you did.

In the future tense, verbal adjectives take –ecek and usually a possessive ending:

Yüzeceğim havuzlar – Pools I will swim (in)

Yapacağı çok şey var. – He has a lot of things to do.

Yapacak çok şey var. – There are a lot of things to do.

There are also, more rarely, verbal adjectives in other tenses –

-miş: geçmiş zaman – past tense (lit. the time that has passed); söylenmemiş söz – a word that was not spoken.

-r/-er/-ar (“wide” present): anlaşılır bir şekilde konuş. – speak in a way that is understood; inanılmaz bir tatildi – it was an unbelievable (lit. that could not be believed) holiday.

Just as with verbal nouns, there are lots of ways in which verbal adjectives are used creatively in Turkish:

Yaptıktan sonra. – After it is done.

Spor yapmadığım halde sağlıklıyım. – I am healthy despite not doing sport.

Anlamadığı için cevap vermiyor. – He does not answer because he does not understand.

Verbal adjectives may well be the most difficult grammatical feature in Turkish, but once you get used to them, they will be the key to unlock more difficult sentences. Enjoy!

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