David Mowry's Posts (20)
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Southeastern Anatolia has been a hotbed of controversy for much of the history of modern Turkey. With a large Kurdish population, the region enjoys a wide and sometimes competing diversity. Linguistically, both Turkish and Kurdish are widely spoken. Kurdish pronunciation influences Turkish in that the throat-based "kh" sound common in Kurdish and Arabic is common. Further, Kurdish uses the letter Q, which adds a softer pronunciations of names and words such as "Kemal". A common sight in Southeastern Turkey is the alternating black and white ring pattern on buildings, especially minarets on mosques. Such architectural designs allow for the continuation of Kurdish influence even when language and other cultural aspects are restricted.
Eastern Anatolia is full of ruins from many past civilizations, including the Armenian and Seljuk empires. Armenian architecture can be seen most readily between Van and Kars, most notably in the historical Armenian capital of Ani. There is much Seljuk influence in Erzurum and Divrigi. Such diversity is most apparent in the art of the region, especially rugs that combine Turkish, Armenian, Persian and Kurdish influence. As the area is cold and often snowy, it has a reputation of being drab and muddy. This perception was not changed by Orhan Pamuk's Snow, which is set in Kars. Both Eastern and Southeastern Anatolia are thought of as the most religiously and socially conservative regions of Turkey.
The Black Sea region is one of the most culturally distinct regions of Turkey. With a rainy and mountainous terrain, it is somewhat isolated geographically from the rest of the country. The Black Sea has a tradition of dance and music that has expanded throughout Turkey, most recently with the Kolbasti trend. The dialect is the thickest the farther east one gets. Residents of this tea-growing region make it known that they are proud of coming from the Black Sea.
Finally, the Central Anatolia region is the historical center of the Ataturk-led independence movement. Ankara, the capital, was formerly a small town but has expanded to be the country's second largest city. The region is diverse, with the region of Cappadocia frequented by tourists and the eastern part frequented by ticks (which notably carry Crimean-Congo Hemmhoragic Fever...). The dialect in Ankara is similar to that of Istanbul, but with an increased frequency of the word "hocam" as a term of respect, used for teachers and people in positions of authority though originally used for religious leaders. This region contains many rugs and clay tradesmen/women, reflecting the abundance of wool from Angora (the former name of Ankara) sheep and clay from the Red River.
In the Marmara region, Istanbul is the most prominent population center. This year, Istanbul is the European Capital of Culture, not to mention the cultural center of Turkey. Much of the Turkish enternatinment industry is located and set in Istanbul and the dialect spoken in the city is considered modern standard Turkish. Outside of Istanbul, Thrace has a multitude of culture that is truly representative of the crossroads between Europe and Asia. In Edirne, for example there is a significant Roma population that contributes Gypsy music to Turkey. Iznik, to the East of Turkey, is the center of production for tiles, popularized in the Ottoman times.
The Aegean region has been historially populated by Greeks, Romans and others. There are many ancient ruins, such as Ephesus, Pergamum, and Hierapolis. Besides the penchant of young males for hair gel and European glamor-fashion, the easiest way for one to recognize an inhabatant of the Aegean region is the use of the word "be" (pronounced like 'bay') at the end of sentences. There is no real pattern of situations in which it is used, but is safest to use it for emphasis at the end of short expressions. f
Finally, the Mediterranean region is renowned for its resorts. While the Aegean beaches are most frequently visited by Turkish vacationers, the Mediterranean is often full of Europeans. Some time ago, there were mostly small towns and villages along the coast. Currently, however, the region is inundated with tourists. English is often spoken. In the very eastern part of the region, the language sounds more similar to Arabic than most other places in the country, as Hatay province is so close to Syria (Syria still claims Hatay as its own city). In this way, the Mediterranean region is very cosmopolitan, but in a much different way than Istanbul. Linguistically, it is a wide mix.
I will first describe the holidays, and then I will discuss the implications of the holidays from a political/religious point of view.
I have found two very helpful sites that described the customs of the Turkish holidays. The first resource defines and describes the concept of the “bayram” and continues to explain the specifics of
the two holidays. With both text and photos, the website uses an encyclopedia tone to describe the bayram basics. The second,
from Turkey Travel Planner, is a guide to foreigners who are traveling during
the time of the holiday. This source is very helpful because it describes what
foreigners should expect when encountering the holiday. This outsider’s
perspective provides insight into the aspects of the holiday that are
immediately apparent to the observer but maybe not to the participant. It does,
however, lack some depth about the activities of the family once the
celebrations begin. Finally, I used a Turkish etymological dictionary to explain
the origins and perspectives on specific vocabulary words, and how they relate
to the culture.
Powerpoint: Turk Bayramları.pptx
4. Artifact
For this artifact, I listened to one minute of a Schola Insta-class news report from November 9, 2009. While listening, I transcribed the audio to the best of my ability. The
first part is what I heard, the second is what was actually said, and the third
is a list of new vocabulary. Some of what I wrote in the first part just doesn’t make sense. I've underlined the mistakes and the corresponding correct parts.
Part 1
İzmir’e geldik iş bulduk. İzmir’de çalışıyorduk ve ne tekinde ’94 senesinde İzmir’de bir çocuğumuz oldu. Herkesin üç sene sonra kız dünyaya geldi. Hiçbir sorunumuz yoktu ve 2008 senesinde üçüncü aynıya kadar hiçbir sorunumuz yoktu.
Osman Çürümez daha sonra İzmir’de bir basma fabrikasında çalışmaya başlamış. Ancak 2001’de yaşanan ve Türkiye’ye derinden iki ay türist senesinde iş denetılmış.
Bu sever iş bulamadım. Kriz var. Malamda ortuduğum arkadaş vardı ordacılı kendisi. Olaya değince yaptık kapama benim. Ben de başladım ilk önce ilketabla yani oradacılık yapmaya çok dardan toplayarak üç ay dört ay bu şekelde yaptım sonra yani kendime toparladım.
Part 2
İzmir’e geldik iş bulduk. İzmir’de çalışıyorduk. Ve nitekim de 94 senesinde İzmir’de bir çocuğumuz oldu. Arkasından 3 sene sonra kız dünyaya geldi. Hiçbir sorunumuz yoktu. Ve 2008 senesinin üçüncü ayına kadar hiçbir sorunumuz yoktu.
Osman Çürümez daha sonra İzmir’de bir basma fabrikasında çalışmaya başlamış. Ancak 2001’de yaşanan ve Türkiye’yi derinden etkileyen kriz sırasında işten atılmış.
Bu sefer iş bulamadım. Kriz var. Mahallemde oturduğum arkadaş vardı. Hurdacıydı kendisi. O öyle deyince yattı kafama benim. Ben de başladım ilk önce ilk etapta yani hurdacılık yapmaya. Çöplerden toplayarak. Üç ay, dört ay bu şekilde yaptım. Sonra yani kendimi toparladım.
Part 3
1. Nitekim - as a matter of fact
2. Arkasindan - at the end of (arka - back)
3. Basmak – to press
4. Derinden - deeply
5. Etkile - influence
6. Atilmak – to be thrown out
7. Sefer - journey
8. Hurdacı – junk peddler
9. Kafa - head/mind
10. Etap - stage/lap
11. Şekilde - form
12. Toparlamak – to collect
Köpekbalığı - AKP milletvekili
1: Gazeteci
2: AKP milletvekili
1. Merhaba hoş geldiniz.
2. Selam, hoş bulduk.
1. Şimdi AB üyeliğinden bahsetiyoruz. Ne dersiniz?
2. Türkiye’nin AB’ye ile üye olmasını çok istiyorum. Ekonomi ve askerisiz siyaset için çok önemli bir şey.
1. Size göre AB ve Türk hüviyeti çok farklı mı?
2. Tabi farklıdır, ama Türkiye’nin kimliği değişmeyecek. Daha çok ticaret, hürriyet gelecek.
1. Başka bir sebep var mı? Mesela, şimdi Türkiye’de bina içerinde sigara içmek yasaktır. Aynı zamanda yeni anayasa değişimini değerlendiriyorsunuz. Meclis’te ne tartışma oluyor?
2. Türkiye’de asker ve yargı çok kuvvetli. Parti olarak daha özgür meclis ve partiler istiyoruz. Son zamanlarda Anayasa Mahkemesi DTP’nin kapatılmasının gerekli olduğun karar verdi. Bize göre yargı fazlı kuvvetli, ve AB’ye göre de çok kötü bir şey. Butün ülke siyasal hassasiyetin değişmesini istiyoruz.
1. Diğer partiler ne duşunuyor?
2. Güç istiyorlar. Biz demokrasi istiyoruz. AB’le birlikleşmesi istiyoruz. Başka bir şey yok.
1. İlginç. Teşekkur ederim, güle güle.
2. Ben de teşekkur ederim.
In order to make them talk to each other, the two sets must be played at the same time. Press play on the first one two seconds before pressing play on the second one. After these two finish, the conversation continues. Press play on the fourth one second before pressing play on the third.
Ali Babanın bir çiftliği var.
Çiftliğinde .... var.
.... diye bağırır.
Çiftliğinde Ali Babanın.
horoz...üürü üüüüü
kuzu...mee, mee
köpek...havvv, havvv
kedi...miyavv
Başka...
arı... vzzzz, vzz
tavuk... cik cik
karga... gaaak, gaak
eşek... a-iiii, a-iiii
ördek... vak, vak
at... ih-ih-ihaaa
Diyarbakır’a gittiğimde yerel seçimler oldu. Seçimlerde, AKP’nin desteği azalınca DTP’nin desteği çoğaldı. Seçimlerden altı ay sonra Anayasa Mahkemesi DTP’nin kapatılmasına karar verdi. DTP, PKK ile ilişkileri olduğundan dolayı kapandı. MHP ve DTP’nin kürt kimliğinden dolayı kararı
destekledi.
Karar verildikten sonra AKP, anayasa değişimi teklif etti. CHP ve MHP anayasayı değistirmek istemiyorlar. Anayasa değişiminde parti kapatılması zorlaşacakmış, askeri dava açmak kolaylaşacakmis.
Hürriyet gazetesinde reform ile ilgili “muhalefet var“ yazdı. Yargı ve muhalefet partisi, karşıtlıklarını vurguladılar. Başyargıç “bu öneri anayasaya karşı... iyi reform değil“ dedi. İfadeler Hürriyet’in çok laik bir gazete olduğunu ispat etti. Karşıt görüşlü Zaman gazetesi ise reformu destekledi. “Türkler bu demokratik, önemli reformu istiyor" yazdı. İki gazete de sendikalardan destek olduğunu yazdı, ama her gazete farklı sendikaların ifadelerini aktardı.
Haberi değerlendirdiğimde gazetelerin çok farklı görüşleri olduğunu anladım. Birçok gazete okuyarak siyaset ve toplum hakkinda gazetelerin farklı fikirleri anlaşılabilir.
The beads can be bought almost anywhere, especially in sidewalk trinket shops and bazaars (çarşı) in larger cities. Of course, there are artisans and glass-blowers who craft the evil eye artfully and carefully. Usually, however, the evil eye is placed or worn as an accessory used more for its symbolic value than its intrinsic artistic worth. To this end, the nazar can be found on charm bracelets, earrings, safety pins, clothing and a whole host of other styles, all often very inexpensive.
Here is a tree in Kapadokya that is a popular destination for tour groups. Its branches are full of nazar beads:
Maşallah :)
One seemingly circumstantial facet of the language is the absence of q, w and x. Although these letters are absent in Turkish, they are present in Kurdish, which is spoken by many in the Southeast. As only the official Turkish language is allowed on state-issued identification documents, the Kurdish names for people and towns are limited to colloquial use. Further, Kurdish has been limited throughout various periods in modern history, including, until 2002, in broadcast media (television broadcast was allowed in 2006). While this limitation on non-official languages may be supported for reasons nation-building or cultural unity, it is controversial that foreign loan words could be used on television as early as 1992 (Show TV as the oft-cited example).
The Ergenekon and Balyoz cases have been perceived differently among disparate factions in the Turkish political spectrum. By some, the investigations represent the secret goings-on of the "deep state," which is representative of the military and judicial branches that are not under civilian or electoral oversight. Others perceive the cases as an attempt by the ruling party to discredit its main opposition. The main opposition party, the CHP, perceives the military as an effective check on the possibly islamist orientation of the AKP. The nationalist party, the MHP, sees the military as the most important actor promoting the interests of the Turkish state and would like to see the military's influence expanded, not reduced. The Kurdish parties are possibly the most sympathetic to the AKP's efforts, as the military and judiciary have been the most rigid opponents to Kurdish interests. This point has been magnified by the recent court ruling banning the pro-Kurdish DTP from political activities.
No matter the intentions of the AKP, a series of military coups from 1960-1980 (and a "post-modern" coup in 1997) give credibility to fears of military intervention. The cases of 1960 and 1980 are especially infamous for the military's role in stabilizing volatile political situations. The 1980 coup, as the most recent intervention where military force was used, is remembered for its violence and persecution of political prisoners throughout Turkey, with Diyarbakir prison as the often used example of brutality.
Thus is it credible to fear military intervention in political life, but the connection between those arrested and the plots they are accused of planning is somewhat dubious at best, and political farce (saçma) at worst. Recently, there have been calls for early elections and constitutional amendments to address the most contentious aspects of the AKP. The recent regional elections saw a decrease in support for the AKP, but it is yet to be seen whether the base of AKP popularity will decrease below the margin of plurality in the coming months and years.
For my extensive listening project, I watched a subtitled movie recently posted to my Diigo. I attempted to recognize the vocab and grammar used, and at times I turned down the sound, read the subtitles, translated the sentence in a way that I would say it and compared it to what was actually said. Vocabulary is more difficult to recognize in speaking than in writing, so it was a good exercize to attempt to extract the words used. This is a useful yet time consuming activity.
I will begin to practice writing with example sentences along a similar theme, and eventually turn them into a composition per my learning plan. Additionally, I will go through the vocabulary in various news peieces, listening activities and conversations to compile them into a list for more convenient studying. With an improved language plan, I now have better direction when it comes to specific study strategies and creation of artifacts. I am improving mostly with my language partner, but I need to place more emphasis on creating tasks and topics for conversation.
During my first language meeting of the week, my partner and I reviewed two news articles for the vocabulary and grammar. I needed some help with specific phrases (such as "durup dururken") whose dictionary definitions don't express the meaning of the phrase. He also helped to explain the constructions that turn verbs into adjectives and nouns, which is something I find very difficult. While I wouldn't necessarily be able to use these constructions in conversation, I can recognize them on paper and, with effort, in speech. For the second meeting, we had an hour-long conversation. This was the most helpful activity so far, because I was forced to convey/understand thoughts and ideas that I wouldn't come up with while framing a dialogue on my own. I beleive this was a good weekly strategy - while I can carry on a conversation and contribute to it, I need to study grammar, texts and audio in order to get a general sense of the language. I noticed that I can become familiar with one person's way of speaking, but often another person's use of the language might be incomprehensible. I plan to work on understanding a variety of types of speakers.
Finally, my vocabulary for the week has centered on variations of verbs, such as adding -en, -dik, -las etc. This is a mix between grammar and vocabulary, so in the coming weeks I will make an effort to formulate and study proper grammar lists. I did not attempt a writing exercize, but I will plan to do so in the coming weeks in order to produce an artifact. Finally, I believe intensive listening will help me acheive many of the goals mentioned above, and I will make use of the Schola materials to train myself to pick up specific usages.
