THE MEANING OF HALK IN TURKISH LANGUAGE AND CULTURE
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Abstract
The meaning of the “halk” in Turkish language and culture in Turkish dictionaries and dictionaries of Turkish proverbs and phraseological expressions according to the reform in Turkish at the beginning of language reform in Turkish Republic changed. The aim of this paper is to explain new word formation and different perception of the status of Turkish people in young Turkish Republic till the period after the Second World War. Language Reform was based on changing the Ottoman Turkish to Turkish used by the common people lived in Turkey. The reform of language initiated by the first president of Turkish Republic – Mustafa Kemal Atatürk – was a big success not only of its creator but of all Turks. Turks could finally use their own language, which expresses their mentality. Not only replacement of Arabic alphabet by the adapted Latin one in writing Turkish, but also the purification of the language was aimed to, according to nationalist program, create a new national identity. At the beginning reducing illiteracy was based on the teaching of reading and writing in the Latin alphabet. But the feeling as part of whole Turkey, as a citizen and as a Turk was at the background of the education system. The project of enlighten illiterate Turkish people that in 80 % mostly lived in the villages was planned by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. In 1932 in 17 cities Halkevleri (People’s houses) were opened, next in 1940 Köy Enstitüleri (Village Institutes) were opened as well. Activity of these institutions was a manifestation of changes in people’s view of the world. The language revolution (Dil Devri) started in 1928 with replacement of alphabet based on Turkish dialects used by illiterate Turks. Changes in the language, apart from purification of the vocabulary, concentrated on new word formation (eg.: halkçılık – populism as a new word and new concept), creation of new phraseological expressions (eg.: halk adamı – man of the people, halk ekmeği – the people bread, halk müziği – folk music), collecting of Turkish vocabulary, songs and phrases.
How to Cite
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Culture, halk, Turkish language
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