Turkey: Language Policy and Nationalism

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses how Turkish became the sole official language of the Republic of Turkey, although the country contains many minority groups with their own language, including ethnic enclaves from neighboring populations. The writer describes the long history of Turkish linguistic nationalism, and explains how, after the fall of the Ottoman Empire, Turkey's new leaders sought to create a state that was unified ethnically, culturally, and linguistically. This was accomplished at the expense of many of Turkey's linguistic minorities, who were killed or forced to emigrate. Those that remained were forced to adopt Turkish in business, education, and all other aspects of day-to-day life, and even exhorted to adopt a Turkish outlook, in order to become integrated into the wider national culture and achieve success in an increasingly competitive, fast-paced, and technological world. The consequences have often included feelings of alienation on the part of those against whom these measures have been directed, and a propensity to rebel against the central authority.

From the Paper:

"Turkey's campaign to impose an all-embracing oneness on its population can be viewed from numerous angles. From the point of view of supporters of Turkish as the sole national and official language, Turkish serves as the glue that binds together a people struggling to find their place in the modern world. A single tongue replaces the lost imperial authority of an outdated and outmoded empire. In common with other modern nations, it is the people of Turkey who theoretically govern their country and decide upon the direction it takes. The sultans no longer direct affairs according to ideas of state and government that derive ultimately from the Koran and from ancient Turkish tribal traditions. A single language permits all to share in the same education, and to work together toward common goals. The new language, with its modified Roman alphabet to replace its former Arabic-inspired orthography, functions as a bridge to the technologically-advanced civilization of Europe."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Aslan, Senem. (1 April 2007). "Citizen, Speak Turkish!" A Nation in the Making.' Nationalism and Ethnic Politics, 13:2, 245-272.
• Candar, C. (2000, Autumn). Ataturk's Ambiguous Legacy. The Wilson Quarterly, 24, 88.
• Smith/Kocamahhul, Joan. (Summer 2001). Middle East Report 219.

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