Hidden Languages Spoken in Turkey

The people of Turkey speak different languages. These languages represent the rich heritage of the Ottoman Empire. The way these languages were revived through different eras is commendable. Anatolia is the hub of many civilizations. These civilizations have made Turkey a very diverse nation. Various linguistic groups in Turkey use distinct languages. The interesting thing about Turkey is that this country lies both in Europe and Asia. Therefore, people from around the world love to visit this country. If you are planning to visit Turkey then professional Turkish translation services can be of great help to you.

 

Which is the Official Language of Turkey?

The constitution of Turkey has declared it an official language. People living in this country widely speak the Turkish language with different dialects. Therefore, to understand the different dialects that the people of Turkey speak, you must take the assistance of Turkish translation services. The dialect that the people of Istanbul speak is considered the official and formal dialect.

 

Modern Turkish is created with the help of the Latin alphabet in 1928. After five years, The Ataturk formed the Republic of Turkey. You will be surprised to know that Turkish was initially written with Arabic alphabets before the advent of the Latin alphabet, Here the important thing to differentiate is that their language was Ottoman Turkish, not Arabic. If you are visiting Turkey then don’t assume that Arabic people can speak Arabic because these people get offended. Utilizing professional Arabic translation services can bridge any communication gaps and enhance your experience while respecting the unique linguistic history of the region.

 

The History of Languages that the People of Turkey Speak

Turkey has an enriched history. Due to its geographical location, it acts like a bridge between Asia and Europe. As the hub of Islam, Arabic and Persian have a great influence on the Turkish language. Arabic influence is in the form of Latin alphabets whereas Persian impact is apparent. To understand how the Persian language has influenced the Turkish language, professional Persian translation services can be of great help.

 

Once Turkey was a great Ottoman Empire and it ruled different parts of the world like Northern Africa, Western Asia, and Southeast Europe for around 600 years. The Ottomans not only included Turkish people. However, many ethnic groups are part of it. At that time, it was very difficult to accept Turkish as an official language because many conquered nations spoke different languages. Now the Ottoman Empire is no more, however, the different ethnic languages have survived through different regimes.

 

How Many Languages Do People of Turkey Speak?

As Turkey accommodates different ethnic groups and immigrant populations they speak different languages. Let’s dive into these languages.

 

Kurdish

The Kurdish language that Turkish people speak is called Kurmanji. It is also known as Northern Kurdish. This language is native to approximately 8 million Kurdish people. The important thing to note is that 3 million Kurmanji speakers are monolinguals. Therefore, they don’t speak Turkish. Additionally, according to the constitution of Turkey, education cannot be provided in other languages than Turkish. Therefore, Kurdish speakers can take from professional translation services in seeking education in Turkey.

 

Arabic

Approximately, 2.5 million people in that are residing in Turkey speak the Arabic language. It has become the third largest spoken language in Turkey because many people from Arabic countries migrated to Turkey like Syria. People speak the Arabic language with different dialects. These dialects are:

North Levantine Arabic

Modern Standard Arabic

North Mesopotamian Arabic

Other Mesopotamian Arabic

Do take the help of certified Arabic translation services in differentiating between these dialects. 

 

Zazaki Language

Around 1.7 million Zazaki speakers are present in Turkey. The other name of this language is Zaza or Kirmanjki. Zazaki is an Indo-European language and is influenced by Kurdish immensely.

Let’s Explore the Immigrant Languages Spoken in Turkey

Istanbul in Turkey is an attraction for tourists from all around the world. When people get there, they speak different languages of their countries. The famous immigrant languages spoken in Turkey are Ladino, Greek, Armenian, and Kabardian.

Ladino

Ladino is related to Judeo-Spanish, Judesmo, and Sephardi. Sephardi is a romance language. People living in Israel, the Balkans, Greece, North Africa, and Turkey speak this language.

Greek

Less than 10,000 inhabitants speak Greek in Turkey. In 1920, Greece and Turkey decided to expel minorities from their country to build their nations. After this decision, the Greek populations from Anatolia went to Greece. On the other hand, the Muslim populations in Greece were returned to Turkey. Some Greek people still stayed in Turkey. Therefore, Greek is the minority language in Turkey.

Armenian

Approximately, 61,000 speakers in Turkey speak the Armenian language. Out of this number, 50,000 reside in Istanbul. Most Armenian speakers are bilingual so they easily get jobs in the field of media employment, medical institutions, and media.

Kabardian

Kabardian is the Caucasian language of the Northwest. It is a non-Turkish language. People speak this language in two dialects. These dialects are East Circassian Kabardian and Kabardino-Cherkess. Approximately one million people in Turkey speak this language.

Wrapping Up

If you are planning to visit Turkey then you must know the languages that the people of this nation speak. Additionally, the most important thing that you need to be careful about is not mixing Arabic with Persian.

This thing can offend Turkish people.