A famous statement by the French philosopher Descartes is this: "I think, therefore I am." As I learned earlier, Turkish does not have a separate verb "to be". Given this, what would be the translation for this quote?
My current shot at a translation follows: ben düşün bundan benim
Sunday, January 28, 2007
Office Vocabulary
Several days behind, I'm going to take steps to get caught up.
The first is just to list some words I've picked up at the office. A method I experimented with produced some success. That is, I used sticky notepads to write down the Turkish words of things in my office cubicle and then stick that note onto the object. My idea was to simulate immersion—i.e., simulate being surrounded by a new language.
One of the first words I learned this way was bilgisayar or computer. Seeing that little sticky note every stuck to my computer made it easy to have that word sink into my subconscious.
Using this method, I've learned the following words so far:
This is a handy method though not a be-all-end-all, of course. It's just a good supplement to other efforts.
The first is just to list some words I've picked up at the office. A method I experimented with produced some success. That is, I used sticky notepads to write down the Turkish words of things in my office cubicle and then stick that note onto the object. My idea was to simulate immersion—i.e., simulate being surrounded by a new language.
One of the first words I learned this way was bilgisayar or computer. Seeing that little sticky note every stuck to my computer made it easy to have that word sink into my subconscious.
Using this method, I've learned the following words so far:
- kâğıt (paper)
- şiir (poem, specifically, this one)
- kordon (cord)
- şehir (city [a 1940s picture of the NYC skyline])
- ataş (paperclip)
- fincan (coffee cup)
- bardak (plastic or paper cup)
- duvar (wall)
- masa (table)
- masaüstü (table top)
This is a handy method though not a be-all-end-all, of course. It's just a good supplement to other efforts.
Monday, January 22, 2007
January 2007
Instead of a textbook assignment tonight, I decided to make a simple calendar for January to practice the days of the week. Seeing them in this form makes it easier for me to remember them.
| Pazar | Pazartesi | Salı | Çarşamba | Perşembe | Cuma | Cumartesi |
| _ | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
| 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
| 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 |
| 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | _ | _ | _ |
Sunday, January 21, 2007
-im and -iniz
Make-up post since I missed one yesterday.
-im can mean my and -iniz can mean your.
Note: Evidently, the English word is is implied here. Literally translated, "Ceketim güzel" means "my jacket nice". It may feel like pidgin English but it's correct Turkish. So, practice, practice, practice to get over the feeling.
If the word ends ın a vowel, avoid a vowel clash and start with a consonant. For example,
Türkçem my Turkish
bankanız your bank
-im can mean my and -iniz can mean your.
- Ceketiniz siyah. Your jacket is black.
- Ceketim güzel. My jacket is nice.
- Adınız ne? What's your name?
- Bluzunuz bu. This is your blouse.
- Sütünüz soğuk. Your milk is cold.
- Adım Ali. My name is Ali.
- Bu pasaportum. This is my passport.
- Kuaförüm iyi. My hairdresser is good.
Note: Evidently, the English word is is implied here. Literally translated, "Ceketim güzel" means "my jacket nice". It may feel like pidgin English but it's correct Turkish. So, practice, practice, practice to get over the feeling.
If the word ends ın a vowel, avoid a vowel clash and start with a consonant. For example,
Türkçem my Turkish
bankanız your bank
Numbers / Sayılar (iki)
Another textbook assignment—find ten Turkish numbers in this square.
I found 11 (onbir).
on (10)
iki (2)
oniki (12)
sekiz (8)
beş (5)
yirmi (20)
sıfır (0)
yüz (100)
kırk (40)
yarım (0.5)
milyar (1 billion)
Note: Though yarım = 0.5, 1.5 = bir buçuk (which literally means 1 and a half).
| o | n | ğ | ş | b | e | ş | ç |
| n | s | ı | f | ı | r | ö | m |
| i | e | ş | d | f | ü | g | i |
| k | k | b | a | y | ü | z | l |
| i | i | y | ö | i | ğ | v | y |
| ü | z | ğ | z | r | i | r | a |
| y | a | r | ı | m | e | l | r |
| k | ı | r | k | i | ş | t | ö |
I found 11 (onbir).
on (10)
iki (2)
oniki (12)
sekiz (8)
beş (5)
yirmi (20)
sıfır (0)
yüz (100)
kırk (40)
yarım (0.5)
milyar (1 billion)
Note: Though yarım = 0.5, 1.5 = bir buçuk (which literally means 1 and a half).
Friday, January 19, 2007
Motivation / güdülenme
At 52, what is my motivation to learn Turkish? The proximate cause is my best friend's residence in Turkey. The next time I visit, I want to be versed enough in Turkish to talk with strangers as well as with my friend's family and friends.
Beyond that, I find it a fascinating hobby. It's a relaxing extension of my work as a computer programmer. In my work, I am constantly learning new languages. However, they're highly technical, of course. As such, there's a small number of people with whom I can share that language. In contrast, Turkish can be shared with about 200 million people. I like that.
What I also like is that this hobby keeps me mentally sharp. It's like going to the gym and doing weight training. You don't start with the heaviest weights. You work up to them...gradually.
Also, like being at the gym, you don't worry about what the guy next to you is doing. He may be an Arnold S. compared to your 90 pound weakling effort. To focus on that is to drop context, specifically your personal context. So, holding your own in this case means holding your own context. Holding that, you just stick to it and keep pushing yourself to do more and more each day.
Beyond that, I am a lifelong advocate of reason. I have always marveled at the capacity of the human mind and what it can accomplish. My 50+ years have only deepened that conviction. I don't mean just in terms of learning technical stuff and languages. I mean everything, every aspect of life, especially when it comes to morality and emotions, aspects too often relegated to the subjective, mystic realm.
That doesn't mean it's easy. Far from it. It just means that it's possible...with the appropriate effort tempered and guided by a rational, long range perspective.
Armed with that spirit, I'm overcome a rough childhood, dealt with a weak education by educating myself continually after formal schooling, pushed myself across years to unravel the philosophic mess I absorbed from America's culture and to learn a wholly new one grounded solidly in reality, taught myself a set of programming languages sufficiently well enough to make a good living with them and much more.
And the more now includes learning this fascinating language and the intriguing history of its homeland.
Maşallah!
Beyond that, I find it a fascinating hobby. It's a relaxing extension of my work as a computer programmer. In my work, I am constantly learning new languages. However, they're highly technical, of course. As such, there's a small number of people with whom I can share that language. In contrast, Turkish can be shared with about 200 million people. I like that.
What I also like is that this hobby keeps me mentally sharp. It's like going to the gym and doing weight training. You don't start with the heaviest weights. You work up to them...gradually.
Also, like being at the gym, you don't worry about what the guy next to you is doing. He may be an Arnold S. compared to your 90 pound weakling effort. To focus on that is to drop context, specifically your personal context. So, holding your own in this case means holding your own context. Holding that, you just stick to it and keep pushing yourself to do more and more each day.
Beyond that, I am a lifelong advocate of reason. I have always marveled at the capacity of the human mind and what it can accomplish. My 50+ years have only deepened that conviction. I don't mean just in terms of learning technical stuff and languages. I mean everything, every aspect of life, especially when it comes to morality and emotions, aspects too often relegated to the subjective, mystic realm.
That doesn't mean it's easy. Far from it. It just means that it's possible...with the appropriate effort tempered and guided by a rational, long range perspective.
Armed with that spirit, I'm overcome a rough childhood, dealt with a weak education by educating myself continually after formal schooling, pushed myself across years to unravel the philosophic mess I absorbed from America's culture and to learn a wholly new one grounded solidly in reality, taught myself a set of programming languages sufficiently well enough to make a good living with them and much more.
And the more now includes learning this fascinating language and the intriguing history of its homeland.
Maşallah!
Find 8 (sekiz) Turkish adjectives
Another assignment from my textbook—find sekiz adjectives in this grid.
| ı | ğ | i | y | i | p | ş | ü |
| g | ö | n | ı | ğ | ö | ş | s |
| k | ğ | g | ü | z | e | l | ı |
| ğ | b | i | ö | ş | ö | ç | c |
| k | o | l | a | y | ü | g | a |
| ş | ş | i | s | o | ğ | u | k |
| ö | ş | z | ç | ü | ğ | ü | ö |
| a | m | e | r | i | k | a | n |
- güzel (beautiful)
- amerikan (American)
- soğuk (cold)
- kolay (easy)
- iyi (good)
- sıcak (hot)
- boş (empty)
- İngiliz (English)
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Greetings Review
This is an exercise my text book had me complete today.
| Phrase | Greeting | Farewell | Time of Day |
| günaydın | Yes | No | Morning |
| hoşça kalın | No | Yes | Any time |
| iyi akşamlar | Yes | Yes | Evening |
| iyi geceler | No | Yes | Late night |
| iyi günler | Yes | Yes | Morning to early afternoon |
| merhaba | Yes | No | Any time |
| selam | Yes | No | Any time |
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Atatürk's Reforms and Dil Devrimi (the language revolution)
As a new student of Turkish history as well as of its language, I've been looking for good references on the web on the subject. Today, I found this particularly good link—www.allaboutturkey.com/reform.htm.
Also, Turkey's Ministry of Culture and Tourism has this page on its language.
Also, Turkey's Ministry of Culture and Tourism has this page on its language.
Making a question negative: değil
Salami?: Salam mı?
It's not salami: Salam değil
The weather isn't hot: Hava sıcak değil
Tag değil mi onto any statement to ask isn't it? or aren't they?
This garlic sausage is nice, isn't it?: Bu sucuk güzel, değil mi?
They're Turks, aren't they?: Türkler, değil mi?
It's not salami: Salam değil
The weather isn't hot: Hava sıcak değil
Tag değil mi onto any statement to ask isn't it? or aren't they?
This garlic sausage is nice, isn't it?: Bu sucuk güzel, değil mi?
They're Turks, aren't they?: Türkler, değil mi?
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Plurals / çoğul ekleri
How to make nouns plural in Turkish?
Add -ler or -lar, whichever sounds best; specifically, whichever rhymes best with the last vowel in the word to which it will be attached.
Examples:
Day: Gün
Days: Günler
Night: Gece
Nights: Geceler
Evening: Akşam
Evenings: Akşamlar
Television: Televizyon
Televisions: Televizyonlar
-ler harmonizes best with i, e, ö, ü
-lar harmonizes best with ı, a, o, u
Add -ler or -lar, whichever sounds best; specifically, whichever rhymes best with the last vowel in the word to which it will be attached.
Examples:
Day: Gün
Days: Günler
Night: Gece
Nights: Geceler
Evening: Akşam
Evenings: Akşamlar
Television: Televizyon
Televisions: Televizyonlar
-ler harmonizes best with i, e, ö, ü
-lar harmonizes best with ı, a, o, u
Monday, January 15, 2007
Mı, mi, mu, mü
Apparently, a statement can be turned into a question by adding mı, mi, mu, mü at the end of it.
Which one to use? See the vowel harmoney rule.
Scottish?: İskoçyalı mı?
Paris?: Paris mi?
Istanbul?: İstanbul mu?
Turkish?: Türk mü?
Rome?: Roma mı?
Me?: Ben mi?
Driver?: Şoför mü?
Mnemonic: Notice how Şoför sounds like chauffeur.
Note to self: Mistakes are ok. They reflect effort in the right direction. Take pride in the effort and stay focussed on the direction's goal.
Which one to use? See the vowel harmoney rule.
Scottish?: İskoçyalı mı?
Paris?: Paris mi?
Istanbul?: İstanbul mu?
Turkish?: Türk mü?
Rome?: Roma mı?
Me?: Ben mi?
Driver?: Şoför mü?
Mnemonic: Notice how Şoför sounds like chauffeur.
Note to self: Mistakes are ok. They reflect effort in the right direction. Take pride in the effort and stay focussed on the direction's goal.
"There is" / Var and "There is not" / Yok
There's a problem: Problem var.
Yes, problem in English is written the same way as in Turkish! Problem? Problem yok! (No problem!)
Is there any tea?: Çay var mı?
Isn't there any bread?: Ekmek yok mu?
Yes, problem in English is written the same way as in Turkish! Problem? Problem yok! (No problem!)
Is there any tea?: Çay var mı?
Isn't there any bread?: Ekmek yok mu?
Sunday, January 14, 2007
Basics
This morning, I'm just reviewing some basic expressions. Along with reinforcing them in my mind, perhaps some of my friends who'll also be visiting Istanbul again may benefit from seeing how easy some of them are.
Also, during my visit to Istanbul in 2001, I was pleased to see how much goodwill I generated just by knowing a few words of Turkish.
Yes: Evet
No: Hayır
Note: Turkish has two distinct letters— ı and i. That is one without a dot above it and one with a dot above it. The dotless ı is pronounced like the vowel sound in "put" and "book". The dotted i, meanwhile, is pronounced like the vowel sound in "it" or "ee", depending on the particular word. Which sound to use? When in doubt, I'm going with the vowel harmony rule.
Good morning: Günaydın
Hello or hi: Merhaba
Hello or goodbye: İyi günler (Said during the daytime; appropriate to say both when entering and leaving a shop or office.)
Note: I recently activated a language bar on my Windows computer. It allows me to toggle back and forth between English and Turkish characters. Very handy.
Goodbye:
Allaha ısmarladık (Said by the person leaving.)
Güle güle (Said by the person staying.)
Hoşça kalın (Modern, without religious overtones; used by TV announcers, for example.)
Welcome!:
Hoş geldiniz! (Said when you welcome a guest.)
Hoş bulduk! (Said by the arriving guests.)
Good evening: İyi akşamlar
Note: ş is pronounced "sh" as in show.
Good night: İyi geceler
Note: c is pronounced like j (judge) in English. It is never pronounced with a k sound as in "catch" or with an s sound as in "fleece".
Thank you: Teşekkür ederim or Mersi
You're welcome: Bir şey değil
How are you?: Nasılsınız
I am fine, thank you. How are you?: İyiyim, teşekkür ederim. Siz nasılsınız?
(Note: The pronoun siz emphasizes "you" as in "and you, how are you?")
Excuse me: Affedersiniz
I have pleasant memory of using this word on a Turkish trolley. A lovely Turkish woman and I struck up a conversation for the space of my short ride. As I was leaving, trying to get through the normally crowded trolley, I said politely, "Affedersiniz, lütfen" to the passengers. The woman's eyes opened wide with surprise as I said that and then goodbye. I don't clearly recall saying "Allaha ısmarladık" but that would have been an appropriate salutation.
OK: Tamam
Well, tamam, that's it for now.
Also, during my visit to Istanbul in 2001, I was pleased to see how much goodwill I generated just by knowing a few words of Turkish.
Yes: Evet
No: Hayır
Note: Turkish has two distinct letters— ı and i. That is one without a dot above it and one with a dot above it. The dotless ı is pronounced like the vowel sound in "put" and "book". The dotted i, meanwhile, is pronounced like the vowel sound in "it" or "ee", depending on the particular word. Which sound to use? When in doubt, I'm going with the vowel harmony rule.
Good morning: Günaydın
Hello or hi: Merhaba
Hello or goodbye: İyi günler (Said during the daytime; appropriate to say both when entering and leaving a shop or office.)
Note: I recently activated a language bar on my Windows computer. It allows me to toggle back and forth between English and Turkish characters. Very handy.
Goodbye:
Allaha ısmarladık (Said by the person leaving.)
Güle güle (Said by the person staying.)
Hoşça kalın (Modern, without religious overtones; used by TV announcers, for example.)
Welcome!:
Hoş geldiniz! (Said when you welcome a guest.)
Hoş bulduk! (Said by the arriving guests.)
Good evening: İyi akşamlar
Note: ş is pronounced "sh" as in show.
Good night: İyi geceler
Note: c is pronounced like j (judge) in English. It is never pronounced with a k sound as in "catch" or with an s sound as in "fleece".
Thank you: Teşekkür ederim or Mersi
You're welcome: Bir şey değil
How are you?: Nasılsınız
I am fine, thank you. How are you?: İyiyim, teşekkür ederim. Siz nasılsınız?
(Note: The pronoun siz emphasizes "you" as in "and you, how are you?")
Excuse me: Affedersiniz
I have pleasant memory of using this word on a Turkish trolley. A lovely Turkish woman and I struck up a conversation for the space of my short ride. As I was leaving, trying to get through the normally crowded trolley, I said politely, "Affedersiniz, lütfen" to the passengers. The woman's eyes opened wide with surprise as I said that and then goodbye. I don't clearly recall saying "Allaha ısmarladık" but that would have been an appropriate salutation.
OK: Tamam
Well, tamam, that's it for now.
Saturday, January 13, 2007
Numbers / Sayılar
I've got a few minutes before I need to dash out. So, this will be just some practice on my numbers.
1: bir
2: iki
3: üç
4: dört
5: beş
6: altı
7: yedi
8: sekiz
9: dokuz
10: on
little: az
a lot: çok
very little: çok az
hundred: yüz
thousand: bin
million: milyon
billion: milyar
1: bir
2: iki
3: üç
4: dört
5: beş
6: altı
7: yedi
8: sekiz
9: dokuz
10: on
little: az
a lot: çok
very little: çok az
hundred: yüz
thousand: bin
million: milyon
billion: milyar
Friday, January 12, 2007
Typing / daktilo
Interesting how I can struggle for a number of minutes just to write "I am typing" or "ben daktiloyum".
I might be completely wrong here. I may even be an unwitting foil for my friends' laughter. :^)
That's more than ok. I welcome their laughter as well as their constructive comments as I forge ahead.
daktilo etmek = to type
The Turkish equivalents of the verb to be are the endings -im, -sin, -iz, -siniz and -ler. Example: ben İngilizim = I am English
Note 1: The -ler (as well as -lar) ending is also used to make a noun plural. However, my text book writes that -ler is usually left out in this verb context. For example, "onlar İngiliz" is used to say "they are English" instead of saying "onlar İngilizler".
Next, the rule of vowel harmony factors in. What's that? It's the practice of making word endings rhyme or harmonize with the words they're being added to.
Note 2: Turkish often says a lot with one word whereas English often uses a number of words to say one thing. Example: "you will be able to come" = gelebileceksin; gel (come)-ebil (be able to)-ecek(will)-sin(you). This is called agglutination—i.e., sticking words together. Interesting!
Honoring the vowel harmony rule, the ending to tag to daktilo in this case would be -um. However...
Look at daktiloum. Though I'm a novice, saying that word as is does not sound right. Appropriately, Turkish has another (simple) rule to fix that—keep vowels apart. -y- is the buffer used to accomplish this.
End result: daktiloyum or ben daktiloyum
That's it for now. Hoşça kal!
I might be completely wrong here. I may even be an unwitting foil for my friends' laughter. :^)
That's more than ok. I welcome their laughter as well as their constructive comments as I forge ahead.
daktilo etmek = to type
The Turkish equivalents of the verb to be are the endings -im, -sin, -iz, -siniz and -ler. Example: ben İngilizim = I am English
Note 1: The -ler (as well as -lar) ending is also used to make a noun plural. However, my text book writes that -ler is usually left out in this verb context. For example, "onlar İngiliz" is used to say "they are English" instead of saying "onlar İngilizler".
Next, the rule of vowel harmony factors in. What's that? It's the practice of making word endings rhyme or harmonize with the words they're being added to.
Note 2: Turkish often says a lot with one word whereas English often uses a number of words to say one thing. Example: "you will be able to come" = gelebileceksin; gel (come)-ebil (be able to)-ecek(will)-sin(you). This is called agglutination—i.e., sticking words together. Interesting!
Honoring the vowel harmony rule, the ending to tag to daktilo in this case would be -um. However...
Look at daktiloum. Though I'm a novice, saying that word as is does not sound right. Appropriately, Turkish has another (simple) rule to fix that—keep vowels apart. -y- is the buffer used to accomplish this.
End result: daktiloyum or ben daktiloyum
That's it for now. Hoşça kal!
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Hagia Sofia
As part of starting here, I decided to post this lovely picture and identify some of its elements in Turkish.Picture: resim
Lovely: güzel
Building: yapı
Grass: ot
Note: At http://www.turkishdictionary.net/, I'm finding multiple words for the same thing. For now at least, I'm just picking one out of the bunch and going with that. So, my listing of a one-to-one relationship between English and Turkish words is just my way of keeping it simple for myself at this phase.
Flowers: çiçekler
Bush: çalı
Tree: ağaç
Trees: ağaçler (??)
Small: az
Small tree: az ağaç
Dome: kubbe
Top: üst
Dome top: kubbe üst
Minaret: mınare
Minarets: minarelar (??)
Note: Wherever you see (??) that means I'm not sure. Please feel free to leave a comment if I mess it up or if I karışmak. :^)
Man: adam
Walking: yürüyor
Color: renk
Colors: renklı
That's it for now. Hoşça kal!
Hoş geldiniz! (Welcome!)
Amerikalıyım (I am an American) learning Turkish yavaş (slowly). So, bear with me, lütfen (please), while I move at a snail's pace.
To force myself to get on a committed learning schedule, I decided to set up this blog and do something with it every day that involves learning at least one new word each day.
So, here I am, armed with my English-Turkish dictionaries, taking this public step. It puts me on the spot—i.e., my friends can keep tabs on me from afar and crack the whip as needed.
Comments written in Turkish are encouraged and welcomed. I may not understand them for a while but give me time and keep me challenged.
Teşekkür ederim! (Thank you)
Hoşça kalın. (Bye; Cheers; said by the one who is leaving)
Note: My posts will be bilingual for a while. As well as helping my mind adapt to Turkish gradually, I'm keeping my strictly English-speaking friends in mind in the hope that they may pick up a word or two for their next visit to Istanbul.
However, once I give the English equivalent of a word or expression, I won't repeat it since the translation will be somewhere else in my blog. As needed, the translation can be searched easily within my blog.
To force myself to get on a committed learning schedule, I decided to set up this blog and do something with it every day that involves learning at least one new word each day.
So, here I am, armed with my English-Turkish dictionaries, taking this public step. It puts me on the spot—i.e., my friends can keep tabs on me from afar and crack the whip as needed.
Comments written in Turkish are encouraged and welcomed. I may not understand them for a while but give me time and keep me challenged.
Teşekkür ederim! (Thank you)
Hoşça kalın. (Bye; Cheers; said by the one who is leaving)
Note: My posts will be bilingual for a while. As well as helping my mind adapt to Turkish gradually, I'm keeping my strictly English-speaking friends in mind in the hope that they may pick up a word or two for their next visit to Istanbul.
However, once I give the English equivalent of a word or expression, I won't repeat it since the translation will be somewhere else in my blog. As needed, the translation can be searched easily within my blog.
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