The Turkish Language Reform

This is a trenchant, witty, scholarly, and sometimes hilarious account of the most radical language reform in history. It tells the story of an extraordinary episode in the history of Turkey and throws new light on the conflict between secular and religious power in the twentieth-century. Turkey aimed to "liberate its language from the yoke of foreign languages", to be secular and modern, and to turn decisively from its eastern and Islamic past. Geoffrey Lewis observed the changes at...
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This is a trenchant, witty, scholarly, and sometimes hilarious account of the most radical language reform in history. It tells the story of an extraordinary episode in the history of Turkey and throws new light on the conflict between secular and religious power in the twentieth-century. Turkey aimed to "liberate its language from the yoke of foreign languages", to be secular and modern, and to turn decisively from its eastern and Islamic past. Geoffrey Lewis observed the changes at first hand and was able to discuss their progress with a wide range of Turkish people including their leader and the inspiration for reform, Kemal Ataturk.