List of replaced loanwords in Turkish

This selective list of replaced loanwords in Turkish includes Ottoman Turkish loanwords—mostly of Arabic and Persian, but also French, Greek, and Italian origin—which were replaced with their Turkish counterparts suggested by the Turkish Language Association (Turkish: Türk Dil Kurumu - TDK) as a part of the cultural reforms - in the broader framework of Atatürk's Reforms - following the foundation of Republic of Turkey.

The Turkish Language Association (TDK), established by Atatürk in 1932 for conducting research on Turkish language, also undertook the initiative to replace Arabic and Persian loanwords with their Turkish counterparts. The Association succeeded in removing several hundred Arabic words from the language. While most of the words introduced into the language in this process were newly derived from existing Turkish verbal roots, TDK also suggested using old Turkish words which had not been used in the language for centuries.

Older and younger people in Turkey tend to express themselves with different vocabulary. While the generations born up to the 1940s tend to use the old Arabic origin words (even the obsolete ones), the younger generations favor using the new expressions. Some new words are not used as often as their old counterparts or have failed to convey the intrinsic meanings of their old equivalents. In addition, many new words have inevitably taken up somewhat different meanings, and therefore cannot be always interchangeably used with their old words.

Lists of replaced loanwords

Loanwords of Arabic and Persian origin

The list gives the Ottoman Turkish word, the modern spelling of the word in Turkish (as suggested by TDK), the modern Turkish equivalent, and its meaning in English.

* Old words that are still used in modern Turkish together with their new Turkish counterparts.
** New words that are not as frequently used as the old words.
*** Old words that are of Persian origin.

Loanwords of other origin

Please note that the list is highly incomplete.

* Words that are still used in modern Turkish together with their new Turkish counterparts.

ee also

* Turkish language
* Turkish Language Association
* Atatürk's Reforms

Notes

ources

* [http://tdk.gov.tr/yazim/ Yazım Kılavuzu] , the official spelling guide of the Turkish language on TDK website
* [http://www.nettetercume.com/ Tercüme Hizmetleri] , online Turkish - English translations