COUNTRY WITHOUT BOOKS

Evening Star, Issue 20468, 26 April 1930, Page 6

COUNTRY WITHOUT BOOKS

EUROPEANISATION OF TURKEY Kemal' Pasha’si introduction of the European alphabet into Turkey seems to have brought about .a veritable -revolution, says the tLiterary Digest.’ He has. not merely replaced one series, of letters by another.) The Turk-, ish language itself has been affected. 1 ami; will be affected even, more in the course of time. Moreover; Kemal has, ; for the present at least, suppressed all books. The Turkish nation is, without a, literature- “ This is the unavoidable result - of suppressing, all books printed with' Arabic letters. . It is true that the purchase and sale of these books have not been legally prohibited, bpt henceforth booksellers will not dare to .offer them, and the public, takes care not to demand them. “In Constantinople alone about two million hooks will have to bo dey stroyed. Booksellers and have already claimed damages from the Government. It is no longer, permissible to print books with Arabic' letters. “Still, there is on the book market at present just one specimen that has been printed in the new Latin alphabet. It is a volume of prose poems written by a member of Parliament,: and. called ‘ Dairila Damla ’ (‘ Drop by Drop’). This is the only book, that for the'present may" Tie awarded as a prize to brilliant’:. pupils in educational, institutions. . “ The Government .Printing Office has its hands full with the preparation: of school books. It has already published some very attractive primers in the new type, and some children’s' books with verses, interpreting popular pictures in colour.. There is a heavy demand for these books the joint' work of tho Director of the Editorial Bureau at Angora and a Turkish lady. ’ “ Tile European alphabet has’ already exercised a strong influence; upon tho language, which is taking on a much simpler form. Its new garb; makes many 1 old idioms and expressions unsuitable. All Arabic-and Per-; sian elements are - constantly climi-, nated.'

“Experts have' been sent to the provinces to select words and expressions from the national language andto incorporate them, into-.the modern classic language. The Language'.Committee which directs this research work is to bo organised as. a sort of Turldsh’ academy. It will compile and control the dictionary. Besides other duties the committee will also have to supervise works of literature so that they may be adapted in stylo and expression to the new tendency of the Turkish language, “ Authors who have been familiar only with the old way of writing are practising and studying, diligently, so that they may resume. their work as soon as possible in the spirit of .the n.ow alphabet. 1 “It is not only the fashion, to know how to write the Latin alphabet, but it has also become a cult.

“Of course, this Europeanisation meets with some resistance, but the Gbazi has absolute confidence in himself, and, while he takes the old veils and garments from ho. gives it new aims and new ideals.” 5