Turkic Borrowings in the Turkish Language Reform: Past and Today

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to investigate the practice of replacing borrowings with words from Turkic dialects during the Language Reform initiated by Ataturk. The aim of the Ataturk’s Language Reform was explained as revealing the beauty of the Turkish language and achieving its significance among the world languages. To realize this aim, it was planned to eliminate Arabic and Persian words, which were seen as foreign elements, from the language and to adopt and popularize Turkish words instead. In this study, Turkic words were suggested to be used instead of foreign words during the period of language reform, and events that occurred after the language reform were discussed. Recent research conducted in the Turkish Language Society is also mentioned. As a result, a proposal was put forward to develop a common language of communication in the Turkic world.