Sunday’s Zaman, Turkey
Jan 3 2010
A dictionary of `one of the oldest cities in the world’
`When a man is tired of London he is tired of life.’ So said Dr.
Samuel Johnson, the famous compiler of an English dictionary in the
18th century.
The comment was made to his great friend James Boswell, the lawyer and
diarist who was also to become his biographer. The two companions were
discussing whether Boswell, who lived in Scotland, would continue to
be so fascinated with London if he were to move there permanently,
rather than just visiting it occasionally.
The famous sound bite above comes from a slightly grander observation:
`Why, Sir, you find no man, at all intellectual, who is willing to
leave London. No, Sir, when a man is tired of London, he is tired of
life; for there is in London all that life can afford.’
I guess Johnson had never seen Ä°stanbul. I wonder what he would have
said if he had!
İstanbulian Ali Akpınar has compiled a dictionary of things to say
about Ä°stanbul. A trained language teacher, he has for many years been
applying his methodology to teaching Turkish to foreigners. Like all
good teachers, he has realized that what makes the lessons interesting
is not just repetitions of grammar (essential though this is for
learning) but the stories and insights that the teacher gives.
Johnson’s dictionary was published in 1755 and is often regarded as
one of the most important dictionaries ever compiled. The full title
is: `A Dictionary of the English Language: In Which the Words are
Deduced from Their Originals, and Illustrated in Their Different
Significations by Examples from the Best Writers. To Which are
Prefixed a History of the Language, and an English Grammar.’
He added notes on how to use the word, rather than just defining it,
often with quotations from literature. Johnson’s dictionary was
detailed and surprisingly complete, considering it was the work of one
man. He also added a large portion of wit, for example in defining
oats he quips: `A grain which in England is generally given to horses,
but in Scotland supports the people.’
Akpınar’s Turkish-English dictionary, similarly, does not just give a
translation from Turkish into English. He gives us a story, a meaning,
some fascinating facts, a quotation, a poem, as well as few useful
sentences to help his foreign friends practically.
So, if Johnson’s quote about London is so famous, how does Akpınar
define Ä°stanbul?
Well, the short form is: `City: One of the oldest cities in the world.’
Then comes a magnificent descriptive paragraph: `Ä°stanbul is a bridge,
a gate opening to the East and West, a pot where the cultures meet and
is cooked slowly, absurd and mystical as a fairy tale, a beautiful
woman, tender as a girl, chaotic as hell, melancholic as a poem, sea
gulls of Sait Faik, a rakı bottle Orhan Veli is a fish in, beloved
city of Yahya Kemal he looked at over a hill, the city made of golden
soil, hope, frustration, abundance, poverty, the country of the blind,
a kalabalık city full of balık, a rose pink erguvan in the spring, a
fistful of wheat, a pigeon run after in the mosque yard, a duet of a
sea gull and a muezzin, a serenade of a nightingale, a story, running
after this story and becoming part of this story.’
Not content with this, Akpınar then gives us more than 35 names of
Ä°stanbul (from the well known Constantinople to the more poetic
Asitane-i Aliyye) complete with their own definitions and derivations,
and refers us to a useful Web site.
In this dictionary the casual visitor will find translations into
English of most of the common words they will encounter. From çay to
ocakbaÅ?ı, dolmuÅ? to deprem, all are covered.
The Ä°stanbul explorer will find a wide range of places to visit, with
helpful tips and recommendations from the author. Because he lives in
Acıbadem, the Asian side is as well represented as the European side:
This is truly a dictionary of all of Ä°stanbul.
The beginner language learner will find examples of how to use the new
words in sentences. Hangi takımı tutuyorsunuz? — Which team do you
support?
The intermediate language learner will find idioms. (Under `kedi —
cat’ I learned more than five new phrases, including the marvelous
`Kedi uzanamadıÄ?ı ciÄ?ere mundar der: He criticizes it only because he
knows it is something he cannot attain himself.’)
The advanced language learner will find derivations. `Kalabalık.
Language. Crowd, crowded, packed like sardines. The word is believed
to come from kala [good in Greek] and balık [fish] in Turkish. Good
fish, a lot of fish, good harvest, a lot of people.’
The literature student will find helpful translations of famous poems
such as Orhan Veli Kanık’s `Ä°stanbul’u Dinliyorum Gözlerim Kapalı’ (I
am Listening to Ä°stanbul) and the Turkish national anthem.
Those interested in culture will find a range of useful explanations,
for example, a list and definitions of all of the religious Kandil
nights.
The historian will find a wealth of information. Of course the famous
Turkish architect Mimar Sinan is described, but Akpınar doesn’t
neglect to tell us all about the efforts of the famous Armenian
family, the Balyans, who were responsible for palaces, public
buildings and factories.
The gourmet will find a host of recommendations. The list of 100
tastes of İstanbul includes tripe soup at Apık in Dolapdere, stuffed
vegetables at Asitane in Edirnekapı, cucumbers in �engelköy and yogurt
in Kanlıca.
The serious researcher will find references to Web sites for more information.
The curious will find enough general knowledge to satisfy their
longings. If you are seeking the answers to trivia questions such as
`Who won the first Eurasia Marathon?’ `What was the first newspaper
published in Ä°stanbul?’ or `When was Sirkeci station opened?’ this is
the book for you!
The dinner party host will find an eclectic range of unusual facts and
stories with which to impress and entertain their guests. For example,
did you know that in ages past, sailors sacrificed animals in Beykoz
in the name of Zeus and Poseidon before entering the Black Sea in
order to travel in good weather and be protected from the storms?
Sadly, the stickler for perfect English will find a few turns of
phrase to criticize (as in the Ä°stanbul definition quoted above) when
Akpınar becomes poetic: Maybe the second edition will include a
thorough check by a native speaker.
Akpınar says, `I hope the reader will take away more from the book
than Turkish vocabulary and that he or she will want to read it while
drinking tea or coffee by the Bosporus.’ Whether you just dip in to
this dictionary to glean a few facts each day, or use it to quiz your
Turkish friends on how much they know about this great city, you are
sure to have great fun with `Ä°stanbullu.’
Ä°stanbullu — Dictionary of Ä°stanbulians by Ali Akpınar, Published by
Dem Yayıncılık, TL 20 in paperback, ISBN: 978-605892687-5
03 January 2010, Sunday
MARION JAMES Ä°STANBUL