Right intentions but wrong dialect
Güncelleme Tarihi:
by Vercihan Ziflioğlu
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Nisan 10, 2009 00:00
ISTANBUL - Whether by gaffe or by wily political maneuvering, the newly launched, state-run Armenian radio station is broadcasting in the Eastern Armenian dialect, which is incomprehensible to nearly everyone outside of Armenia. Officials were unaware and say they are now investigating
Turkey’s new Armenian radio station launched by the state to serve the Armenian community in the country missed the mark by launching in a dialect that is incomprehensible to the local Armenians.
The new radio station launched by the Turkish Radio and Television Corporation, or TRT, on April 2 is using the Eastern Armenian dialect in its broadcast, used mainly in Armenia.
The rest of the world’s Armenian communities, including the one in Turkey, use Western Armenian, also called "Askharhapar." While the two dialects cannot be described as totally unintelligible to each other, different uses of the same words and accents make most communication between the speakers of the two dialects very problematic in the least.
Western Armenian, developed of Istanbul origin, is considered the modern Armenian dialect in the Armenian world. Another factor illustrating the importance of Western Armenian is that the classics of Armenian literature have been written in it since the 19th century. Eastern Armenian is the official language of Armenia and is also spoken by the Armenians in Iran.
The difference between the Western and Eastern Armenian dialects is one of the forthcoming subjects on the agenda of the newly founded Ministry of Diaspora of the Armenian Government.
Turkey’s Chief Negotiator to the European Union Egemen Bağış expressed surprise at the situation last Friday night and said he will investigate. In a speech before an annual meeting on the European Union and Turkey, sponsored by daily Radikal and the Center for Economics and Foreign Policy Studies, Bağış defended the ruling party's outreach into state broadcasts in "local languages."
The ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP, seeks no political advantage with its new initiatives in Kurdish, Armenian and other languages other than "to create a better communication channel with all of our citizens," the chief negotiator said.
When told most local Armenians did not understand the broadcasts, Bağış said: "I hadn't a clue. This is the first time I have heard this. Perhaps TRT could only find news presenters speaking this dialect, I just don't know. But I will look into it."
One major problem faced by young Armenian Turks is their lack of proficiency in speaking their mother tongue even though most graduate from minority schools. Lack of proficiency also precludes them from following a radio station broadcast in a different dialect.
While the government has initiated efforts for the establishment of Armenian language and literature departments at universities, the current lack of academic teaching at the university level has taken its toll on the development of the language.
Some Armenian Turks tried to establish a private Armenian radio station a decade ago, with efforts led by journalist Hrant Dink, who was gunned down in 2007. Lack of funds prevented the establishment of the station.
’Target not own citizens’
While the Armenian Society of Turkey had abandoned hope of getting their own radio frequency; they were surprised with TRT’s Armenian broadcast. Etyen Mahçupyan, editor in chief of the weekly Agos newspaper, speaking to the Daily News, said: "This means Turkey’s target audience is Armenia, not their own citizens. This initiative is for supporting the foreign policies of Turkey; therefore, it is not sincere. It bears thought that Turkey makes such an initiative without trying to find out what its own citizens need." Mıgırdiç Margosyan, a world famous Armenian writer, said he agreed with Mahçupyan and added, "What is being done is unfair; this broadcast is not addressed to us."
Pakrad Öztukyan, an editor for Agos, indicated that the Armenians of Turkey cannot understand or speak Western Armenian. "I do not know of TRT’s broadcasting policy. If the target audience is Armenia, broadcasting in Eastern Armenian is the right decision," Öztukyan said.
The new radio station launched by the Turkish Radio and Television Corporation, or TRT, on April 2 is using the Eastern Armenian dialect in its broadcast, used mainly in Armenia.
The rest of the world’s Armenian communities, including the one in Turkey, use Western Armenian, also called "Askharhapar." While the two dialects cannot be described as totally unintelligible to each other, different uses of the same words and accents make most communication between the speakers of the two dialects very problematic in the least.
Western Armenian, developed of Istanbul origin, is considered the modern Armenian dialect in the Armenian world. Another factor illustrating the importance of Western Armenian is that the classics of Armenian literature have been written in it since the 19th century. Eastern Armenian is the official language of Armenia and is also spoken by the Armenians in Iran.
The difference between the Western and Eastern Armenian dialects is one of the forthcoming subjects on the agenda of the newly founded Ministry of Diaspora of the Armenian Government.
Turkey’s Chief Negotiator to the European Union Egemen Bağış expressed surprise at the situation last Friday night and said he will investigate. In a speech before an annual meeting on the European Union and Turkey, sponsored by daily Radikal and the Center for Economics and Foreign Policy Studies, Bağış defended the ruling party's outreach into state broadcasts in "local languages."
The ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP, seeks no political advantage with its new initiatives in Kurdish, Armenian and other languages other than "to create a better communication channel with all of our citizens," the chief negotiator said.
When told most local Armenians did not understand the broadcasts, Bağış said: "I hadn't a clue. This is the first time I have heard this. Perhaps TRT could only find news presenters speaking this dialect, I just don't know. But I will look into it."
One major problem faced by young Armenian Turks is their lack of proficiency in speaking their mother tongue even though most graduate from minority schools. Lack of proficiency also precludes them from following a radio station broadcast in a different dialect.
While the government has initiated efforts for the establishment of Armenian language and literature departments at universities, the current lack of academic teaching at the university level has taken its toll on the development of the language.
Some Armenian Turks tried to establish a private Armenian radio station a decade ago, with efforts led by journalist Hrant Dink, who was gunned down in 2007. Lack of funds prevented the establishment of the station.
’Target not own citizens’
While the Armenian Society of Turkey had abandoned hope of getting their own radio frequency; they were surprised with TRT’s Armenian broadcast. Etyen Mahçupyan, editor in chief of the weekly Agos newspaper, speaking to the Daily News, said: "This means Turkey’s target audience is Armenia, not their own citizens. This initiative is for supporting the foreign policies of Turkey; therefore, it is not sincere. It bears thought that Turkey makes such an initiative without trying to find out what its own citizens need." Mıgırdiç Margosyan, a world famous Armenian writer, said he agreed with Mahçupyan and added, "What is being done is unfair; this broadcast is not addressed to us."
Pakrad Öztukyan, an editor for Agos, indicated that the Armenians of Turkey cannot understand or speak Western Armenian. "I do not know of TRT’s broadcasting policy. If the target audience is Armenia, broadcasting in Eastern Armenian is the right decision," Öztukyan said.