Η αναγγελία στον Τύπο του κορυφαίου γεγονότος στην Κωνσταντινούπολη του 1928. Η γλωσσική μεταρρύθμιση και η αλλαγή των αριθμών και του ημερολογίου

Abstract

The present paper focuses on the reform of Turkish language. This reform
took place in November 1928. The consequences of this process determined
the developments in the language for the next decades. For the reform’s
success important role played city of Constantinople. If the population of this
city accepted the changes, same acceptation would also happen in the
remainder country. For this reason Mustafa Kemal gave particular importance
to convince population of Constantinople that his proposing reforms would
bring a lot of profits in the intellectual progress of Turkish nation. Consequently,
this is the explanation of trying hard to defend language reform through the newspapers. Moreover, the creator of new Turkey travelled in all
the comers of his country, in order to propagate his ideas about Latin alphabet
and westernization. The majority of his people considered the old, Ottoman
language with the Arabic alphabet, as holy language. Koran was written in
the Arabic language, so the suppression of this alphabet amounted to a refusal
of Muslim identity. Turkey’s President expected that reactions would emanate
from the conservative partisans of religion. The tours of Kemal aimed to
convince Turks that their new alphabet brought country nearer to Europe. One
of his first tours had as destination Eastern Thrace. Kemal considered
European province of Turkey as symbol of reform. From there he began to try
for the success of new alphabet. Also, in the same paper has been added an
annex including some discussions in the Turkish Parliament. These discussions
on the language question shows attention that paid leaders of Turkey and
especially President of Turkish Republic to the new initiatives.