I firmly believe that to truly dive into the world of a foreign language requires an understanding of its cultural roots, history, and evolution. So, learning Turkish isn’t just a matter of mastering vocabulary or grammar but of understanding how the Ottoman Empire language was shaped by centuries of culture, politics, and reform. Yes, the Turkic roots of modern Turkish go back thousands of years, but more relevant is the comparison between Ottoman Turkish and modern Turkish and how that transition happened. So in this post, I’ll cover the basics of Ottoman Turkish, compare it to Arabic, and describe how and why it evolved into the modern Turkish spoken in Turkey today.
Ottoman Turkish Language & History 101
When you first hear about Ottoman Turkish, you may picture scribes in grand palaces scribbling poetic verses. Perhaps you’ve even seen some television series that put imagery into your mind.
Ottoman Turkish was the official language of the Ottoman Empire, used from the 13th century until the early 20th century. However, considering the size of the empires, it was more than just a language–it was a melting pot of linguistic influences. Rooted in Turkic grammar, it borrowed heavily from Arabic and Persian, especially for vocabulary and literary expression. This made it a complex, ornate language used in administration, literature, and religious texts.
Unlike the Turkish we know today, Ottoman Turkish was written in the Arabic script, which suited its heavy use of Arabic and Persian loanwords. As a modern Turkish learner coming from English, I am thankful that the language now uses a Latin alphabet (more on that later).
Vernacular Turkish During Ottoman Times
Ottoman Turkish was the official language of the empire, however, its complexity and the dominance of Arabic and Persian loanwords made it inaccessible to many ordinary people in the empire. Besides setting the stage for later reforms after the fall of the empire, there existed a more common form of Turkish that was called kaba Türkçe, which means crude/rough Turkish.
While you would see the Arabic script and official Ottoman Turkish for formal writing and literature, you would be more likely to hear kaba Türkçe spoken amongst regular people. This form also had more direct roots to the Turkic language family.
Is Ottoman Turkish Still Spoken?
Here’s the short answer: no, Ottoman Turkish isn’t spoken today. As a history geek beginning to learn Turkish, I wondered if there were still Ottoman Turkish speakers out there. However, as a spoken language Ottoman Turkish faded after the fall of the Ottoman Empire and the establishment of the Republic of Turkey in 1923. The language reforms led by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk aimed to create a more unified, accessible Turkish language, giving us modern Turkish.
That said, Ottoman Turkish hasn’t vanished entirely. Scholars, historians, and enthusiasts still study it to read historical texts, like court records, poetry, or religious documents. I can imagine that it would feel like unlocking a time capsule. While it’s not a living spoken language, its legacy lingers in academic circles and cultural heritage.
Similarities and Differences Between Modern Turkish and Ottoman Turkish
I wish I could say I have personally dived into the intricate differences between the two forms of Turkish. However, most of my understanding comes from tracing the roots of Arabic and Persian loanwords and of accidentally using old Turkish words in conversation (and being made fun of by my Turkish family). Language learning pro tip: you cannot fully rely on dictionaries or Google translate!
Anyway, embarrassing moments aside, for a quick understanding, here’s a breakdown of the similarities and differences between modern and Ottoman Turkish.
- Similarities: Both languages share the same Turkic grammatical structure, like agglutination (adding suffixes to words to change meaning). For example, you can form entire sentences in both forms of Turkish by adding suffixes to the ends of words, something that would take multiple words in a language like English. Core vocabulary, especially for everyday concepts like family or nature, also carries over.
- Differences: Ottoman Turkish was heavily laden with Persian and Arabic loanwords, making up as much as 80% of its vocabulary in some contexts. Modern Turkish, by contrast, prioritizes native Turkic words or newly coined terms. For instance, where Ottoman Turkish might use the Arabic-derived “kitab” for “book,” Modern Turkish uses “kitap.” The shift to the Latin alphabet in 1928 was also a huge change for Turkish, and certainly made it more phonetic and easier to learn for me!
To be clear, there are still so many exact and/or similar words between Arabic, Persian, and Turkish. As I’ve learned modern Turkish, I’ve gotten especially good at spotting these words since they usually follow particular patterns. Also, even within modern Turkish, you will hear older and newer vocabulary choices depending on which generation the person you’re talking to comes from.
Why Did the Turkish Alphabet Change?
One of the most transformative moments in Turkish language history was the alphabet reform of 1928. Atatürk and his reformers replaced the Arabic script with a modified Latin alphabet to boost literacy and align Turkey with Western modernization efforts. In short, this modern Turkish writing was designed to be more inclusive and practical for everyday communication.
The Arabic script, while beautiful, was tricky for representing Turkish vowel sounds and wasn’t intuitive for many speakers. This change wasn’t just about letters—it was about accessibility. Personally, as a native English speaker I am thankful for this switch as it made learning Turkish significantly easier.
Also, the new Latin-based alphabet was phonetic, meaning words are written as they sound, which has made learning Turkish pronunciation a breeze for me compared to languages with less consistent spelling. The reform also distanced Turkish from its Arabic and Persian influences, emphasizing a national identity rooted in Turkic heritage.
You can read this separate post to learn more about the political and cultural motivations of this so-called “letter revolution” or harf devrimi in Turkish.
Similarities and Differences to Arabic
Because of Turkey’s location and the influence of Islam and Arabic culture on the country, many people wonder how similar Turkish is to Arabic. Ottoman Turkish’s use of Arabic script and loanwords hints that there might be lots of overlap.
However, while there is some, the two language are also quite distinct:
- Similarities: Ottoman Turkish borrowed extensively from Arabic, especially for religious, legal, and poetic terms. Even in modern Turkish, many Arabic-derived words remain, for example merhaba (hello), şehir (city), and metin (text). The range of Arabic loanwords varies from 6-14% based on methodology, but the Turkish Language Association recognizes over 6000! Both languages also share some phonetic sounds and grammar constructions (like anything with the verb etmek), but on the whole sound quite different.
- Differences: Turkish is a Turkic language with agglutinative grammar, while Arabic is a Semitic language with a root-based system. Turkish uses suffixes to modify words, whereas Arabic relies on patterns within word roots. As already discussed, modern Turkish uses a Latin alphabet, while Arabic uses its own script. Lastly, and probably my favorite part of Turkish, is that Turkish uses vowel harmony, which makes it a much smoother and flowing language.
So all in all, modern Turkish has a unique place in the linguistic world, blending Turkic roots with historical influences from Arabic and Persian.
Final Thoughts
By comparing modern Turkish and Ottoman Turkish you are also exploring layers of history. As a language learner, it helped me have a deeper appreciation of modern Turkish and its role in the countries cultural identity.
This story is also a good reminder that most languages carry far more than grammar rules and vocabulary–they are also stories of change, culture, and often resilience!
If you’d like to get in touch, feel free to leave a comment below or email me at: [email protected]
FAQs
When did the Ottoman Empire exist?
The Ottoman Empire existed from around 1299 to 1922, spanning over six centuries. Learning about its long history and cultural influence can help you appreciate the deep roots of the Turkish language in modern Turkey.
What is the difference between the Ottoman Empire and modern Turkey?
The Ottoman Empire was a multi-ethnic empire with Ottoman Turkish as its administrative language, while modern Turkey, established in 1923, is a nation-state with modern Turkish as its official language.
Did the Ottoman Empire speak Arabic?
No, the Ottoman Empire’s primary language was Ottoman Turkish, though Arabic was widely used for religious and scholarly purposes and the written form of Ottoman Turkish used the Arabic script. There was also a large amount of Arabic loanwords used in the official language of the Ottoman Empire.
Is Ottoman Turkish similar to Arabic letters?
Yes, Ottoman Turkish was written in the Arabic script, so its letters visually resembled Arabic. However, the underlying language structure was Turkic, which is different in grammatical structure.
What language was spoken in Turkey before Turkish?
Before Turkic languages like modern and Ottoman Turkish dominated, various languages like Greek, Armenian, and Kurdish were spoken in the region, depending on the area and era. The arrival of Turkic tribes in Anatolia from the 11th century gradually established Turkish as the dominant language.
