Which language to Learn

Littlemo


Joined: 11/12/2008
Posts: 423

Message Posted:
25/02/2009 20:24

Help!!

I have been reading the forum messages under languages & now I'm confused as I did'nt know there was both cypriot turkish & standard turkish languages I just thought everyone spoke the same in trnc. I've tried to learn some turkish but don't know now if I should just pick it up when I move over there.Any tips please

Mo

Macha


Joined: 18/01/2009
Posts: 650

Message Posted:
25/02/2009 20:53

Just learn Turkish and drop in TC dialect like "napan" now and again for street cred. Might be a good idea to learn Greek as well for the future.

fire starter


Joined: 19/06/2008
Posts: 3401

Message Posted:
26/02/2009 07:59

i find that turkish, turkish is much more formal and spoken much more politely.

the cypriot turkish, i call village language, they tend to drop bits out of the formal turkish and swear quite a lot.

well at least in my village,lol.

they also pronounce lots of words differently.

stellasstar1



Joined: 02/07/2008
Posts: 1519

Message Posted:
26/02/2009 09:17

Yes, I think the best thing is to learn Turkish (I wish) and then when you get here it will be more or less the same with a few slight changes for the local words. When I first came here I took Turkish with the Anglo Turkish Association, and they explained each time there was a choice of two words(Turkish or Cypriot) or phrases. We also worked it out, that if we kept on with the course at the rate we were going it would take 10 years to complete!! so gave up after the first year, and now just pick up words and phrases as I use them.

It will also depend on where you live and who you mix with as to how much you ending up using Turkish.

Stella

The-Wicks


Joined: 27/05/2007
Posts: 2279

Message Posted:
26/02/2009 11:00

We are currently taking Turkish lessions - it seemed a good idea at the time! It's incredibly difficult (well, it is for me). We really only wanted to learn the basics to enable us to be courteous to the locals, so not really too worried about local dialect, as we only have a holiday home. Agree with stellasstar1 that at the rate we're going, it's going to take us donkey's years to be able to have any sort of conversation in Turkish!

P & J

Littlemo


Joined: 11/12/2008
Posts: 423

Message Posted:
26/02/2009 13:43

Hi

Thanks for the tips. I'll carry on learning the Turkish language for now & try to adapt when I'm there. If it's any help to those trying to learn Turkish I am using a cd which is the easiest I've tried. Its called learn Turkish by eurotalk interactive & you can get it on the internet. It's really good for basic words & phases.

Mo

mmmmmm



Joined: 19/12/2008
Posts: 8398

Message Posted:
26/02/2009 13:50

A Little known fact..



I know a TC lady - now in the UK, who didn't know a WORD of Turkish as the village were she lived spoke Greek ( well a varient of it )



When she had to move to a TC only district she was teased, and then observed TC kids and TR mainland kids laughing at each others accents and different words / phrases..



Limas(s)olian "Greek " speakers laugh at how a Pafodian would speak and a Greek "cries" to hear the harsh Cypriot dialect..



Turkish, Turkish is what I'd learn..

AlsancakJack



Joined: 14/08/2008
Posts: 5762

Message Posted:
26/02/2009 14:00

Littlemo

In the past whenever I have had to resort to using cd's and dvd's I have found that it is really of no use learning phrases as you will never understand the replies. A Turkish Cypriot neighbour of mine married a Polish woman sometime ago and she could not speak a word of Turkish until she started to live with her husbands extended family (apart from her husband the rest of the family could not speak English let alone Polish). She became fluent in 2 years. My theory is that a lot of people that take up Turkish lessons would be far better off immersing themselves as much as possible in the Turkish Cypriot culture and talk to TC's on a regular basis.

AJ

The-Wicks


Joined: 27/05/2007
Posts: 2279

Message Posted:
26/02/2009 14:17

AJ I've tried this but in Bury St Edmunds there is only two kebab shops & I think they are getting a bit fed up with me.

P

Littlemo


Joined: 11/12/2008
Posts: 423

Message Posted:
26/02/2009 15:45

Thanks All



I think i'll just give it a go & learn when we move over & hope the people have alot of patience & a good sense of humour.

Mo

canyavuz


Joined: 22/02/2009
Posts: 363

Message Posted:
26/02/2009 21:48

Turkish is VERY easy to learn. No abnormal letters like Greek, and words are easier to prenounce, and MUCH easier to write than French, Spanish or Italian.

And also, the Turkish language is very similar to that used in Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan (just a bit of info, not that you would ever go there), so you would be speaking a language understandable by over 100 million people worldwide.

The-Wicks


Joined: 27/05/2007
Posts: 2279

Message Posted:
26/02/2009 21:56

Message 11

Turkish is VERY easy to learn.

Sorry, I beg to differ. Unless, of course, I am more stupid than I thought I was! If someone has studied, say, French or German or Spanish, the words and verbs have similar formations and spellings. Turkish has a completely different sentence formation to other European languages. I understand that Greek is very similar to Russian and if you look at both written languages, you can see a lot of similaries in the characters. You are, of course, correct in pointing out that Turkish is very similar to the language used in Azerbaijan, but, how many of us are planning to visit any time soon?

Regards

J

AlsancakJack



Joined: 14/08/2008
Posts: 5762

Message Posted:
26/02/2009 22:15

canyavuz

'And also, the Turkish language is very similar to that used in Azerbaijan'

Although the Azeri language is regarded as a Turkic language in reality it is very different. The written language is totally different to Turkish and after spending 4 years in Azerbaijan I have found that I have had to unlearn everything about the Azeri language so that I can get to grips with Turkish.

AJ

laptagal


Joined: 28/05/2008
Posts: 549

Message Posted:
26/02/2009 23:02

Has anyone tried the Rosetta Stone Turkish language course? I did have the Spanish set but gave that up when we decided against living there.

AlsancakJack



Joined: 14/08/2008
Posts: 5762

Message Posted:
26/02/2009 23:37

laptagal

Its ok for teaching you words and phrases but it does not prepare you for the replies that you will get when used in conversation with TC's. To be honest I do not think that the Rosetta Stone language course is worth the money.

AJ

mint1955



Joined: 30/05/2007
Posts: 988

Message Posted:
27/02/2009 00:09

Not sure how advanced you need but for starters try this its free until you need to get further on. http://www.byki.com/ donload and choose Turkish. its easy and fun.

Sheila

canyavuz


Joined: 22/02/2009
Posts: 363

Message Posted:
27/02/2009 01:19

message 13 (AlsancakJack),

I disagree a little. I speak fluent Turkish (as fluent as it gets), and i have sat down and watched Azeri Channels, and found it pretty easy to understand. Ofcourse, it's not exactly the same, i'll give you that, but it is enough to get a job there, or express your feelings.......

fire starter


Joined: 19/06/2008
Posts: 3401

Message Posted:
27/02/2009 08:34

we have an iranian friend who also tells us turkish is very similar to persian.

it took him a year to be fluent in the village type turkish.