Web Site of the Department

Head of Department: Nuket Esen

Professors: Nuket Esen, Gunay Kut, Zehra Toska

Associate Professors: Nur Gurani-Arslan, Zeynep Sabuncu,

Assistant Professors: Tulay Gencturk, Halim Kara, Erol Koroglu, Koksal Seyhan, Nezihe Seyhan, Zeynep Uysal, Fatma Buyukkarci-Yilmaz

Instructors: Olcay Akyildiz, Ceyda Arslan, Astrid Menz Beygu*, Cemal Demircioglu, Orhan Pamuk•, Aziz Sakir*, Elif Ulug, Ismet Vercin*

*Part-time

•Adjunct

The Department of Turkish Language and Literature has a two-fold purpose: first, to supply specialists in the field with basic training and to prepare them for more advanced work at the graduate level; second, to provide students with the opportunity of integrating Turkish studies with the study of other literatures and cultures, both Eastern and Western.

The first two years of the undergraduate program aim at giving basic instruction in Ottoman and modern Turkish as well as in Persian and Arabic, the main components of the earlier Ottoman literary tradition. A significant parallelism is maintained in the curriculum, during this phase and later, between courses in Turkish and English so as to train students who are completely at home in the use of both languages.

The program is designed to provide the student with a sound and comprehensive understanding of the whole field of Turkish language and literature. At the same time, through close familiarity with the outstanding literary models of the West and with modern methods of linguistics and literary analysis, it is hoped that the student may develop an informed and critical sensibility that would enable him/her to interpret and evaluate Turkish literature from comparative and original viewpoints.

UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM

TOTAL: 141 credits.

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

TKL 101 Ottoman Turkish I (Osmanli Turkcesi I) (4+0+0) 4
Rules and practice of Turkish spelling in the Arabic script in both old and modern texts. Differences in writing between Turkish words and words of Arabic and Persian origin. Intensive reading of Ottoman Turkish in print.

TKL 102 Ottoman Turkish II (Osmanli Turkcesi II) (4+0+0) 4
Grammatical rules, words and phrases in Turkish usage adopted from Persian and Arabic.
Prerequisite: TKL 101

TKL 103 Turkish Language and Grammar I (Turk Dili ve Grameri I) (3+0+0) 3
A survey of the concept language and languages of the world; comparison of traditional and modern linguistic approaches, classification of the Turkic languages, the historical development of Turkish, phonetics, phonology and morphology of modern Turkish.

TKL 104 Turkish Language and Grammar II (Turk Dili ve Grameri II) (3+0+0) 3
Analysis of the word structure, word types and groups, sentence structure and the semantic features of Turkish, by studying texts from contemporary Turkish literature.

TKL 107 Introduction to Textual Analysis (3+0+0) 3
(Metin Cozumlemesine Giris)
Introduction to reading, analysis, interpretation and study of literature by using literary works (poems, fiction and plays) from a variety of time periods in Turkish literature. Survey of tools, methods and insights necessary to read literary works critically. Introduction to literary analysis and criticism, the key concepts, terms and periods in Turkish literature. (In English)

TKL 108 Turkish Writing Techniques (Turkce Yazma Teknikleri) (3+0+0) 3
Introduction to basic elements of writing such as developing a proposition, paragraph structure and outline, writing argumentative essays on Turkish literature. Intensive writing exercises on argumentation techniques as well as writing critical essays. Development of writing skills in writing essays that criticize, evaluate and analyze works of literature.

TKL 201 Research Methods in Turkish Literature (3+0+0) 3
(Turk Edebiyatinda Arastirma Yontemleri)
Theoretical and practical training in library research, methods of research, preparation of papers, and bibliographical sources.

TKL 204 Genres in Old Turkish Literature (3+0+0) 3
(Eski Turk Edebiyatinda Turler)
The poetics of Divan poetry; characteristics of various genrens of Turkish poetry and prose between the 14th and the 19th centuries.
Prerequisite: TKL 102.

TKL 205 Methods of Analysing Divan Poetry (3+0+0) 3
(Divan Siirini Cozumleme Yontemleri)
Methods of analysing Divan poetry in terms of mechanisms of thinking, language, expression and content.
Prerequisite: TKL 102.

TKL 206 Modern Turkish Literature in English Translation  (3+0+0) 3
(Ingilizce Cevirilerden Modern Turk Edebiyati)
A critical study of modern Turkish literature in its historical, political, social and cultural settings from the mid-19th century to the present. Examining selections of fiction, plays and poetry by a number of Turkish authors available in English by using contemporary literary methods and theories. Familiarizing foreign students at Boğaziçi University with the major trends, authors, works, genres, themes and concepts of modern Turkish literature.
For non-Turkish speakers.
Prerequisite: Consent of the instructor

TKL 211 Modernization in Turkish Literature I (3+0+0) 3
(Turk Edebiyatinda Cagdaslasma I)
The rise of modern genres in Turkish literature such as journalism, modern poetry, drama, short story and novel with specific emphasis on Westernization. A general survey of modernization movements and the social and political events of the 19th century up to 1908 in relation to primary texts. (In English)

TKL 212 Modernization in Turkish Literature II (3+0+0) 3
(Turk Edebiyatinda Cagdaslasma II)
The rise of nationalism in Turkish literature through social and political events between 1908 and 1940. Study of texts from the period of national literature. (In English)

TKL 213 Turkic Languages and Dialects I (Turk Dilleri ve Lehceleri I) (3+0+0) 3
Classification of historical Turkish dialects and a comparative study of language by reading Gokturk and Uighur texts, Karahan and Kharezm Turkish and selected texts from works written in these dialects.
Prerequisite: TKL 101, TKL 102, TKL 103, TKL 104.

TKL 214 Turkic Languages and Dialects II (3+0+0) 3
(Turk Dilleri ve Lehceleri II)
A comparative language study by reading texts selected from works written in Chagatay, Kipchak and old Anatolian Turkish. The general classification of Modern Turkic dialects with the transition to modern Turkish (spoken in Turkey).
Prerequisite: TKL 102, TKL 103, TKL 104.

TKL 215 Ottoman Paleography I (Osmanli Paleografyasi I) (3+0+0) 3
Intensive study on the samples from historical and literary texts such as Evliya Çelebi Seyahatnamesi, Peçevi Tarihi, Saltukname with special emphasis on Arabic and Persian elements and grammatical characteristics of Ottoman Turkish.
Prerequisites: TKL 101, TKL 102.

TKL 216 Ottoman Paleography II (Osmanli Paleografyasi II) (3+0+0) 3
Warious hand writings such as dîvanî, tâlik, rik'a, celî; and applied study on official documentations such as ferman, berat, fetva, senet, vakfiye, diploma.
Prerequisite: TKL 215.

TKL 217 Old Anatolian Turkish (Eski Anadolu Turkcesi) (3+0+0) 3
The phonological, morhological, syntactic and semantic analysis of Turkish within the 13th and 15th centruies by working on sample texts written during those centuries.
Prerequisite: TKL 102.

TKL 301 Literary Theory and Practical Criticsm I (3+0+0) 3
(Edebiyat Kurumlari ve Uygulamali Elestiri I)
A survey of major critical approaches up to the twentieth century, from Aristotle's Poetics to Romanticism, with attempts to analyze and define the function of literature with examples from Turkish literature. (In English)
Prerequisite: PHIL 111, PHIL 112.

TKL 302 Literary Theory and Practical Criticsm II (3+0+0) 3
(Edebiyat Kurumlari ve Uygulamali Elestiri II)
A survey of twentieth century literary theories along with modernism and postmodernism. Study of twentieth century Turkish literary texts according to these. Discussion of the place of Turkish literature within the context of world literature. (In English)
Prerequisite: PHIL 111, PHIL 112.

TKL 309 Turkish Poetry in the Republican Period (3+0+0) 3
(Cumhuriyet Donemi Turk Siiri)
Study of the development of Turkish poetry from 1923 onwards based on the contemporary social and intellectual developments, with examples of poetry from major poets.

TKL 311 Turkish Folk Literature I (Turk Halk Edebiyati I) (3+0+0) 3
Analysis of different types of Turkish epics. Dede Korkut tales, folk stories, the tradition of story telling (meddahlik), legends, tales, Karagöz (shadow theatre), and Ortaoyunu (popular theater), riddles, proverbs and popular sayings.

TKL 312 Turkish Folk Literature II (Turk Halk Edebiyati II) (3+0+0) 3
Analysis of different types of Turkish folk poetry; development of oral poetry composed or improvised by minstrels through the centuries.

TKL 313 Divan Literature I (Divan Edebiyati I) (3+0+0) 3
The lives and works of the major poets and writers of Divan literature between the 13th and the 15th centuries within the framework of historical and social characteristic of each period.
Prerequisite: TKL 204, TKL 205.

TKL 314 Divan Literature II (Divan Edebiyati II) (3+0+0) 3
The lives and works of the major poets and writers of Divan literature between the 15th and the 19th centuries.
Prerequisite: TKL 204, TKL 205.

TKL 341 Classics of Eastern Literatures and Turkish Literature (3+0+0) 3
(Dogu Edebiyatinin Klasikleri ve Turk Edebiyati)
Study of selected texts from the masterpieces of eastern literatures in order to evaluate Turkish literature from a broad perspective of world literature.

TKL 342 Classics of Western Literatures and Turkish Literature (3+0+0) 3
(Bati Edebiyatinin Klasikleri ve Turk Edebiyati)
Study of selected texts from the masterpieces of western literatures in order to evaluate Turkish literature from a broad perspective of world literature.

TKL 372 Servet-i Fünun Literature (Servet-i Funun Edebiyati) (3+0+0) 3
Introduction to the short story and the novel of the Servet-i Fünun era. Study of works by prominent writers of the era such as Halit Ziya, Mehmet Rauf, Hüseyin Cahit, Ahmet Hikmet.

TKL 373 Contemporary Turkic Literatures I (3+0+0) 3
(Cagdas Turki Edebiyatlar I)
A study of the development of modern genres and trends, such as journalism, modern poetry, drama, short story and the novel in Turkic literatures in their political, cultural, historical and intellectual contexts.

TKL 374 Contemporary Turkic Literatures II (3+0+0) 3
(Cagds Turki Edebiyatlar II)
Analysis of the works of contemporary Turkic writers from a comparative perspective. Development and application of socialist realism by these writers.

TKL 375 Intellectual Identity in 20th Century Turkish Literature (3+0+0) 3
(20. Yuzyil Turk Edebiyatinda Aydin Kimligi)
The reflection of the identity of the intellectual in 20th century Turkish literature. The introduction of the "intellectual" called "münevver" in Turkish socio-political agenda since the Tanzimat. An examination of how the concept of "mürsit" (wise old man) in the traditional Ottoman society transforms into "münevver" and how this differs from the Western "intellectual". Emphasis on 20th century Turkish writers and their works.

TKL 380-399 Special Topics in Turkish Language and Literature (3+0+0) 3
(Turk Dilinde ve Edebiyatlarinda Ozel Konular)
An in-depth study of selected topics in old and modern Turkish Literature and an in-depth study of special topics in Turkic Language and Literatures.

TKL 401 Turkish Novel After 1980 (1980'den Sonra Turk Romani) (3+0+0) 3
Study of selected Turkish novels written after 1980 within the context of contemporary novel techniques.

TKL 402 Turkish Theater (Turk Tiyatrosu) (3+0+0) 3
Study of traditional Turkish theater, and Tanzimat, Mesrutiyet and Cumhuriyet theatre texts within the context of playwrights and theatre groups.

TKL 403 Women Writers in the Late Ottoman Period (3+0+0) 3
(Son Donem Osmanli Kadin Yazarlari)
Study of women writers of the late Ottoman period and their works.

TKL 404 Women Writers in Modern Turkish Literature (3+0+0) 3
(Yeni Turk Edebiyatinda Kadin Yazarlar)
Study of women writers and their works from the standpoint of feminist criticism.

TKL 405 Mysticism in Turkish Literature (3+0+0) 3
(Turk Edebiyatinda Tasavvuf)
The genesis and expansion of mysticism in Islam, the appearance of sects and its impact on literature. Turkish sects and their literature with specific emphasis on style, form and topic. Samples selected from the poets of Ahmet Yesevî, Sultan Veled, Yunus Emre, Kaygusuz Abdal, Nesimi, Esrefoglu Rumî.

TKL 406 Menakipnames (Saints' Lives) in Turkish Literature (3+0+0) 3
(Turk Edebiyatinda Menakipnameler)
The study of menakipnames (literary genres related to the lives and legends of sufis of Islam, through a historical and sociological perspective. The development of legendary works) with consideration of the historical and cultural context in which they are produced.

TKL 407 Turkish Mythology (Turk Mitolojisi) (3+0+0) 3
The study of Turkish myth and legend. A survey of the characteristic phases of Turkish thought and religions by using old literary and historical material. The comparative treatment of the mythologies of other cultures with consirderation of basic mythological themes and motifs.

TKL 409 Prose in Old Turkish Literature (Turk Edebiyatinda Nesir) (3+0+0) 3
A study of narrative techniques and strategies in old Turkish prose. Examination of the development of various prose forms (epics, stories, memoirs, biographies, histories and genealogies, travel accounts, reports of the ambassadors) with regard to the aesthetic values and social changes of different periods from the 14th to the 19th century.

TKL 410 Story in Old Turkish Literature (3+0+0) 3
(Eski Turk Edebiyatinda Hikaye)
The study of famous story collections in old Turkish literature such as Kirk Vezir Hikayeleri (Stories of Forty Viziers), Kelile Dimne, Bahtiyarname, Tutiname, with emphasis on stylistic and narrative properties.

TKL 411 Azeri Turkish (Azeri Turkcesi) (3+0+0) 3
Teaching the grammar of the Azeri language by working on literary texts from various modern Azeri writers alongside the classical material.

TKL 412 Moral and Political Books of Old Turkish Literature (3+0+0) 3
(Eski Turk Edebiyatinda Ahlak ve Siyaset Kitaplari)
A study of the content of books on politics which give advice to rulers and statesmen and books on morality which advice ordinary people about their daily life within the framework of social and political feedbacks. The assessment of the narrative strategies and characteristics of these works with consideration of the tendencies of the period in which they were written.

TKL 413 Literary Translation into Turkish: 1850-1900 (3+0+0) 3
(Turkceye Yapilan Edebiyat Cevirileri: 1850-1900)
A systemic study of translations from the European languages into Ottoman Turkish in the Tanzimat and post-Tanzimat periods, between 1850 and 1900. (In English)

TKL 414 Tanzimat Novel (Tanzimat Romani) (3+0+0) 3
Study of the first Turkish novels, Tanzimat novels, with respect to style and content.

TKL 418 History of Calligraphy (Hat Sanati Tarihi) (3+0+0) 3
The history of writing in ancient civilizations and in Islamic era. The development of aesthetic rules and Ottoman calligraphy with special emphasis on Turkish calligraphers and their works.

TKL 433 Short Story in Modern Turkish Literature (3+0+0) 3
(Modern Turk Edebiyatinda Kisa Hikaye)
History of the short story in Turkish literature starting from the Tanzimat period. The study of short stories by prominent writers.

TKL 434 Novel in Modern Turkish Literature (3+0+0) 3
(Modern Turk Edebiyatinda Roman)
Study of novels written after 1940 in relation to political and social developments.

TKL 451 Anatolian Dialects (Anadolu Agizlari) (3+0+0) 3
The classification of Anatolian dialects and their linguistic properties by studying collected texts written in these dialects.

TKL 452 Turkish Lexicography (Turk Sozlukculugu) (3+0+0) 3
The analysis of dictionaries written from the Karahan period up to the present; the stages they have undergone, the ways they have been organized and their word lists.

TKL 453 The History of Turkish Grammar (Turk Gramer Tarihi) (3+0+0) 3
The analysis and comparison of grammar books written from the Karahan period up to the present and the stages they have undergone. A general look at the history of Turkish grammer.

TKL 454 Interlinearly Translated Works (Satirarasi Ceviri Eserler) (3+0+0) 3
The analysis of works translated interlinearly in two or three languages which have been very important in the history of Turkish language from the 11th century onwards.

TKL 465 Mathnawi in Old Turkish Literature (3+0+0) 3
(Eski Turk Edebiyatinda Mesnevi)
The mathnawi from and its characteristics. The works written in the mathnawi from (romance, historical, theological-mystical, epic works etc.) in old Turkish literature beginning from the 13th century, and contextual variations between them.

TKL 467 Chagatay Literature (Cagatay Edebiyati) (3+0+0) 3
The grammatical properties of Chagatay language. The examination of the works of major Chatagay poets and writers such as Ali Sir Nevaî, Lutfî, Sekkakî.

TKL 472 Ahmet Mithat and Narrative (Ahmet Mithat ve Anlati) (3+0+0) 3
Investigation of the first Turkish novelist Ahmet Mithat's understanding of the narrative through his novels and short stories.

TKL 473 Modernist Turkish Fiction (3+0+0) 3
(Turk Edebiyatinda Modernist Kurmaca)
Examining the development and application of modernist fiction in contemporary Turkish literature in comparative perspective.

TKL 474 Historical Novel in Turkish Literature (3+0+0) 3
(Turk Edebiyatinda Tarihsel Roman)
Definitions, development and theoretical framework of the historical novel as a literary genre. Historical Turkish novels that are representative of different periods, starting from Tanzimat. The development of this genre up to date.

TKL 477 Gender and Sexuality in Orientalist and Occidentalist Texts (3+0+0) 3
(Oryantalist ve Oksidantalist Metinlerde Cinsellik ve Cinsiyet)
Analysis of the construction of otherness by using gender and sexuality in texts that deal with the "other" (travel writings, letters, novels etc.). Comparison of the texts from Turkish literature with orientalist texts. Theoretical discussions about alteritist discourses.

TKL 478 Mythology in Modern Turkish Literature (3+0+0) 3
(Modern Turk Edebiyatinda Mitoloji)
A general survey of mythology. Study of literary works of Turkish literature that make use of eastern or western mythologies from Tanzimat to our day within the context of mythologies and comparison with similar texts.

TKL 480-499 Special Topics in Turkish Language and Literatures (3+0+0) 3
(Turk Dilinde ve Edebiyatlarinda Ozel Konular)
An in-depth study of selected topics in old and modern Turkish Literature and an in-depth study of special topics in Turkish Language and Literatures.

TKF 111 Elementary Turkish for Foreigners I (4+0+0) 4
(Yabancilar icin Baslangic Duzeyi Turkce I)
Fundamentals of Turkish phonology and simple sentence structures through grammar exercises and controlled vocabulary relevant to basic communicative needs of students.
Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.

TKF 112 Elementary Turkish for Foreigners II (4+0+0) 4
(Yabancilar icin Baslangic Duzeyi Turkce II)
A study on the simple sentence structure of Turkish with special emphasis on tenses, case endings and certain structures necessary for fluent communication.
Prerequisite: TK 111 or consent of instructor.

TKF 211 Intermediate Turkish for Foreigners I (4+0+0) 4
(Yabancilar icin Orta Duzey Turkce I)
A study on intermediate level of Turkish designed to introduce more complex aspects of the language by working on compound tenses and possesive constructions, and to provide practice with extended vocabulary.
Prerequisite: TK 112 or consent of instructor.

TKF 212 Intermediate Turkish for Foreigners II (4+0+0) 4
(Yabancilar icin Orta Duzey Turkce II)
A study on intermediate level of Turkish providing the analysis complex sentence structures of the language with emphasis on extending vocabulary which aims to provide the basic skills of reading articles and essays written in Turkish.
Prerequisite: TK 211 or consent of instructor.

TKF 217 Intermediate Reading inTurkish I (3+0+0) 3
(Yabancilar icin Orta Duzey Turkce Okuma I)
Enhancement of Turkish reading skills through texts with controlled vocabulary.
Prerequisite: TK 212 or consent of instructor.

TKF 218 Intermediate Reading inTurkish II (3+0+0) 3
(Yabancilar icin Orta Duzey Turkce Okuma II)
Enhancement of Turkish reading skills through texts with controlled vocabulary, emphasizing writing.
Prerequisite: TK 212 or consent of instructor.

TKF 315 Advanced Turkish Grammar for Foreigners I (3+1+0) 3
(Yabancilar için Ileri Duzey Turkce Dilbilgisi I)
Advanced study of Turkish designed to provide complete mastery of the complex aspects of Turkish with an emphasis on morphology, and syntax of the language. Development of writing skills via studying letters, petitions, invitations, and curriculum vitae in Turkish.
Prerequisite: TK 212 or consent of instructor.

TKF 316 Advanced Turkish Grammar for Foreigners II (3+1+0) 3
(Yabancilar icin Ileri Duzey Turkce Dilbilgisi II)
Study of more complex syntactic structures of the Turkish language. Development of verbal skills via the use of idioms in the language.
Prerequisite: TK 315 or consent of instructor.

TKF 317 Advanced Readings in Turkish for Foreigners I (3+0+0) 3
(Yabancilar icin Ileri Duzeyde Turkce Okuma I)
A study of Turkish short stories, poems, articles and essays written from 1920's up to the present.
Prerequisite: TK 316 on consent of instructor.

TKF 318 Advanced Readings in Turkish for Foreigners II (3+0+0) 3
(Yabancilar icin Ileri Duzeyde Turkce Okuma II)
Further study of Turkish short stories, poems, articles and essays written from 1920's up to the present.
Prerequisite: TK 317 on consent of instructor.

AR 201 Arabic I (Arapca I) (3+0+0) 3
The alphabet, word structure, phonology and morphology of Arabic. An applied study on selected texts from classical and modern Arabic works. Arabic expressions, compounds and quoted sentences used in Ottoman Turkish.

AR 202 Arabic II (Arapca II) (3+0+0) 3
Word groups, word types and sentence structure (syntax) of Arabic. An applied study on selected texts from classical and modern Arabic works. Arabic expressions, compounds and quoted sentences used in Ottoman Turkish.

PER 201 Persian I (Farsca I) (3+0+0) 3
The alphabet, word structure, phology and morphology of Persian. An applied study on selected texts from classical and modern Persian works. Persian elements in Ottoman Turkish.

PER 202 Persian II (Farsca II) (3+0+0) 3
Word groups, word types and sentence structure (syntax) of Persian. An applied study on selected texts from classical and modern Persian works. Persian expressions, compounds and quoted sentences used in Ottoman Turkish.

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