Ottoman Turkish language Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Ottoman Turkish
لسان عثمانى‎ lisân-ı Osmânî
Region	Ottoman Empire
Era	c. 15th century - developed into Modern Turkish in 1928
Language family	Turkic Common Turkic Oghuz Ottoman Turkish
Early forms:	Old Anatolian Turkish Ottoman Turkish
Writing system	Arabic and Persian alphabets
Official status
Official language in	Cretan State Emirate of Jabal Shammar Khedivate of Egypt Ottoman Empire Provisional National Government of the Southwestern Caucasus Provisional Government of Western Thrace Turkish Provisional Government Turkey (Until 1928)
Linguist List	`ota`

Ottoman Turkish (also called the Ottoman language or just Türkçe) was a special type of Turkish language. It was spoken and written in the powerful Ottoman Empire for many centuries, from the 13th to the early 20th century. Imagine a language that borrowed a lot of words from its neighbors! That's what happened with Ottoman Turkish. It took many words from Arabic and Persian.

When the Ottoman Empire was at its strongest, a huge part of its vocabulary – almost 9 out of 10 words – came from Arabic and Persian. This made it quite different from the Turkish spoken today. It was written using the Arabic and Persian alphabets, which look very different from the letters we use in English.

What Was Ottoman Turkish?
- How It Was Different
- Its Script
Why Ottoman Turkish Changed
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What Was Ottoman Turkish?

Ottoman Turkish was the official language of the Ottoman Empire, a huge empire that lasted for over 600 years. It was used in government, literature, and by educated people. Think of it as the fancy, formal way of speaking Turkish during that time.

How It Was Different

The biggest difference between Ottoman Turkish and modern Turkish is the words it used. While modern Turkish is mostly based on original Turkish words, Ottoman Turkish had a massive number of words borrowed from Arabic and Persian. These borrowed words often replaced older Turkish words.

For example, many words related to religion, science, and government came from Arabic. Words about art, poetry, and philosophy often came from Persian. This mix made Ottoman Turkish a very rich and complex language.

Its Script

Ottoman Turkish was written using a version of the Arabic alphabet. This alphabet is written from right to left, which is the opposite of how we write in English. It also had some extra letters to help write sounds that were unique to Turkish or Persian.

Learning to read and write Ottoman Turkish was a big task because of all the different words and the special alphabet.

Why Ottoman Turkish Changed

After the Ottoman Empire ended in the early 20th century, a new country called Turkey was formed. Leaders in Turkey wanted to modernize the country and make its language simpler and easier for everyone to learn.

In 1928, a big change happened. The new Turkish government decided to stop using the Arabic alphabet for Turkish. Instead, they switched to the Latin alphabet, which is the same alphabet used for English. They also worked to remove many of the Arabic and Persian words from the language, bringing back more original Turkish words. This is how Modern Turkish was born.

Today, Ottoman Turkish is no longer spoken in everyday life. However, it's still important for historians and scholars who want to read old Ottoman documents, books, and poems. It's a key part of understanding the history and culture of the Ottoman Empire.