European University of Lefke (EUL) Dr. Fazıl Küçük Faculty of Education Department of Turkish Language Teaching and Faculty of Arts and Sciences Department of Turkish Language and Literature organized a panel themed “Turkish Language and Culture from Middle East to Siberia”.

In the panel which was moderated by Academician of Arts and Science Faculty, Turkish Language and Literature Department Prof. Dr. Oğuz Karakartal, participants were informed on following subjects; “Old Turkish; In the Pursuit of a Dead Language” by Academician of Ardahan University Department of Turkish Language and Literature Prof. Dr. Ceval Kaya, “Turk Trances in Mongolia” by Academican of Hacettepe University Research Institute of Turkic studies Department of Mongolian Language and Culture Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bülent Gül, “Turkish Languages living in Mongolia and Turkish Teaching” by Academician of EUL Dr. Fazıl Küçük Faculty of Education Department of Turkish Language Teaching Assist. Prof. Dr. Fatma Albayrak.

Kaya: Uyghur, Gokturk and Karahan languages are the origins or Turkish Language

Academician of Ardahan University Department of Turkish Language and Literature Prof. Dr. Ceval Kaya stated that the criteria to be used when drawing the boundaries of the Old Turkish language were divided into the outer and inner history of the language; and added that outer history is the cultural circles, beliefs, foreign elements and alphabets on the foreign language speakers; and inner history is the changes and developments in the language system. Pointing out that Uyghur, Gokturk and Karahan languages are the origins or Turkish Language, Kaya described Göktürk language as texts engraved on stones, inscriptions, rocks, balbalaras, Uyghur language as works written in the papers of the Uighur khanate period in the region of East Turkestan, and Karahan language as the first written language of Muslim Turks.

Gül: Geographical conditions are not solely enough to shape a culture

Academican of Hacettepe University Research Institute of Turkic studies Department of Mongolian Language and Culture Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bülent Gül stated that the Turkish Steppe Cultural had a parasitic culture of tribes that developed within the conditions of the region where the first cultures were born and hunted and forested for it. Gül said that “Those who live in cultivated areas have farmed and formed ‘peasant’ cultures. Those who live with livestock in the valleys have formed ‘shepherd’ culture”. Pointing out the fact that geographical conditions are not solely enough to shape a culture, Gül said that each culture has three basic sources and stated these sources as geographical environment, human, community.

Albayrak: To know the Mongols, it is necessary to know the Turkic societies

Academician of EUL Dr. Fazıl Küçük Faculty of Education Department of Turkish Language Teaching Assist. Prof. Dr. Fatma Albayrak said that, “Today, Turkish language is very important for Mongolian culture in researching the history and culture. In the same way, it is necessary to know the Turkic societies in order to be able to know the Mongols and shed light on their past.” Albayrak said that, for this reason, Mongolia is in an important place in terms of Turkish history and culture and added that “Because these lands are on the unique heritage of blessed past, in which many Turks have emerged in history, fateful unity, in time the nation has established itself in the state of consciousness and has vast countries as sky”.

Albayrak said that, Mongolia-Turkey relations which has completed its 45^th year in 2014 has shown a rapid development and added that the people who are citizens of Mongolia have also increased their demand for learning Turkish, so Turkey Turkish, both in private institutions opened through the efforts of local entrepreneurs and in state institutions has begun to be taught as a foreign language in Mongolia.