Article | The comparison of Arabic and Latin alphabet in the context of literacy

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Mavi Boncuk | The comparison of Arabic and Latin alphabet in the context of literacy

Abstract in English: Turks were using Uyghur alphabet before they embraced Islam, after which they gave up this alphabet, and had to express their language with Arabic script. Arabic writing system that is suitable for the Arabic language is rather inconvenient for certain features of Turkish. In Arabic language, the root of a word is formed only by consonants. Besides, there are three long vowels. There are no short vowels between consonants. In fact, in Turkish – an agglutinative language – syllables join with each other. Since, short vowels are not used in the Arabic alphabet; it can be difficult to read a word correctly without hearing it. Also the eight vowels of the Turkish language do not have their equivalents in the Arabic alphabet. In the latter, the usage of some different letters which represent certain nuance in Arabic language makes it hard for Turkish people to learn reading and writing.

Ottoman intellectuals started to discuss the use of Arabic alphabet from
1839 on, and all agreed on the need to eliminate the confusion in spelling. In the second constitutional period after 1908, those in favour of adopting the Latin
alphabet increased. However, this transition was realized in 1928, after the
foundation of the Republic of Turkey in 1923.

Article | TÜRKÇE OKUMA YAZMA ÖĞRENMEK AÇISINDAN ARAP ve LATİN ALFABELERİNİN KARŞILAŞTIRILMASI  | Şinasi Acar 
(Download PDF) (In Turkish)

See also: Thesis 2005 | TANZİMAT’TAN CUMHURİYET’İN İLK YILLARINA KADAR (1839– 1928) TÜRKİYE’DE İLKOKUMA VE YAZMA ÖĞRETİMİ  | Namık Kemal ŞAHBAZ 
(Open PDF)  (Download) (In Turkish)

Abstract in English: The aim of the study is to determine the historical development of primary
reading and writing at the primary education institutions from Tanzimat
(Administrative Reforms) (1839) to the adaptation of Latin characters by means of
curricula, textbooks, institutional works and writings.
The data sources of the study are made up of Primary Education Curricula
published between the years 1839-1928, elifba (alphabet) books, institutional works
and articles related to the issue in periodical publishing.
As a result of studying into the data gathered, it was determined that the
teaching of primary reading and writing has followed a developing course in three
different ways.

1) The development of Primary Reading and Writing Depending on the
Curricula: For the first time, teachers will carry out reading and writing together in
accordance with the Regulation to be given to the Administrators o the Schools over
How the Education, Teaching and Training of the Pupils will be carried out
published at the date of 1263/1847. At the program belonging to Dersaadet and
Kasabat İbtidiai Mektepleri, prepared in the year 1893 and at the program prepared
for “İnas Rüştiyesi” and “Kız Sanayi Mektebi” the content of the elifba courses was
determined by depending on the basis of the method of character.
With Curriculum of Primary Schools, the method of characters used up to
that time was banned in primary reading and writing. The method proposed for
primary reading and writing at the curriculum of 1926 is the method of analysis and
synthesis being traced up to 2005 in the teaching of primary reading and writing in
Turkey.

2) The Development of Primary Reading and Writing Depending on Elifba
Books: Elifba books do not show a parallel development with curricula in terms of
the method of primary reading and writing. An alphabet book beyond the age was
published with the name of Mebde-i Talim-i Sıbyan in 1875. The work was written
with the principles of the method of sentence. Alphabet books with similar names
appeared only forty eight years later in the period of the Republic. At the Elifba of
İsmail Hakkı published in 1891 the method of sound was followed. Such a lack in
terms of the method followed at the course books appeared in the quality of printing
and the content. The quality of illustration at the work of Resimli Elifba-i Osmanî by
Hafız Refi’ published in 1874 has never been caught in no other alphabet book in the
period of nine years.

3) The Development of the Teaching of Primary Reading and Writing
Depending on the Institutional Works and Writings: It is observed that the
institutional works or writings written over the teaching of primary reading and
writing have sometimes been sources for the determination of the methods to be
followed in the curricula and the books of elifba after they are published.
The method of short spelling over which Selim Sabit argues in his Rehnüma-i
Muallimin is the method followed in the textbooks published later on and the one
adopted in the curriculum prepared in 1892. Elifba books were written depending on
the method of sound (savtî) after the article named “How to learn Elifba?” by Satı
Bey publishing in his periodical of Tedrisat-ı İptidaiye in 1911.

As a conclusion, the curricula over the teaching of primary reading and
writing have shown a course of development renewing and completing each other

within the framework of text books, institutional works and writings.