Armenian Linguists of Turkish Language

Mavi Boncuk | Armenians have lived together with Turks for centuries. As a result of this coexistence, socio-cultural relations have developed between the Armenians and Turks in the historical process. One of them is the interaction seen in the language field. Armenians who have been intensely interested in Turkish since 13th century have created many Turkish works in this field. Besides producing many works in this field, The Armenians, who adopted the Turkish language as almost their own language, have created many works that are considered to be the pioneers of the field. These studies are important data in determining both the positive relationship of Armenians with the management and their place in the community's cultural life. During the Ottoman Empire era, many Armenian Turcologists were trained that have contributed to the development of the Turkish language. We believe in the recognition of these personalities who have produced these important studies in this field and the necessity to put forward the contribution they have offered to the development of the Turkish language. SOURCE

Hagop Martayan(Agop Dilaçar) was not the only Armenian linguist who researched and developed Ottoman and/or modern Turkish. The researcher Yaşar Şimşek listed some of them, as follows: Edvard Vladimiroviç Sevortyan, Pars Tuğlacı (Parseh Tuğlaciyan), Kevork Pamukciyan, Lazar Zaharoviç Budagov, Artin Hindoghlou (Hintliyan), Bedros Keresteciyan, Karekin Deveciyan, Anton Tıngır, Krikor Sinapyan, Armenak Bedevyan, Bedros (Zeki) Garabedyan (1869-1937),  Cosimo Comidas de Carbognano (Kömürciyan). 

Another Armenian linguist from Turkey, Sevan Nişanyan, who is one of the leading intellectuals and authors in the country. 

See more: The Armenian Who Helped Create Today’s Turkish Language

Fransızcadan Türkçeye ıstılahat lügati / Dictionnaire français-turc des termes technique des sciences, des lettres, et des arts| Anton B Tıngır; Krikor Sınapyan Constantinople [Istanbul] : Imprimerie & lithographie K. Bagdadlian, [1892] 


Armenian lexicographer Bedros Zeki Garabedian, pictured in his 1907 dictionary «Մեծ բառարան հայերէնէ օսմաներէն» (Great Dictionary of Armenian-Ottoman Turkish) published in Constantinople. 




Cosimo Comidas de Carbognano (?-?) was a catholic Armenian, interpreter and minister of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies in Istanbul. In addition, he authored a grammar of the Turkish language. This work includes views of monuments in Istanbul and its surrounding area. His drawings are simple and rudimentary, with simple lines, but nevertheless constitute an invaluable source on mosques, aqueducts, walls and other landmarks of the city. SOURCE

COMIDAS, Cosimo. Descrizione Topografica dello Stato Presente di Costantinopoli arricchita di figure umiliata alla sacra real maesta di Ferdinando IV, Re delle due Sicilie..., Bassano, MDCCXCIV [=1794].