A panel on “Divanu Lugati't Turk: 950th Anniversary” was held at Manas
Kyrgyz-Turkish Manas University hosted a meaningful panel on the occasion of the 950th anniversary of the Divanu Lugati’t Turk and in remembrance of the great Turkic philologist Kasgarli Mahmud.
A panel on The Divanu Lugati’t Turk was organized at Manas University and held in Rectorship Conference Hall on November 14, 2024.
The panel, held in collaboration with the Kyrgyz-Turkish Manas University Department of Turcology, Ankara Social Sciences University, International Turkish Culture Organization (TURKSOY), and the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA), was attended by Kyrgyz-Turkish Manas University Rector Prof. Dr. Alpaslan Ceylan, Ankara Social Sciences University Rector and Chairman of the Turkish Writers’ Association Prof. Dr. Musa Kazim Arican, our university’s Deputy Rector Prof. Dr. Almaz Ibrayev, Vice Rectors Prof. Dr. Recai Doğan and Prof. Dr. Kamalbek Karimsakov, the Religion Adviser of the Turkish Embassy in Bishkek Salih Sezik, TIKA Bishkek Program Coordinator Mehmet Bodur as well as numerous academics and students.
The program started with singing the national anthems of two countries. Afterwards promotion video of Kyrgyz-Turkish Manas University was shown.
“Kasgarli Mahmut is a Source of Pride for the Entire World”
Deputy Rector Prof. Dr. Almaz Ibrayev emphasised that Kasgarli Mahmud is one of the prominent figures of the Golden Age and a source of pride for Kyrgyz, Turkish people and the entire world due to his contributions to science. “Kasgarli Mahmud is not only a source of pride for the Turkic world, but also a scientist whom all of humanity is proud of. Kyrgyzstan has two significant scientists, Yusuf Balasagun and Kasgarli Mahmud. These valuable names are like modern day encyclopedias. They possess great knowledge in numerous fields such as language, culture, ethnography, and geography.
Prof. Dr. Ibrayev emphasised that Kasgarli Mahmud’s commitment to the world of science and his versatility as a scientist, “It’s not enough to just commemorate our ancestors and take pride in them. We must learn from the legacy they left behind. We need to protect our history, culture and language by following in their footsteps. Kasgarli Mahmud is known for his commitment for education and his legacy remains with us even though it has been 950 years since his passing,” he said.
At the end of his speech, Prof. Dr. Ibrayev thanked the KTMU Department of Turcology and the esteemed speakers for sharing their knowledge.
“The Pioneer of Turkic Culture is Kasgarli Mahmud”
Rector of KTMU Prof. Dr. Alpaslan Ceylan delivered a greeting speech. He started his speech by emphasising the pride they feel in hosting this special event, “We feel great happiness in commemorating this enormous and sacred work which is the shared value of the Turkic world. The fact that Kaskarli Mahmud wrote this work by knowing the significance of Turkic language and culture deeply is a great contribution to the Turkic culture to be protected and spread,” he stated.
Rector Prof. Dr. Ceylan underlined that Kaskarli Mahmud is not only a philologist but also a pioneer who aimed to carry the whole Turkic world to the next generations. “While teaching the Turkish language, Kaskarli Mahmud also aimed to learn the Turkish language, Turkish people’s usage, their traditions, games, ceremonies and essentially the culture of the Turks. He was the first to recognize the inseparability of language and culture, the unity of language and culture, and to identify language as the potential and hidden power of identity. His work Divanu Lugati’t-Turk, which examines the different dialects of Turkish, cultural motifs, and ways of life in detail, remains a unique resource for researchers today. This work provides valuable insights not only in the field of Turkish Studies but also in disciplines such as linguistics, history, and sociology.”
Rector Prof. Dr. Ceylan emphasised that sustaining the legacy of Kasgarli Mahmud and passing this unique work down to the next generations is one of the most important duties. “On this occasion, I would like to emphasise the determination of our university, which is the Golden Bridge to the Turkic world, to promote this valuable work and contribute to its research. Additionally, I have a strong belief that academics of our university will translate this sacred work to Kyrgyz in the most accurate and best way,” he stated and expressed his gratitude to those who contributed to organizing this panel.
“Divanu Lugati’t Turk is a Scientific Call”
Rector of Ankara Social Sciences University and Chairman of Turkey Writers Association Prof. Dr. Musa Kazim Arican pointed out the significance of Divanu Lugati’it Turk which is included in the UNESCO Memory of the World Register and is considered one of the most important treasures of the Turkic world. In his speech, he emphasised that Kasgarli Mahmud’s work is not just a dictionary but also an indicator of the Turkish nation’s claim in the fields of language, culture, and literature.
Prof. Dr. Arican stated that Kasgarli Mahmud wrote this work to prove that the Turkish language is a strong and rich language against high literate languages such as Arabic and Persian. “This work is essentially a dictionary from Turkish to Arabic, which has been studied since its creation and is known by the entire academic world. It’s written to present Turkic languages, cultures and literatures to the Arab people. But this work carries a deep meaning than an ordinary dictionary. Primarily, with this work, Kasgarli Mahmud demonstrates that the Turkish language, which was considered inferior to Arabic and Persian languages regarded as higher literary tongues by the prevailing thought of the time was not a backward language. He presents this as a scientific objection and a shout against such claims.
Prof. Dr. Arican emphasised that this work is a unique source of the 11th century Turkic people’s lifestyle, beliefs, traditions, and literature, passing down to the present day, and that it carries an encyclopedic quality with its knowledge. It highlights the philosophy of life and culture, from the epics of Turkish literature to spring celebrations, poetry to methods of medicine and healing.
Prof. Dr. Arican thanked the Rector of Manas University for hosting this panel and wished the panel a successful outcome.
The event highlighted the legacy of Kasgarli Mahmud and continued with the opening panel on the topic “Cultural and Linguistic Legacy of Divanu Lugati’t-Turk.” In the panel, the work of the famous Turkic scholar was extensively evaluated with contributions from contemporary studies. The first session of the panel was moderated by Dean of the Faculty of Literature Prof. Dr. Alpaslan Asik.
In the first session, Prof. Dr. Bulent Gul, discussed the interaction between Divanu Lugati’t Turk and the Arabic language science in his presentation of “Kasgarli Mahmut and Divanu Lugati’t Turk in Arabic Lexicography Traditions.” While Prof. Dr. Mehmet Vefa in his presentation titled “Grammar Studies of Divanu Lugati’t Turk in Turkey and Suggestions of Future Grammar Works on Divanu Lugati’t-Turk Grammer,” shared his suggestions regarding grammar studies already conducted in Turkey and future research on Divanu Lugati’t Turk. Prof. Dr. Burul Saginbayeva focused on the studies in Kyrgyzstan, in her speech titled “Studies on Divanu Lugati’t-Turk in Kyrgyzstan” she explained the reflections of the work and studies conducted in Kyrgyzstan to the attendees.
In the second session, which moderated by Prof. Dr. Musa Kazim Arican, work discussed from different perspectives.
Prof. Dr. Ahmet Gunsen, in his presentation titled “Divanu Lugati’t Turk: Mirror of Turkic Culture and Civilisation of Its Time,” emphasised the cultural meaning of the work. Prof. Dr. Akarturk Karahan, in his presentation titled “Kasgarli Mahmud’s Significance of the Detections about the Dialects,” explored the linguistic richness of the work in detail. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Negizbek Sabdanaliyev, in her presentation titled “Some Observations on the Kyrgyz Translations of Divanu Lugati’t Turk,” pointed out the significance of translating the work into Kyrgyz and evaluated the translations that made so far.
“Divanu Lugati’t Turk is a Strong Bond that Unites the Turkic World”
Rector of Kyrgyz-Turkish Manas University Prof. Dr. Alpaslan Ceylan, who gave the evaluation and closing speech of the panel, emphasised that Divanu Lugat’it-Turk is a unique work that reveals the roots of the Turkish language, the richness and depth of Its history.
Prof. Dr. Ceylan pointed out the significance of the passing down Kasgarli Mahmud’s valuable work
Prof. Dr. Ceylan emphasized the significance of this valuable work, which Kasgarli Mahmud contributed to the world of science, in passing on Turkish language and culture to future generations. He also stated that Divanu Lugati’t Turk is a powerful cultural bond that unites the Turkic world, and expressed that the work is both a historical heritage and a guiding source in the development of the language.
The panel concluded with the presentation of “Certificates of Appreciation” to the panelists and a group photo.
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