-

Abstract

Translations from Western languages in the post-Tanzimat era played a significant role in the renewal and further development of Turkish literature. During the post-Tanzimat era, when the interaction with the West gained momentum, various works were initially translated from French as a result of political, social, cultural and literary circumstances. However, in the following years, and especially from 1880 onwards, translations of many works of prose and verse from English, German and Russian literature begin. Turkish readers met with Russian literature for the first time in 1884, 25 years after the first literary translations from French. The reason behind the growing interest in Russian literature was the beginning of Russian language education in military schools and orientalist Olga Sergeyevna Lebedeva’s visits to Istanbul. Following the first translation from Russian literature in 1884, there is a considerable increase in translation efforts. In this period, various dictionaries as well as grammar and course books were published to aid learning Russian. Prominent poets and authors of Russian literature were introduced through articles and monographs. Works on the history of Russian literature were also published with the aim of introducing Russian literature to a Turkish audience. Despite the existence of many good-willed endeavors, one can say that the translations from Russian into Turkish were not undertaken with a systematic and structured approach and rather depended on the individual choices of the translators as well as social, political and cultural circumstances of the period. Some of these translations are based on a second language, namely French. One can hardly identify a beautiful style and a high quality translation in some of these translations, which contained errors and missing parts. A systematic and planned approach to translation only came about in Republican era especially after 1940. Like the translations from Western languages, the translations from Russian had a substantial impact on broadening Turkish reader’s and intellectual’s horizon and on acquainting with the literary, cultural and artistic works and values of Russia. These first translations from Russian laid the groundwork for more quality translations to be made in the Republican era. This article will focus on the translations from Russian in Post-Tanzimat era

Keywords

• Tanzimat, Russian, Turkish, literature, translation

ON THE TRANSLATIONS FROM RUSSIAN IN POST-TANZIMAT ERA

Abstract

Translations from Western languages in the post-Tanzimat era
played a significant role in the renewal and further development of Turkish
literature. During the post-Tanzimat era, when the interaction with the West
gained momentum, various works were initially translated from French as
a result of political, social, cultural and literary circumstances. However,
in the following years, and especially from 1880 onwards, translations of
many works of prose and verse from English, German and Russian literature
begin. Turkish readers met with Russian literature for the first time in 1884,
25 years after the first literary translations from French. The reason behind
the growing interest in Russian literature was the beginning of Russian
language education in military schools and orientalist Olga Sergeyevna
Lebedeva’s visits to Istanbul. Following the first translation from Russian
literature in 1884, there is a considerable increase in translation efforts. In
this period, various dictionaries as well as grammar and course books were
published to aid learning Russian. Prominent poets and authors of Russian
literature were introduced through articles and monographs. Works on the
history of Russian literature were also published with the aim of introducing
Russian literature to a Turkish audience. Despite the existence of many
good-willed endeavors, one can say that the translations from Russian into
Turkish were not undertaken with a systematic and structured approach
and rather depended on the individual choices of the translators as well as
social, political and cultural circumstances of the period. Some of these
translations are based on a second language, namely French. One can
hardly identify a beautiful style and a high quality translation in some of
these translations, which contained errors and missing parts. A systematic
and planned approach to translation only came about in Republican era
especially after 1940. Like the translations from Western languages, the
translations from Russian had a substantial impact on broadening Turkish
reader’s and intellectual’s horizon and on acquainting with the literary,
cultural and artistic works and values of Russia. These first translations
from Russian laid the groundwork for more quality translations to be
made in the Republican era. This article will focus on the translations from
Russian in Post-Tanzimat era.

Keywords

• Tanzimat, Rusça, Türkçe, edebiyat, tercüme

References

1. Ahmet Mithat Efendi, Avrupa’da Bir Cevelan, İstanbul 1890
2. Ahmet Mithat Efendi, Fazıl ve Feylesof Kızım Fatma Aliye’ye Mektuplar (Haz. Fatma Samime İnceoğlu-Zeynep Süslü Berktaş), İstanbul 2011
3. Akün, Ömer Faruk, “Şinasi” mad., İslâm Ansiklopedisi, C.11, MEB yay., İstanbul 1976, s. 545-560
4. Akün, Ömer Faruk, “Gülnar Hanım” mad., TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi, c.14, İstanbul 1996, s.243-248
5. Bekiroğlu, Nazan, “Unutulmuş Bir Müsteşrik: Olga dö Lebedeva / Madam Gülnar”, Dergâh, nr. 46, Aralık 1993, s. 8-10
6. Enginün, İnci, Tanzimat Devrinde Shakespeare Tercümeleri ve Tesirleri, İstanbul 1979
7. Findley, Carter V., (Çev. Ayşen Anadol), Ahmet Mithat Efendi Avrupa’da, Tarih Vakfı Yurt Yayınları, İstanbul 1999
8. Gariper, Cafer, “Rusça’dan Türkçe’ye Yapılan İlk Edebî Türler Üzerinde Bir Araştırma: Manzum Tercümeler”, İlmî Araştırmalar 7, İstanbul 1999, s. 105-134

9. Karaca, İsmail, “Ahmet Mithat Efendi ve Madam Gülnar”, İstanbul Üniversitesi Edebiyat Fakültesi Türk Dili ve Edebiyatı Dergisi, c. XLVI, 2012-1, İstanbul 2013, s. 55-72
10. Okay, Orhan, İlk Türk Pozitivist ve Natüralisti Beşir Fuad, İstanbul 1969
11. Okay, Orhan, Batı Medeniyeti Karşısında Ahmed Midhat Efendi, M.E.B. Yayınları 2.b., İstanbul 1991
12. Pınar, Nedret, 1900-1983 Yılları Arasında Türkçede Goethe ve Faust Tercümeleri Üzerinde Bir İnceleme, İstanbul 1984
13. Sevük, İsmail Habip, Avrupa Edebiyatı ve Biz, c. II, İstanbul 1941
14. Tanpınar, Ahmet Hamdi, 19. Asır Türk Edebiyatı Tarihi, Çağlayan Kitabevi, 7.b., İstanbul 1988
15. Ülken, Hilmi Ziya, Uyanış Devirlerinde Tercümenin Rolü, 3.b., İstanbul 1997