Istanbul Guide

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GLOSSARY

kapı(sı) – door, gate karagöz – shadow-puppet theatre KDV – katma değer vergisi ; value-added tax (VAT) kebapçı – place selling kebaps keyif – relaxation kilim – pileless woven rug konak, konağı – mansion, government headquarters köprü – bridge köy(ü) – village külliye – mosque complex kuru temizleme – dry cleaning mahfil – high, elaborate chair Maşallah – Wonder of God! (said in admiration or to avert the evil eye) medrese – Islamic school of higher studies merkez postane – central post office meydan(ı) – public square, open place mihrab – niche in a mosque indicating the direction of Mecca mimber – pulpit in a mosque minaret – mosque tower from which Muslims are called to prayer müezzin – the official who sings the ezan

PTT – Posta, Telefon, Teleğraf; post, telephone and telegraph office Ramazan – Islamic holy month of fasting (Ramadan) şadırvan – fountain where Mus lims perform ritual ablutions şehir – city; municipal area selamlık – public/male quar ters of a traditional household Seljuk – of or pertaining to the Seljuk Turks, who in the 11th to 13th centuries created the first Turkish state to rule Anatolia sema – dervish ceremony semahane – hall where whirling-dervish ceremony is performed sokak, sokağı – often abbre viated to ‘sk’ or ‘sok’; street or lane Sufi – Muslim mystic, member of a mystic (dervish) brotherhood sultan – sovereign (Turkish Republic); designates an official office or organisation tekke – dervish lodge tramvay – tram tuğra – sultan’s monogram, imperial signature türbe – tomb ücretsiz servis – free service valide sultan – queen mother vezir – vizier (minister) in the saray(ı) – palace sebil – fountain tarikat – a Sufic order tavla – backgammon TC – Türkiye Cumhuriyeti

Below are some useful Turkish words and abbreviations:

Language GLOSSARY

ada(lar) – island arasta – row of shops near a mosque Asya – Asian İstanbul Avrupa – European İstanbul bahçe(si) – garden bey – ‘Mr’; follows the name boğaz – strait bulvar(ı) – often abbreviated to ‘bul’; boulevard or avenue caddesi – often abbreviated to ‘cad’; road cami(i) – mosque çarşı(sı) – market, bazaar çay bahçesi – tea garden çeşme – spring, fountain deniz – sea deniz otobüsü – catamaran; sea bus dervish – member of the Mevlevi Muslim brotherhood dolmuş – shared taxi (or minibus) döviz bürosu – currency-­ exchange office eczane – chemist/pharmacy eski – old (thing, not person) ezan – Muslim call to prayer; also azan fasıl – energetic folk music played in meyhanes (taverns) fayton – horse-drawn carriage feribot – ferry hamam(ı) – Turkish steam bath han – traditional name for a caravanserai hastanesi – hospital hısar(ı) – fortress or citadel imam – prayer leader; Muslim cleric; teacher iskele(si) – landing place, wharf, quay kadın – wife kale(si) – fortress, citadel

müze(si) – museum nargile – water pipe oda(sı) – room otel(ı) – hotel otob ü s – bus otogar – bus station

Ottoman government yalı – waterside timber mansion yeni – new yıldız – star yol(u) – road, way

Ottoman – of or pertaining to the Ottoman Empire, which lasted from the end of the 13th century to the end of WWI padişah – Ottoman emperor, sultan paşa – general, governor pazar(ı) – weekly market, bazaar