Language Planning and Policy in Turkey

Article 3 of Turkey’s constitution declared the Turkish language as the official language of Turkey. Turkish is also the language of instruction in all Turkish educational institutions. Other languages are taught as foreign languages in Turkey, including Abkhaz, Laz, Albanian, German, French, Arabic, English, and many others. However, the language of instruction is still Turkish. Similarly, the Turkish constitution prohibits the use of other languages as mother tongues in any Turkish educational institution, according to article 42. Minority languages in Turkey have suffered greatly as a result of this article. The Kurdish language, in particular, has suffered greatly as a result of this.

Many countries, including Northern Cyprus, Turkey, and Cyprus, recognise Turkish as the official language of the state. Croatia, Kosovo, Romania, Bosnia, and North Macedonia have all designated Turkish as a minority language in their respective countries. However, many international organisations, such as the United Nations and the European Union, do not recognise Turkish as their official language. Therefore, the Turkish language has no status in the EU and UN. 

Turkey is a very diverse country, with people of various linguistic and ethnic backgrounds living there. However, the Turkish language is the only one that has attracted the attention of the Turkish government. While other languages were ignored, the Turkish language received a slew of resources aimed at promoting and developing it. Other minority languages, such as Kurdish, have been suppressed as a result of the Turkish government's single language promotion policy. As a result of the Turkish government's language policy, many minority languages in Turkey have been suppressed and silenced.