President of the Turkish Language Association (TDK), Prof. Dr. Osman Mert, made significant statements regarding the “corpus-based Turkish dictionary” project, which is being developed to reflect the dynamic and changing structure of Turkish today. According to Prof. Mert, this innovative dictionary will not only include classical literary texts but will be designed to cover all domains in which Turkish is used in daily life. With its broad scope, the dictionary will encompass a variety of linguistic registers—from literature, art, history, and philosophy to street language, family conversations, children’s speech, and expressions found in exam papers. In this regard, the dictionary aims to serve not only as an academic reference but also as a tool that documents and preserves the multilayered structure of contemporary Turkish.
Prof. Mert stated that the foundation of this project is a massive corpus of approximately one billion words, and that artificial intelligence technologies are being utilized to process this vast data set. He emphasized that it would be impossible for a human to analyze such an extensive dataset using traditional methods and noted that the support of software and AI algorithms has made this challenge manageable. Once completed, the dictionary is expected to expand the existing Turkish lexicon by seven to eight times and significantly contribute to the development of AI systems capable of thinking in Turkish. Therefore, this dictionary is considered a major milestone not only in the field of linguistics but also in digital technologies and natural language processing.
Another important project running in parallel with the corpus-based dictionary is the “Turkish Dialect Atlas Project.” According to Prof. Mert, this project is 95% complete and is expected to be made public by the end of the year. This atlas scientifically classifies the dialects spoken in various regions of Turkey, allowing researchers to track regional phonetic and morphological differences with clarity. This comprehensive study will offer valuable data not only to linguists but also to historians, sociologists, and scholars engaged in cultural studies. Thanks to this atlas, the geographical trajectory of the Turkish language will be more thoroughly mapped.
These efforts by the Turkish Language Association are not limited to academic production but also reflect a mission to preserve the vitality of Turkish in society. Prof. Mert stressed the importance of preventing Turkish from being sidelined in areas such as media, signage, technology, and education. He warned that any vacuum in these domains would quickly be filled by foreign languages and argued that the language of media, in particular, should be closely monitored. Mert reminded that television presenters and media figures serve as linguistic role models for society and asserted that their use of correct and proper Turkish could foster a stronger public awareness of the language.
Finally, Prof. Dr. Mert underlined that safeguarding Turkish is not solely the responsibility of the TDK; rather, all public institutions, universities, and individuals must actively contribute to this process. He warned that if scientific and technological terms are not properly translated into Turkish, the country risks falling behind in those fields. Therefore, Turkish must be sustained with strength in all areas of life. Within this context, the corpus-based dictionary is not merely a lexicographical project but is envisioned as a foundational resource that will ensure the sustainability of the language in the digital age. The project is expected to take approximately 3.5 years, at the end of which a comprehensive and modern dictionary will emerge—one that represents Turkish more powerfully on both national and international stages.
