The Turkish Language Society (TDK) is to launch a new online Turkish dictionary at the 76th Language Festival, to be held on Sept. 26, enabling users to search for words by typing in only the first few letters of the word as well as having the ability to hear the correct pronunciation of words.
According to the Anatolia news agency, the new online dictionary, called “Sesli Türkçe Sözlük” (Turkish Dictionary with Sound), will replace the older version of the TDK online Turkish dictionary, “Güncel Türkçe Sözlük” (Contemporary Turkish Dictionary). The dictionary contains 117,080 entries.
The older version of the dictionary does not assist users when they misspell a word. This problem has been addressed and users will be presented with a list of alternatives. In fact, the new dictionary is capable of recognizing words if the user types in the first few letters.
TDK President Şükrü Haluk Akalın told Anatolia that the old dictionary has continuously been updated and that the new dictionary is a continuation of these efforts. Noting that work on this project has stretched over eight to nine months, Akalın said: “This dictionary will include a sound file for each entry to allow users to hear the correct pronunciation. That is why the name of this new dictionary will change to ‘Sesli Türkçe Sözlük’.”
“Apart from showing how to pronounce a word, it is also important to develop a dictionary to show which syllable is stressed,” he said. This dictionary addresses that issue.
The president emphasized that some words may be pronounced differently from region to region; however; with the new dictionary, the aim is to show the standard pronunciation of Turkish words.
“The dictionary will be particularly useful for foreigners who are learning Turkish and Turks who are living abroad and want to use the language properly,” Akalın said. The dictionary was prepared by the TDK’s scientific and artistic terms branch. The database for the dictionary was developed by professors Akalın, Recep Toparlı and Nevzat Gözaydın. Anatolia’s Sefa Tekkeli and Şener Mete of the Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT) contributed. The words were vocalized by Göksel Durna and Rahmi Aygün.
Source: Today’s Zaman, 23 September 2008
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