site.btaExhibition in Istanbul Highlights Turkish Words Adopted into Other Languages, Including Bulgarian

Popular Turkish words that have entered other languages, including Bulgarian, are featured in an exhibition organized at the Rami Library, the largest library complex in Istanbul. Titled “Verinti”, meaning “a word given from one language to another,” the exhibition presents Turkish words used in about twenty languages.

“The exhibition aims to show that Turkish words shared with other languages form an important part of everyday life across different cultures,” the introduction to the display says.

Each language is represented in a separate glass case, on the front of which appear popular Turkish words that have become part of that language. Merak (desire) and baklava (a type of pastry) are among the words still used today in Balkan languages such as Bulgarian, Romanian, and Greek. A notable feature of the exhibition is that many Turkish loanwords in Balkan languages are related to culinary traditions.

The Rami Public Library in Istanbul occupies a former 18th-century Ottoman barracks, fully renovated under a project by Turkiye’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism and inaugurated in 2023. With seating for 4,200 visitors and a collection of 2.5 million volumes, it is regarded as the largest public library among the 22 public libraries across Istanbul.