Nobody Will Understand This Text!
Yə tχəλ a ċəċa a.Ša ɣa-la.na.w.mə.t za bza a.wádya-ba, za λamsá dəwa.wt.
Dunay ɣa t°axə´-bza ɣa a.ċʼanə za tə´t Tevfik Esenç 08.10.1992 gə´ dəwa.qʼa. Wana´ ɣafa t°axə´-bza a.bayna.wə.qʼa. A ċəċa.n Türkiye gə´ yə tχəλ a.mə.məs˙a.fa.n, a.mə.ša ɣa-la.fa.n, a.mə.tχə.fa.n.
08.10.1992 λáqʼala; š´ə.nanaw-warad, š´ə.mas˙a, š´ə.warada, š´ə.wadya.qʼa.n yə c°aɣ̅ °ə. Dunay ɣa´w.bza “na´-bza ɣa´ məṡ°a” txa´ž´ š´əx!
“yə´zaqʼala a t°axə´-bza a č´aqʼa´” a. qʼa´. qʼa´ Tevfik Esenç ala a č´aqʼa´...
When a language disappears, a community dies!
As the Network for Monitoring, Documenting and Reporting on Language Rights (DHİBRA), we are marking the 2020 International Mother Language Day with a short text written in an extinct language belonging to the Ubıh community exiled from the Caucasus to the Ottoman Empire.
Today neither we who wrote and signed this statement – nor anyone in Turkey – can read or understand the text above. The reason is that the Ubıh language was buried with the last person who spoke it, Tevfik Esenç, who died on October 8, 1992. With his death, we lost one of our languages in this country together with its fables, requiems and lullabies...
In order to develop friendship, collaboration and solidarity among civil society actors engaged on mother languages and the linguistic plurality of Turkey, we have come together for February 21, the day declared by UNESCO on November 17, 1999 as International Mother Language Day.
As an expanding network, we invite everybody to respect all mother languages and closely follow violations and positive developments relating to linguistic rights.
Marking this meaningful day, we would like to emphasize the practical and moral significance and unique value of all mother languages, especially minority, threatened and extinct languages. We advocate that pluralism should triumph in every area of our lives so that all obstacles to the use of mother languages be lifted, every person continue to live with their mother language as they want, and linguistic plurality be seen as the guarantee for peaceful coexistence.
As participants of a network working on our mother languages or linguistic plurality, we invite everybody with at least one mother language to be aware of and sensitive to violations of language rights and to work to advance linguistic rights.
In order to make this awareness and effort permanent, please do support all activities and participate in the events relating to 21 February Mother Language Day.
Happy ‘Mother Language Day’ to all the languages of the world!
Agos Ermenice Ek, Aramyan Okulundan Yetişenler Derneği, Arap Alevi Gençlik Meclisleri, Aras Yayıncılık, Avesta Yayınevi, Avlaremoz Platformu, Bianet, Ehliddar, El Amaneser, Gazete Sabro, Gor Hemşin Kültür Dil Tarih Dergisi, Gürcü Dil Merkezi, Gürcü Haber Portalı, Gürcü Kültür Merkezi, Hemşin Kültürünü Araştırma ve Yaşatma Derneği, Heyamola Yayınevi, İsmail Beşikci Vakfı, İstanbul Arap Alevi Meclisi, İstanbul Kafkas Kültür Derneği, İstos Yayınevi, Jıneps Gazetesi, Kafkas Dernekleri Federasyonu, Kürt Araştırmaları Derneği, Laz Kültür Derneği, Medya Kitabevi, Mezopotamya Dil ve Kültür Araştırma Derneği, Mızağe Dergi, Nor Zartonk, Ogni Dergisi, Peywend Yayınları, RUMVADER, Sefarad Kültürü Araştırma Merkezi, Şamil Eğitim ve Kültür Vakfı, Süryani Dernekleri Federasyonu, Türkiye Kültürleri Araştırma Grubu, Uncire Dergisi, Vejiyaişê Tiji (Tij Yayıncılık), Weşanxaneyê Vateyî (Vate Yayınevi), Yaşam Bellek Özgürlük Derneği, 1864 Hafıza Merkezi. (APA)
* Dil Hakları İzleme Belgeleme ve Raporlama Ağı (DHİBRA) [email protected]