A linguistic evaluation of the preface of “Mikyasu’l-Lisan Kıstasu’l-Beyan” by Abdurrahman Fevzi Efendi

Abstract

Mikyasü‘l lisan Kıstasül-beyan, which is the only known work of Abdurrahman Fevzi, is accepted by researchers as the first Turkish grammar book of Tanzimat based on the date when its writing began (1846) and its author is given the title of the first Turkish grammarian; however, considering its completion (1861) and publication dates (1881), the first printed grammar is Medhal-i Kavîd (1851) which was co-authored by Keçecizade Mehmed Fuad and Ahmed Cevdet Pasha that played a critical role as a school textbook for half a century. Unprepared and uneducated in Turkish grammar writing, first period Tanzimat intellectuals lacked a national system which could set an example of the work that they needed in education and teaching and had passed through madrasah training; thus, grammar method developed for Classical Arabic which they knew best was the first example of their works. This pattern was applied in Müyessiretü‘l Ulûm (1530) which was the first Turkish grammar book in Anatolian land, but in terms of its structure and origins, this effort handled Turkish from the perspective of a different language, as a result of which it did not yield any results. In the 300 years that passed thereafter, a new step was not taken in this area. Thus, the fact that Bergamalı Kadri’s work has only a few copies is an indicator that it failed to create an impact in the world of scholarship. The compiled Turkish grammars of 19th century show similarities with the method of the first grammar written in Anatolian land previously. Those who came to the world of scholarship from madrasah with Arabic “iştikak” (etymology) knowledge performed conceptualizations based on this infrastructure. The operation system brought knowledge of patterns to the forefront. Right thereafter the results of the first contacts with the West would show itself in the field of Turkish grammar science but this time the operation of language would drift to a wrong course and French grammar method would gain dominance. In this context, necessary examinations will be made in line with the collected data and the results will be discussed within the literature in the light of the obtained findings.