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Top 5 Things Make Turkish People Mad

Photo of Maiden’s Tower by Ben_Kerckx – Pixabay

Every nation in the world has interesting sensitivities that seem bizarre to other nations. Turkish people are no exception. If you want to visit Turkey, it would be good to know the issues that offend the Turkish people easily.

1) Say Istanbul, not Constantinople!

Image of Galata Tower by Hilmi Ceper – Pixabay

The most interesting thing that makes Turkish people mad is related to the name of 鈥泪蝉迟补苍产耻濒鈥�.

Historically, Istanbul was called with various names like 鈥淏yzantium鈥�, 鈥淒ersaadet鈥�, 鈥淎sitane鈥� and 鈥淒ar眉lhilafe鈥�. But the most used name had been 鈥淐辞苍蝉迟补苍迟颈苍辞辫濒别鈥�. This name was used both by the Byzantium Empire and the Ottoman Empire for centuries. But after the establishment of the Republic in 1923, all other names were abolished, and 鈥泪蝉迟补苍产耻濒鈥� has become the official name of the city.

However, foreigners kept calling Istanbul as 鈥淐辞苍蝉迟补苍迟颈苍辞辫濒别鈥� even after the establishment of the Republic of Turkey. Especially Greeks kept calling Istanbul with its old name in order to emphasize the city鈥檚 Greek heritage and their disapproval of Turkish rule. Soon, a nationalist conflict rose between Turks and Greeks related to the name of Istanbul.

Even today, Turkish people are very sensitive about this issue. Calling Istanbul as 鈥淐辞苍蝉迟补苍迟颈苍辞辫濒别鈥� is enough to make a Turkish man/woman mad. This disagreement is so fierce that American musical band 鈥淭he Four Lads鈥� produced a humorous song in 1953 titled , mentioning this funny conflict between Turks and Greeks :

鈥淚stanbul was Constantinople

Now it’s Istanbul, not Constantinople

Been a long time gone, Oh Constantinople

Now it’s Turkish delight on a moonlit night鈥�

So, if you don鈥檛 want any arguments with Turkish people, never use the word 鈥淐辞苍蝉迟补苍迟颈苍辞辫濒别鈥�. Just say 鈥泪蝉迟补苍产耻濒鈥� and avoid a heated discussion.

2) Raki, not Ouzo! Turkish coffee, not Greek coffee!

Photo of a glass of Raki by Soner K枚se – Pixabay

Another thing that makes Turkish people mad is also related to their rivalry with the Greeks. Since Turks and Greeks lived together for centuries under the rule of the Ottoman Empire, they shared lots of cultural elements with each other. This companionship directly affected the cuisine of these two nations. There are lots of foods and drinks that Turkish and Greek cuisine share. However, both sides stake a claim on the originality of these foods and drinks. The biggest arguments occur related to 鈥凌补办颈鈥� and 鈥淥耻锄辞鈥�.

Both of these drinks have the same content: fermented grape juice, starch and anise. Turks claim that this drink () was invented by Turks centuries ago, while Greeks assert that Raki originates from 鈥淥耻锄辞鈥� and it is a traditional Greek beverage.

A similar conflict occurs related to coffee. Turks call unfiltered coffee made with finely ground beans, 鈥淭urkish coffee鈥�. On the other hand, Greeks call this same beverage 鈥淕reek coffee鈥�. So, if you want to make a Turkish man/woman mad, all you have to do is to order 鈥淕reek coffee鈥� or 鈥淥耻锄辞鈥� in a Turkish restaurant!

3) Be careful about Atat眉rk, the founder of Modern Turkey

Image of Atat眉rk by Sezgin Alkan – Pixabay

One of the red lines of Turkish people is Mustafa Kemal Atat眉rk, the founder of Modern Turkey. Turks get easily offended if someone talks negatively about Atat眉rk. Reason of this sensitivity is very simple from the ashes of the Ottoman Empire.

Atat眉rk was a very successful military officer in the Ottoman army. He became famous thanks to his maneuvers at the Gallipoli battle during the First World War. After the defeat of the Ottoman army, Anatolia was invaded by Allied Powers. While Ottoman sultan surrendered to occupation forces, Mustafa Kemal refused to abide by the peace treaty signed by the Sultan and started a defensive war in Anatolia. After an independence war of 3 years, the Turkish army, re-organized by Mustafa Kemal and his friends, drove out the Allied Armies and established independent Turkey.

As soon as the war was over, Mustafa Kemal abolished the Sultanate and the caliphate and established the Republic of Turkey based on secular principles. Mustafa Kemal modernized Turkey while empowering women and laying the fundamentals of a democratic regime.

Even though 82 years have passed since the death of Mustafa Kemal Atat眉rk, he is still commemorated as a hero. You can see pictures and monuments of Atat眉rk everywhere in Turkey. A big majority of Turkish people are very sensitive about the legacy of Atat眉rk and can easily get offended if they hear a negative comment about him.

4) Do not confuse Turks with other nations

One of the most offending things we should mention on our list of 鈥淭op 5 things that make Turkish people mad鈥�, is associating Turks with other nations.

Just like East Asian people hate to be confused with other East Asian nations (like confusing Chinese with Japanese, or confusing Koreans with Vietnamese), Turks hate to be confused with other Middle Eastern people. When a Turk meets absurd questions like 鈥淒o you ride camels in Turkey鈥� or 鈥淗ow many wives do you have鈥� or 鈥淵ou speak Arabic, don鈥檛 you鈥�, they simply lose their minds and begin to give a lecture about the origins of Turkish people and how they have no connection with the 鈥渃lich茅 Arab image鈥� in the world. So, if you don鈥檛 want to upset Turkish people, never make remarks with reference to 鈥渃补尘别濒蝉鈥�, 鈥渄别蝉别谤迟蝉鈥� or 鈥渉aving four wives鈥�.

5) Do not criticise Turkish flag and national anthem

Image of Turkish flag by PublicDomainPictures – Pixabay

Even though the national flag is important and valuable for all the nations in the world, Turks take this respect to the highest point. Turkish people see like a religious element and treat it like treating the Quran or Bible. No matter what kind of ideological orientation a Turkish citizen possesses, he/she shows the upmost respect to the Turkish flag. In the past, many brawls between local football fans and visiting fans from European countries took place because of the allegations of insulting the Turkish flag. Independently of the trueness of such allegations, many local people see physical conflict as a legitimate reaction to insulting the Turkish flag.

A similar sensitivity is also valid for Turkish national anthem. This anthem is regarded so important that at elementary schools and high schools, the national anthem is sung together twice every week, once on Monday morning and once on Friday evening. The national anthem is also sung before every football match in Turkey, even when the match is not on the international level.