Alafranga and alaturca

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Ten men in suits, most in red fezes, wait before three ticket windows. Over them, two clockfaces. The postcard has the French text "Constantinople. Poste Impériale Ottomane.
This postcard of the Constantinople General Post Office in 1909 features two clocks, one in Turkish time (starting at sunset, Script error: No such module "Lang".) and another in Western European time (starting at midnight, Script error: No such module "Lang".).

Alafranga and alaturca are musical and cultural concepts specific to the Ottoman Empire and its people. The terms describe a distinction between Western culture and Eastern culture in the Balkans. The labels are now considered outdated, but are useful in understanding Ottoman and Turkish cultural history.[1]

Historically, alafranga and alaturca were adjectives to differentiate between Western culture and Eastern culture in the context of things such as clothing, food and decor. During this time food fusion had some of its most pivotal years because of alafranga and alaturca being so intertwined. [2] Script error: No such module "Listen".

Alaturca and alafranga were also competing music genres in the Turkish Republic in the 1920s and 1930s, after the Ottoman Empire was dissolved. Alaturka was associated with the classical music of the Ottoman Empire, while alafranga was associated with European classical music, along with other western music forms penetrating the country.[1][3]

  • Alafranga is music or other cultural expression in an adopted western or European style (with its own tradition). The term comes from Italian "alla franca".
  • Alaturka is music or other cultural expression in a traditional Turkish style. From Italian "alla turca".[1][4][5]

The contrast is also found in toilets: Script error: No such module "Lang". is a squat toilet, Script error: No such module "Lang". is a flush toilet.[6]

Ottoman references

  • Ahmet Mithat: Felatun Bey and Rakım Efendi: This Ottoman novel defines alafranga and alaturka as, "The term alafranga is French-Ottoman composite of the French "à la" and "franga", meaning "Frank" or "European" more generally. Alafranga thus means "in a European mode". The term alaturka follows the same French-Ottoman composite pattern and conversely means "in a Turkish or Ottoman mode".[7]

References

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See also

  • Alaturka: Style in Turkish Music (1923–1938) by John Morgan O'Connell, Cardiff University, UK, SOAS Musicology Series


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