Turkish Language -Some Shop Window Signs

A sign in a confectioner's window in Ayvalık - May 2003

Popcorn Cin Mısır geldi - Popcorn has come cin - genii mısır - corn cin mısır - popcorn geldi - has come (arrived) Nefis Pişmaniye Geldi - Fine Sugar Candy Has Arrived nefis - rare, excellent pişmaniye - a kind of sugar candy Cevizli Antepli Sucuk Geldi - The Antep Walnut Sweetmeat has come ceviz-li - containing walnuts Antep-li - from Antep - (a town - now called Gaziantep) sucuk - a sweetmeat made of nuts and grape juice - Note that: sucuk also means - a savory sausage

Kontürlü Telefon - Pay 'Phone (available inside)
Kontürlü - with counters
Telefon - telephone
Advertising that the shop has a - "Pay Phone"

Kredi Kartı Geçerlidir - Credit Cards Valid (accepted)
Kredi Kartı - Credit Card
Geçerlidir - (Geçer-li-dir) - Valid
Advertising that the shop takes - "Credit Card Payments"

Süzme Aydın İnciri Geldi - Dried Figs from Aydin have come
Süzme inciri - Dried fig(s)
Aydin - A town in Western turkey
Advertising that "Dried Figs from Aydin" - "Have Come"

Açık Nescafe Bulunur - Loose Coffee (available) [Lit: Loose coffee powder is to be found]
Açık - loose.. open..
Bulunur - Is to be found.. (is available)
Advertising that Nescafe style coffee powder - "is available"

An Explanation of - açık - loose..

We have received the following explanation from Zeynep hanım of İstanbul, which we translated into English. - Many thanks - JG. Manisa Turkish - March 2006.. Here is how Zeynep hanım has explained this usage of - açık - in this situation:

Açıklamaya çalışayım: - Let me try to explain:
Nescafe (Neskafe): İnstant olan tüm kahve çeşitleri için günlük dilimize yerleşmiş bir kelimedir.
Nescafe (Neskafe): The word "nescafe" ("neskafe") - has taken its place in our daily language for all types of coffee products.

Açık: "Ambalajı (packages) açılarak azar azar (little by little) ya da müşterinin istediği miktarda satılan mal" anlamındadır.
Open: This means - "Material which is sold in either small amounts or to the customer's requirements from open packages"

Bu kelime nohut, fasulye, baharat, deterjan ve benzeri (the like) ürünler için kullanılıyor.
This word - açık (loose) - is used for chickpeas, beans, spices, detergent and suchlike products.

Satın alma sıkıntısı olan - pek para kazanamayan - müşteriler (customers) için düşünülmüş bir çözüm (solution) yoludur.
It is the considered solution for people who have hardship in purchasing - those who do not earn a lot of money.

Çünkü, maliyeti (cost) daha düşük oluyor ve gerektiği kadar (needed amount) satın alıyor.
This is because the cost is lower and they (are able to) buy their required amount.

Üzüm Pestili geldi - Dried Grape Pulp has come
üzüm - grapes - pestil-i - dried fruit pulp - Is this the - "pesto" - as in Italy?

We have received the following explanation from Gary..

Thank you immensely for your excellent website. I had studied some Turkish a few years back and wished to refresh and augment my knowledge of this fascinating and rich language.
- Just a thought.....the Greeks took many terms into their language from the Turks due to the Turkokrateia for so many centuries. This occurs so very often in foods (esp sweets), household items, et al. Many confections sold in Greece are labelled as "pasteli". I wonder if they got this from the Turkish "pestili" or vice versa - both meaning a sort of confection or candy.
Many thanks to Gary for this explanation of "pesto" - JG - 28th May 2006

What a Load of Rubbish

A sign in Izmir bus station İzmir otogar at Pınarbaşı	İzotaş - an acronym for Izmir Transport Organization Ltd
Lütfen yerleri kirletmeyiniz.- Please don't dirty the floor(s) - [kirletmek - the Causative Verb form - to make dirty] sigara izmaritleri ve çöplerinizi çöp kutularına atınız - Throw your cigarette ends and rubbish in the rubbish bins. - [your cigarette ends and your rubbish(es) to the rubbish bins throw.]